SINGAPORE – Several times a week, those who fancy a walking tour of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore or its surrounding precinct may do so for free, led by a licensed guide.

On The Fullerton Monument Tour, they get special access to The Straits Room, formerly the billiard room of the elite Singapore Club, and The Lighthouse, where a beacon that guided mariners into the safety of Singapore’s port once stood.

The public may also visit, at no cost, the hotel’s heritage gallery, which captures the building’s history since 1928, when it began life as the General Post Office and an administrative building.

For these initiatives and more, The Fullerton Heritage precinct, owned by Hong Kong-based property developer Sino Group, was on Friday awarded the inaugural Legacy Award at the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Architectural Heritage Awards (AHA) 2022.

The precinct is a collective of seven properties: The Fullerton Hotel – housed in a national monument, The Fullerton Bay Hotel, The Fullerton Waterboat House, One Fullerton, The Fullerton Pavilion, Clifford Pier and Customs House.

The awards – first introduced in 1995 – underwent a review in 2020 and returned in 2022 with a revised scheme, which the URA said will encourage higher conservation standards, as well as “enhance the intangible qualities of heritage buildings to create value for the community”.

Besides the heritage buildings’ restoration process, which previous applicants for the awards were primarily judged on, 2022’s applicants were required to show how their restoration projects benefit the community in the long term.

The Legacy Award – introduced in 2022 – exemplifies these changes. URA said application for the award is open to past AHA winners with at least a 10-year post-award track record of exemplary management, where “the longevity of the heritage building(s), both physically and socially, is sustained for present and future generations”.

This includes proper building maintenance as well as continual investment in community programmes, the agency added.

A 14-member assessment committee, comprising senior representatives of public agencies, professional institutions and academia, said The Fullerton Heritage, which has four AHA-recognised buildings among its properties, “is a superb demonstration of how a well-managed heritage site can grow in architectural, cultural, social and economic value as well as community affection”.

It cited Fullerton’s “unceasing commitment” to deploy skilled manpower and tap technology for building maintenance, The Fullerton Hotel’s heritage gallery and free tours, and efforts to promote local heritage.

For instance, a “Mile Zero” marker was installed at the hotel in 2018 to commemorate the building’s 90th anniversary and its history as Singapore’s General Post Office, which served as point zero from which road distances were measured.

Around the precinct, heritage markers also aid the public in learning more about the area’s history, while the heritage gallery “provides a comprehensive museum experience where heart-warming stories were fondly recalled by people who once worked in the former General Post Office”, said the committee. It also noted the precinct’s support for national celebrations, such as the National Day and New Year’s Eve light-ups.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee, who gave out the awards at an event held at Clifford Pier on Thursday, noted that some of 2022’s awardees were previous AHA recipients, and that the URA was recognising them again as it believes conserved buildings are always a work in progress.

New techniques developed within the built environment industry over time can continually be applied to enhance buildings that are already outstanding, he said.

Mr Gino Tan, country general manager of The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts, said The Fullerton Heritage will continue to partner local and international artists and organisations to showcase Singapore’s culture to all its guests, through efforts such as art exhibitions and local performances, learning journeys and heritage tours.

Heritage advocate Jerome Lim said the changes to the AHA scheme show URA’s recognition “that heritage is not just about building conservation or preserving facades, but also about keeping architectural inheritance relevant and meaningful”.

This goes a long way towards maintaining a long-term connection between heritage places and the community, even when there is a change of usage, he said, citing the old Supreme Court and City Hall, which now house National Gallery Singapore, and Temasek Shophouse, which has public spaces and programmes.

Mr Lim said the new Legacy Award is meaningful as it encourages building owners and managers to keep their heritage properties relevant.

Besides long-term community value, revisions to the AHA scheme also seek to recognise a wider range of stakeholders involved in conservation work. For instance, carpenters, glass restorers and landscape architects are now also recognised, in addition to building owners, architects, engineers, contractors and conservation specialists.

The next edition of the AHA is in 2024.

In conjunction with the AHA, the URA is holding its month-long Architectural Heritage Season in November, which includes talks, tours, exhibitions and activities that showcase conservation best practices and tell stories of Singapore’s historic districts. Details are available at ahs-ura.eventbrite.sg

AHA 2022 winning projects

• Legacy Award: The Fullerton Heritage
• Award for Conservation and Innovation (Distinction): St James Power Station, 3 Sentosa Gateway
• Award for Conservation (Distinction): Atbara and Inverturret, 5 & 7 Gallop Road
• Award for Conservation: Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road
• Special Mention: Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital, 705 Serangoon Road
• Special Mention: 292 Joo Chiat Road