Conserved Building
144 Moulmein Road
Applicable Guidelines
Bungalow Guidelines
Conservation Area
Moulmein Road Conservation Area
Historic address: 144 Moulmein Road
About
The Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), set up in 1844 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Tan Tock Seng, was the first privately-funded hospital in Singapore. It is also the second oldest hospital in Singapore – the first hospital was the General Hospital (now Singapore General Hospital), which was established in 1821.
The History
TTSH was originally named ‘Pauper’s Hospital’. It was intended to serve labourers and coolies without discrimination of race and religion, who could not afford proper healthcare. When it was established in 1844, it was one of the earliest and grandest examples of philanthropy in Singapore. The original hospital was built at Pearl’s Hill before shifting to Serangoon Road / Balestier Road in 1860. This led to the area being called ‘Rumah Miskin’ – or ‘Poor Man’s home’. The same year, it was renamed ‘Tan Tock Seng Hospital’ in honour of its founder. TTSH moved to its current location on Balestier Hill, along Moulmein Road in 1909. The second site was then taken over by the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital.
At the Balestier Hill area, the hospital was surrounded by a variety of institutional and residential buildings. The latter buildings were a mix of private and public residence, as the area had become developed over the years as the wealthy moved out of the congested city centre, into the more salubrious suburbs. An example of such a private residence is the National Monument : Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, housed in the former Wan Qing Yuan, a bungalow on the northern side of Balestier Hill.
TTSH continued its operations throughout World War II (WWII). During the Japanese Occupation, the hospital functioned briefly as a military hospital before converting to civilian use under the name ‘Hakuai Byoin’ (‘Universal Love Hospital’).
Although the original 1844 wards at Pearl’s Hill have long been demolished, some buildings from the second TTSH at Serangoon Road have been conserved in 2012 as part of today’s Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital. TTSH as an institution is representative of the contributions of generations of philanthropists towards wider society.
Three notable buildings related to the history of TTSH are conserved. One of them i.e. the former Nurses’ Quarters at 107 Mandalay Road, was conserved on 15 March 2013. The other 2 buildings are the bungalows at 142 and 144 Moulmein Road were conserved on 6 June 2014.
The Building
Based on the architectural style, it would appear that the building was built around the 1900s.
No. 144 Moulmein Road was most likely to have been a residence for a Chinese occupant. It was used at some time as a chapel for TTSH staff, and also as a centre for Tuberculosis control.
This house is a single-storey timber building that sits on masonry piers to raise it above the ground. Such a design is used to reduce the risk of damage from flooding, as well as providing for additional ventilation from below the floorboards. It is also adapted from traditional South East Asian/Malay architecture.
The distinctive feature of the building is a pair of octagonal turrets at either side of the front façade. The main entrance is marked by a projecting central porch that is supported on Doric masonry columns. The building is ornately decorated on the exterior with intricate relief mouldings in plaster. These mouldings, featuring motifs such Chinese bats and coins to symbolise wealth and fortune, can be found above and below windows, adorning the pediment of the porch, and above the front entrance door. There are also neo-classical ‘festoons’ that are composed of motifs using local fruits and flowers. The roof eaves are decorated throughout with cut metal fretwork fascia.
The Legacy
This unique building is located prominently along the main road and is a tangible reminder of the history of the area. At the same time, it illustrates the development of domestic architecture in Singapore that is a hybridization of Eastern and Western traditions.
Gazetted on 6 June 2014.
Guidelines and Procedures
All proposed works will need to comply with the Conservation Guidelines and the Specific Restoration Guidelines (SRG). Conservation Permission is required before all additions & alteration works and operations of new use can begin.
Residential Fronts are characterised by timber casement windows flanking a double-leafed timber door. All buildings with residential front which is existing and/or identified in the 'Specific Restoration Guidelines', regardless of land use zoning, shall be retained and restored.
Explore Street View
The building can be found at this street.