Conserved Building
252 Middle Road
Applicable Guidelines
Historic District Guidelines
Conservation Area
Short Street Conservation Area
Historic address: 252 Middle Road
Former Middle Road Hospital
About
The former Middle Road Hospital (250, 252 Middle Road) occupied the building next to the David Elias Building along Middle Road until 1988, when the National Skin Centre took over the treatment of skin diseases.
The History
The hospital building was built in the 1940s during the Japanese Occupation as the Doh-Jin Hospital, to serve a growing Japanese community in the area. The Japanese Consulate was housed nearby in the building that became Mount Emily Girls' Home, now known as Emily Hill. The hospital was designed by local architect Kwan Yow Luen, who was reportedly approached after seven other architects had previously declined the commission.
After the war, the hospital was renamed the Middle Road Hospital in 1945 and functioned as a centre for the treatment of skin diseases. It also gained notoriety as a centre for the treatment of venereal diseases, which likely gave rise to its informal reference as the "social hygiene hospital".
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.
Gallery
Explore Street View
The building can be found at this street.