Singapore’s heritage buildings so old, they’re new again

SINGAPORE – Some of Singapore’s storied buildings are entering their second act. Sensitive restoration of their original architecture has given them new longevity as hip heritage hubs.

One standout example of this rebirth is the Bukit Timah Fire Station. A once essential civic building completed in 1956, it functioned as a working fire station with firefighters’ quarters and a main red-and-white building, serving the community for decades.

The station ceased operations in 2005. While its original civic role ended, the site found renewed relevance as a hub for food and beverage outlets, keeping the building active even as its long-term future was uncertain.

In 2019, it was gazetted for conservation, formally recognising its heritage value. In 2025, it was reimagined as Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station, reframing the landmark as a co-living and lifestyle destination.

This adaptive reuse is part of a wider trend sweeping the island.

Colonial-era black-and-white bungalows and other heritage properties are also drawing renewed interest, from homes and historical state properties managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) to three rare units at The Oval in Seletar managed by JTC Corporation (JTC) that are now available for rent.

State-owned properties such as heritage bungalows are not the same as Good Class Bungalows (GCB). GCBs are a luxury landed-housing category defined by size, height and location within designated areas such as Nassim Road and Cluny Road in District 10.

In contrast, black-and-white bungalows and other state-owned conserved buildings are protected for their architectural, historical and social value. They are generally not for sale.

As more buyers and tenants in Singapore seek spaces with soul, these buildings are emerging as bridges between the city-state’s rich past and its rapidly evolving urban future.

The Straits Times looks at the latest heritage buildings managed by SLA and JTC that have been repurposed or are up for lease.

Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station

Home-grown co-living brand Coliwoo clinched the government tender for the former Bukit Timah Fire Station in April 2024, after the SLA released the site for adaptive reuse.

The $7.5 million redevelopment spanned roughly 15 months, requiring close consultation with the authorities to retrofit the 1950s civic structure for its new life as a modern co-living and commercial cluster.

The project was officially launched in September 2025. Within three months, occupancy climbed to about 95 per cent.

The revamp transformed the old fire station from 45 original rooms across seven blocks into 62 serviced apartments. It also created 32 ground-floor commercial units for communal space, F&B outlets and retail.

As at April, 28 of those 32 units have been leased out, with tenants ranging from a bakery and an activity-based operator to a swim school and a pet boutique.

The co-living rooms start at about $3,000 a month for 100 sq ft. Commercial leases range from $8 to $15 a square foot.

Mr Kelvin Lim, executive chairman and chief executive of Coliwoo, says the design was shaped first by conservation rules.

Key heritage features had to be retained, such as the engine bays, hose-drying tower, facade and overall building form.

Within those limits, the company kept and adapted parts of the building that were still sound and suitable for co-living, such as the firemen’s quarters. It reworked areas that were too damaged or did not suit residential use.

“The main challenges were fitting modern co-living services into a 1950s fire station built for operations, not habitation, and doing so within conservation limits,” says Mr Lim.

“The team also had to work around limited ceiling voids, scarce original documentation, strict approval processes and weatherproofing issues, while restoring signature features like the hose-drying tower and improving comfort with new sheltered walkways.”

The hose-drying tower, one of the site’s most distinctive features, presented its own set of considerations.

It was meticulously restored and refurbished by removing the layers of alterations accumulated over the years, allowing its original architectural integrity to re-emerge.

Its historic character is further elevated with a curated art mural that accentuates its imposing presence.

“By night, the tower is reimagined as a luminous landmark. Light gently filters through its signature ventilation blocks, creating a striking ‘pass-through’ glow that transforms the structure into a beacon reminiscent of a contemporary lighthouse,” says Mr Lim.

He also says the approval process for a conserved building was slower and more complex than for a standard project. As such, Coliwoo worked closely with authorities from the start and treated conservation limits as part of the brief.

Its experience in co-living, leasing and facilities management helped it balance the budget and revenue model, with heritage features preserved and interiors fitted out to Coliwoo’s standards.

The most important consideration was ensuring that everything new felt like it belonged there and did not erase what had come before, says the project’s lead designer Lorenzo Mariani, creative director of LHN Group. The group is Coliwoo’s controlling shareholder.

“The old Bukit Timah Fire Station was built where every element of its architecture served the demands of fire-fighting,” he says.

“The engine bays are wide because fire engines are wide, and the tower is tall because hoses need height to dry. That functional logic is embedded in the building, and it was important that any new layer of occupation respected that.”

In practical terms, this meant retaining exposed concrete and leaving structural elements visible where possible.

“The material palette was chosen to complement rather than mimic the original – and colour played a central role in that,” Mr Mariani adds.

“The terracotta tones used throughout the property are a quiet nod to the fire station’s history and identity, evoking the warmth of the original civic red. It grounds the building in its own story while giving it a character that feels fresh, but also nostalgic.”

One of the tenants at Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station is Mr Clarence Chua, the Singaporean founder of The Sundowner, an award-winning nature-based experience centre.

The 43-year-old says the reimagined civic building struck the perfect balance between heritage and nature, which resonated deeply with what The Sundowner stands for. 

“The serene green setting, with the Rail Corridor nearby and the nature reserve directly opposite, made it an ideal home for an experience centre like ours,” says Mr Chua, who curates experiential workshops from bee harvesting and honey-making to beer crafting and farm-to-table pizza baking.

The programmes are rooted in a deep connection with nature and designed to leave participants with a skill, a story or simply a meal that they can make themselves.

He adds: “Across six units, we’ve been able to create dedicated spaces for everything from farm encounters to craft workshops, and ample room for us to truly build something meaningful.” 

Once elite black-and-white bungalows reimagined for the community

Singapore’s latest heritage gems include very different properties. There is a black-and-white bungalow offering a glimpse of life in colonial-era Singapore, and a former aviation landmark slated to be reborn as a sports hub.

Ms Carrie Wong, SLA’s director of business planning and development, says the agency takes a proactive approach in engaging industry players and the community to explore innovative concepts.

“The positive response to recent tenders reflects sustained interest in heritage assets and their potential to be reimagined for contemporary and purposeful spaces for Singaporeans,” she says.

The adaptive reuse of existing properties, she adds, is an alternative to building anew. It also contributes to a reduced carbon footprint.

“Projects such as the former Bukit Timah Fire Station and the former Royal Air Force headquarters at 179 Piccadilly demonstrate how different types of state properties can be sensitively rejuvenated to support new and diverse uses, while retaining their architectural character and historical significance.”

15 Malcolm Road

Perched on the leafy slopes of Malcolm Road in Bukit Timah, 15 Malcolm Road is a heritage bungalow that feels quietly distanced from the city.

Dr Julian Davison explains in his 2014 reprint of his bestseller Black And White: The Singapore House, 1898 – 1941, that the term “black and white” refers to a house type that emerged around the turn of the 20th century. British colonial architecture at the time was influenced by the Tudor revival style popular in England.

The houses drew on older English domestic forms, with features such as timber framing, decorative gables and Gothic-inspired detailing.

Most of the stately black-and-white bungalows in Malcolm Road were built around 1925 by the British Public Works Department, Dr Davison writes.

They were designed mostly as housing for government officials by Mr H.A. Stallwood, who served as government architect from 1922 to 1928.

The Malcolm Road houses also show signs of evolving architectural influences, including simplified detailing and Art Deco-inspired elements.

The property is available for a two-year residential lease. It features generous living spaces with high ceilings, timber beams and arched openings, giving it a bright and elegant feel.

The verandah upstairs has been enclosed with windows and turned into a light-filled lounge overlooking the greenery. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom layout and adjoining annexe offer a taste of colonial-era living.

Info: Go to app.sla.gov.sg/spio/ 

179 Piccadilly

Sports lovers and pickleball enthusiasts in the north are in for exciting times.

SLA has collaborated with statutory board Sport Singapore (SportSG) to award the state property at 179 Piccadilly to sports infrastructure builder Arina International Holding for adaptive reuse as a multi-sports destination.

Among its many projects, the company completed the $1.5 million Singapore Badminton Hall in Guillemard Road in 2011. Meanwhile, SportSG is under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and leads the development of a holistic sports culture in Singapore.

The site sits at the intersection of Singapore’s pre-war aviation history, wartime memory and today’s adaptive-reuse efforts.

In February 2022, 179 Piccadilly was opened to the public for guided tours by the National Heritage Board and SLA to mark the 80th anniversary of the fall of Singapore. These opened a window into the British Royal Air Force in Seletar, the first RAF base built on the island and once the largest British station in the Far East.

Today, the 243,659 sq ft site will be reimagined as an integrated, weather-protected sports and lifestyle space with all-day access.

The development is expected to feature facilities for pickleball, padel, tennis, badminton and futsal – plus a running track and playground – serving youth, seniors and families alike.

Once completed around early 2027, the historic site will become a community hub that blends sports and recreation within a heritage gem.

Heritage bungalows at Seletar hit the market

The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP) is an 11.5ha site with 32 colonial-era conservation bungalows built in the 1930s for officers of the British Royal Air Force.

“In 2015, the estate was identified as an amenity node for aerospace companies in Seletar Aerospace Park, while serving as a family and lifestyle destination in the North-East region,” says a JTC spokesman.

Since its inception in 2008, SAP has grown into the Asia-Pacific’s leading aerospace hub, spanning 320ha and housing more than 80 multinational and local companies.

It is home to international players such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney, with activities ranging from aircraft maintenance and assembly to aviation training and R&D.

SAP is not only a business enclave. It also offers public attractions such as Hampstead Wetlands Park, a green refuge for birds and other wildlife; and the Heritage Trail, which traces Seletar’s evolution from old airbase to modern aerospace hub.

And The Oval at SAP adds another dimension: It serves as an amenity centre with lifestyle, F&B and retail offerings.

“Through JTC’s adaptive reuse of the bungalows, the estate was restored for commercial use and enhanced with public amenities, including an aviation-themed playground, lawns and boardwalks,” JTC’s spokesman adds.

Anchored by F&B tenants such as Wheeler’s Estate, The Summerhouse and Youngs Restaurant & Bar, The Oval also includes event and photography spaces, a gym and furniture retailers.

JTC’s community programmes and events further strengthen its role as a social hub within SAP, catering to both the aerospace community and the wider public.

Three double-storey bungalows owned by JTC – 14, 15 and 16 The Oval – are available for lease. Each measures between 225 sq m and 237 sq m, and is suited to integrated F&B and retail uses.

JTC is offering three-year leases with the option of extensions, and welcomes concepts that add to The Oval’s appeal as a lifestyle destination.

Info: Contact JTC’s Ms Jessie Lim, manager, new estates business development and marketing, at jessie_lim@jtc.gov.sg