No. 157 Neil RoadThe Richness of Straits-Chinese

Architecture Restored

Built possibly in the 1890s, 157 Neil Road is a residential terrace house located in the Residential Historic District of Blair Plain that was gazetted for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 1991.

The three-storey building, once home to descendants of 19th Century Chinese shipping tycoon Wee Bin, is one of Singapore’s last remaining untouched Straits-Chinese house. A rare find in terms of traditional architectural design and authenticity of interior spaces, the ornate features of the house were on the brink of being lost through erosion by the early 2000s.

A golden opportunity was sealed when URA was invited by the National University of Singapore (NUS) to help restore the building to demonstrate best-practices in restoration. The recommended principles of Maximum Retention, Sensitive Restoration and Careful Repair was diligently applied, while a contemporary new extension was built by drawing inspiration from the original architectural design.

The house in 1987

U R A - N U S d e m o N S t R A t i o N P R o j e c t

The project was carried out between 2006 - 2008 by:

Architect & engineer:Urban Redevelopment Authority

contractor:LF Developments Pte LtdInterior design for 3rd floor gallery - FARM

in collaboration with:NUS Museum

Department of Architecture, School of Design and Environment, NUS

Southeast Asian Studies Programme, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, NUS

Mr Peter Lee

This purchase and restoration of the house was funded by a generous donation to the National University of Singapore from Ms Agnes Tan in honour of her late father, Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

in partnership with

Email: babahouse@nus.edu.sgTel : 6227 5731

www.nus.edu.sg/museum/

The information is accurate as at time of print and changes could have been made since then. URA is not responsible for any loss or damage that may be incurred or suffered by anyone using or relying on the information set out in the brochure.

Designed and produced by Urban Redevelopment Authority, March 2009

© Urban Redevelopment Authority. All Rights Reserved

This leaflet was produced by

Telephone No: (65) 6221 6666 Website: www.ura.gov.sg

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is the national planning authority for Singapore. Its active involvement in conservation started as early as the 1970s with the rehabilitation of some state-owned properties for adaptive reuse. To-date, conservation status has been given to 94 conservation areas involving over 6800 buildings throughout the island.

Conservation of our built heritage is an integral part of urban planning and development in Singapore. The restoration of our historic areas add variety to our streetscapes and modulate the scale of our urban fabric, creating the visual contrast and excitement within the city while protecting the important reminders and representations of our past. In addition, it adds to the distinctive character and identity of our city, giving it a sense of history and memory of place.

No. 157 Neil Road

Pre-condition SurveyBefore work started, students of the NUS Department of Architecture, under the supervision of Associate Professor Chan Yew Lih, carried out a thorough documentation of the house. They recorded all the original architectural and artistic features that were still intact. It was an important base-line survey to guide restoration.

Upon commencement, a second in-depth survey was done on the structural elements of the house, to determine the condition and strength of each masonry and timber member. This revealed the existing structural capacity and how much of the original materials could be retained.

design & engineering ApproachThe main priority in the project is to retain the physical integrity and original spatial qualities of the house. Hence, the original uses of each of the rooms have been retained so as to reuse the existing structural system, materials and layout.

Natural ventilation has also been retained to avoid long term damage from fluctuating temperatures which would occur with the turning on and off of air-conditioning, and to demonstrate the climatic suitability of traditional architecture.

All new uses are housed in the new extension - a contemporary design that continues with the tradition of providing air-wells. The palette of muted colours and materials was chosen so as not to compete with the main house.

Research on SiteThe house presented an unusual opportunity for research into the original materials and decorative schemes of the 19th century. An archaeological dig was carried out. The cultural meanings of the various decorative schemes was investigated. Tests on the original construction materials guided the selection of compatible and authentic materials for the restoration. Detailed tests were also carried out to discover the original paint scheme for the façade and the interiors. This guided the choice of the final finishes and colours.

FinishesA fine balance was sought between restoration to its original state, and retaining a patina of history. Different elements of the house were restored to different levels - balancing out the need for authenticity, retention of all undamaged finishes/materials, while restoring visual and design coherence.

Finally, there is the element of time – an understanding that what looks brand-new today - will slowly mellow out under the tropical sun.

Main hall and screen just before restoration…

Fully regilded Dragon-head bracket

All original windows and doors were kept and reconditioned. Repairs were made using wood recycled from damaged floor joists

Only damaged plaster work was redone and recoloured

Repair of plaster moulding Gilding of new carved panel

Discovery of hidden dado plaster in kitchen

Airwell windows restored to traditional lacquer finish Decorative plaster zodiac panel cleaned

The main entrance today, appearing as it would in its heyday of the late 1800s, early 1900s

Missing cut-tile pieces inserted

Decorations and surfaces were restored incorporating the retention of intact materials.

A good project requires investigative works to be carried out as part of the

restoration process

Main hall and screen, today

Paint-scraping on wall and timber to test for original colour

Re-gilding of Chinese characters

A House RescuedThe house has successfully reclaimed its role as a delightful home, showcasing the domestic culture of the Peranakan community in its rightful context. The façade has been revived with ornamental details brought back to life. The restoration included the retention of all sound timber elements, original decorative plaster, tile and glass features, usage of spaces and even the spiral staircase added in the 1920s. The rescue of an authentic house and its interiors has indeed been a worthwhile effort that will benefit the wider Singaporean community for generations to come.