Conserved Building
38 South Bridge Road
Applicable Guidelines
Secondary Settlement Guidelines
Conservation Area
Upper Circular Road Conservation Area
Historic address: 38 South Bridge Road
The History
38 and 40 South Bridge Road - a single 4-storey building straddling two lots - is likely to be built between the1930s to 1940s. Located in the current Upper Circular Conservation Area, the site was depicted as part of urbanized Singapore Town in John Turnbull Thomson’s 1846 Plan.
After World War 1, there was a boom in regional trade as the world recovered economically. Increased demand for commodities such as tin, rubber and food stuffs drove the expansion of merchandising space. Over time, the old low-rise shophouses in the Upper Circular Road area were reconstructed to higher heights, as exemplified by 38 and South Bridge Rd, to house an emerging Asian merchant class.
The Building
The original reinforced concrete (RC) building is a good example of Art-Deco style with flag posts and articulated pediment to add a sense of grandeur. It also has mild-steel frame plate glass windows and ‘Shanghai plastered’ facade which were new building products and a fashionable finish respectively then.
The use, placement and detailing of building elements i.e. the modular windows, pre-cast vents, and horizontal RC fins and canopies with unusual rounded corners, has created a pleasant and dignified façade. Collectively, they signalise the sophisticated tastes underlining the historic development.
The Legacy
The new owner, who bought the property in 2023, has voluntarily conserved the building after site investigations established that the building’s original structure columns and floors are still existing while the largely intact front façade with Shanghai plaster finish is hidden by a layer of glass cladding added in the 1980s. Restoration and upgrading works are on-going. When completed, the building will enhance the architectural character and historic fabric of the area.
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.