The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is a
five-star luxury hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
located near the mouth of the
Singapore River
The Singapore River is a river that flows parallel to Alexandra Road and feeds into the Marina Reservoir in the southern part of Singapore. The immediate upper watershed of the Singapore River is known as the Singapore River Planning Area, altho ...
, in the
Downtown Core
The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with many integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive build ...
of the
Central Area, Singapore. It was originally known as the Fullerton Building, and also as the General Post Office Building.
The address is 1 Fullerton Square. The Fullerton Building was named after
Robert Fullerton
Sir Robert Fullerton (16 January 1773 – 6 June 1831) was a Scottish colonial administrator who served as the first Governor of the Straits Settlements, appointed by the East India Company.
Early life
He was born in Edinburgh the son of William ...
, the first
Governor of the Straits Settlements
The governor of the Straits Settlements was appointed by the British East India Company until 1867, when the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony. Thereafter the governor was appointed by the Colonial Office. The position existed from 1826 ...
(1826–1829).
Commissioned in 1924 as part of the
British colony
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remnants of the former Bri ...
's centennial celebrations, the building was designed as an office building by Major P.H. Keys of Keys & Dowdeswell, a Shanghai firm of architects, which won the project through an
architectural design competition
An architectural design competition is a type of design competition in which an organization that intends on constructing a new building invites architects to submit design proposals. The winning design is usually chosen by an independent panel o ...
.
The
architectural firm
In the United States, an architectural firm or architecture firm is a business that employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture; while in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark and other countri ...
also designed the
Capitol Theatre, its adjoined
Capitol Building and the
Singapore General Hospital
Singapore General Hospital (SGH) is an academic health science centre and tertiary referral hospital in Singapore. It is located next to the Bukit Merah and Chinatown districts of the Central Region, close to the Outram Community Hospital (OCH ...
.
In 2015, it is gazetted as a
national monument of Singapore.
History
Fort Fullerton and the Singapore Stone
![Aerial perspective of Fullerton Hotel, Singapore](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Aerial_perspective_of_Fullerton_Hotel%2C_Singapore.jpg)
The northern end of the building covers the site of Fort Fullerton, a
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
built in 1829 to defend the settlement against any
naval
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
attacks. The fort consisted of an Artillery Barrack, a house for the officers, barracks for soldiers and a 68-pounder gun guarding the entrance to the river which used to stand on the location known as Fullerton square.
[Nhbgovsg. (2016). Nhbgovsg. Retrieved 28 February 2016, from http://www.nhb.gov.sg/places/sites-and-monuments/national-monuments/former-fullerton-building ] In 1843, the fort was extended after a
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
monolith
A monolith is a geological feature consisting of a single massive rock (geology), stone or rock, such as some mountains. For instance, Savandurga, Savandurga mountain is a monolith mountain in India. Erosion usually exposes the geological for ...
, the
Singapore Stone
The Singapore Stone is a fragment of a large sandstone slab which originally stood at the mouth of the Singapore River. The large slab, which is believed to date back to at least the 13th century and possibly as early as the 10th or 11th centu ...
, with an
inscription
Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
possibly dating back to the 13th century was demolished. The Singapore stone was, unfortunately, destroyed by the British. A fragment of this monolith was salvaged and preserved in the collection of the
National Museum
A national museum is a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In other countries a much greater numb ...
at
Stamford Road
Stamford Road (Chinese: 史丹福路; ms, Jalan Stamford) is a one-way road in Singapore within the planning areas of Downtown Core and Museum. The road continues after the traffic light junction of Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Drive and Raffles ...
. However, there were several criticisms as well as apprehensions regarding the building of Fort Fullerton. Merchants thought that it was a waste to use the prime location of the city for military instead of trading purpose, which would have prevented Singapore from generating more revenue and boosting its trading business. They were also worried that they would be in the direct line of fire if there were any attacks on the fort because the offices along the Singapore River were situated in close proximity to the fort. The fort was also said to be incapable of deterring any potential attacks from the sea, and had very low efficacy. Following these criticisms, the fort was finally demolished in 1873. The fort gave way to the first General Post Office and the Exchange Building in 1874.
Plans to erect Fullerton Building were drawn up in 1920. However, due to a lack of funds, construction only began in February 1924.
During the initial groundwork, excavations revealed the gun casements of the old Fort Fullerton. In fact, the Fullerton Building was built over reclaimed land. Built at a cost of
$4.1 million and after delays of a few months, the building was completed in June 1928.
The Fullerton Building was opened on 27 June 1928 by the Governor, Sir
Hugh Clifford
Sir Hugh Charles Clifford, (5 March 1866 – 18 December 1941) was a British colonial administrator.
Early life
Clifford was born in Roehampton, London, the sixth of the eight children of Major-General Sir Henry Hugh Clifford and his wife Jos ...
, who suggested the building be named after Robert Fullerton.
The building had five founding
tenant
Tenant may refer to:
Real estate
*Tenant, the holder of a leasehold estate in real estate
*Tenant-in-chief, in feudal land law
*Tenement (law), the holder of a legal interest in real estate
*Tenant farmer
*Anchor tenant, one of the larger stores ...
s: the General Post Office, The Exchange, Singapore Club (now Singapore Town Club), the Marine Department, and the Import and Export Department (later the
Ministry of Trade and Industry A Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry or variations is a ministry that is concerned with a nation's trade, industry and commerce.
Notable examples are:
List
*Algeria: Ministry of Industry and M ...
).
It also housed the Chamber of Commerce, and various government departments dealing with agriculture,
fisheries
Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...
and
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...
.
One of the rooms in the Fullerton Building was where the late Finance Minister, Dr Goh Keng Swee, wrote many of his budget speeches for Singapore. The building was designed to utilize natural ventilation, thus has four internal air-wells to cool the interiors.
Fullerton Square was an important commerce area in Singapore attracting many European immigrants and soon became the core of major business activity. Many European businesses were set up at Fullerton Square together with large banks such as the Chartered Bank and Hong Kong and Shanghai Banks. The Fullerton Building was built with Grandeur, Class and being the biggest structure built in Singapore displaying the authority and power of the British Colonial rule. In addition, The Fullerton Building operated with tax payers money meant as a government building, housed the Club for the Colonial Elite which was an exclusive club that took up almost 7,000 sq m of the upper floors which further elaborated the position and authority that the British has in Singapore.
There was also a lighthouse on the Fullerton Building, called the Fullerton Light, which was used to guide the ships ashore and to anchor along the piers. It was built to replace the Fort Canning Light, which was decommissioned in 1979 since it was gradually blocked because of globalization and the construction of more high-rise buildings in Singapore. The location of the previous lighthouse is now being occupied by The Lighthouse Restaurant, to keep up with the modern style of the Fullerton Hotel.
The location of today's Fullerton Hotel was once referred to as "Mile Zero" before the introduction of the modern road system. All locations in Singapore were measured and stemmed from "Mile Zero", akin to the road system in the Roman Empire.
General Post Office
The General Post Office (GPO) was the purpose of the building as envisioned and it was this strategic purpose for which it was commissioned. GPO covered the two lower floors with postal halls, offices and sorting rooms. There were
mail drop
Within the United States, a commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA) is a private business that accepts mail from the Postal Service on behalf of third parties. A CMRA may also be known as a mail drop.
A customer of a CMRA can receive mail and ot ...
s through which mail would fall to a band
conveyor
A conveyor system is a common piece of mechanical handling equipment that moves materials from one location to another. Conveyors are especially useful in applications involving the transport of heavy or bulky materials. Conveyor systems allow ...
on the basement and dispatched up to the sorting room. One of the most memorable features is its curved service counter which was almost 90m long. The basement was linked to a 35-metre
subway, also called the GPO tunnel that ran underneath Fullerton Road to a
pier
image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.
A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of ...
. From there, a lift would bring bags of mail to the Master Attendant's Pier, and then transferred onto ships that were anchored at the pier. Special mail was all sent to the neighbouring countries via sea, which was the main transport back then, thus requiring at least 2 months to reach United Kingdom.
[Fullerton Hotel. "The Fullerton Stories Personality, Mr M. Bala Subramanion." Video. Youtube. 28 January 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WBzxyPwPww.] This is further delayed by the fact that all mail had to be personally sorted by hands.
Before postal workers were allowed to work, they had to pledge to uphold their integrity. As public servants, they were not allowed to leak any information on what went through them (including the origin of the mail). Everything at work was strictly confidential. In the past, there was no bank transfers available thus people often sent money by post using envelopes without using registered mail due to the higher cost incurred. Thus, it is extremely important that postal workers were honest and did not steal any items that went through the mail. To reinforce the importance of confidentiality, the comptroller of the General Post Office would stand at the gallery above the sorting halls to observe all postal workers and ensure none of the letters or mail were opened while being sorted.
The life of postal workers back then was incomparable with postmen working at Singapore Post today. Fridays used to be the day which overseas mail would arrive from Britain and postal workers had to work overtime with no extra pay, just to wait for the mail to arrive and then sieve through and sort them before ending work. Also, they were not entitled to any days off and had to work around the clock.
They are also not required to personally separate local and overseas letters.
An interesting discovery from the history of the General Post Office is the presence of Santa Claus Main Office up till today. During Christmas seasons in the past, the post office would be filled with letters from children, which are all directed to Santa Claus. These letters were then sent to the Salvation Army, who would reply the children on behalf of Santa Claus. Presently, these letters are forwarded to the Santa Claus Main Office which is situated in the Santa Claus Village in Finland.
This shows that the British's establishments of fulfilling children's wishes are still present today although many significant changes had occurred.
Singapore Club
![The Fullerton Hotel Singapore seen from Boat Quay - 20061216](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/The_Fullerton_Hotel_Singapore_seen_from_Boat_Quay_-_20061216.jpg)
The exclusive Singapore Club rents premises on the upper floors of the building to provide for their members' need and comfort. It only allowed entry to top European tycoons and British civil servants. There were rooms where members dined,
lounge
Lounge may refer to:
Architecture
* Lounge, the living room of a dwelling
* Lounge, a public waiting area in a hotel's lobby
* Lounge, a style of commercial alcohol- bar
* Airport lounge, or train lounge (e.g., AMTRAK's Acela Lounge), a premium ...
d, conferred, and played
billiards
Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with a cue, which is used to strike billiard balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth-covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as .
There are three major subdivisions of ...
and cards. Bedrooms on the
attic
An attic (sometimes referred to as a '' loft'') is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building; an attic may also be called a ''sky parlor'' or a garret. Because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the ...
storey provide accommodation for members. When the
Economic Development Board
The Economic Development Board (EDB) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Government of Singapore that plans and executes strategies to sustain Singapore as a leading global hub for business and investment.
His ...
(EDB) was formed in 1961, it
evict
Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. In some jurisdictions it may also involve the removal of persons from premises that were foreclosed by a mortgagee (often, the prior owners who defaulted on a mortgage ...
ed the Singapore Club from the Fullerton Building. Subsequently, the Singapore Club relocated to Clifford House at
Collyer Quay
Collyer Quay () is a road in Downtown Core, Singapore that starts after Fullerton Road and ends at the junction of Raffles Quay, Finlayson Green and Marina Boulevard. The road houses several landmarks namely, Clifford Pier, Change Alley, Hit ...
and then to Straits Trading Building on Battery Road near
Boat Quay
Boat Quay is a historical quay in Singapore which is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River on its southern bank. It spans from the shophouses near UOB Plaza, stretching along one bank of the Singapore River, all the way till El ...
, vacating Fullerton Building for use by EDB and more government offices.
World War II
In the last days before Britain's surrender to Japan in 1942, the building was used as a hospital, with makeshift operation rooms for wounded British soldiers.
During the
Japanese Occupation of Singapore
, officially , was the name for Singapore when it was occupied and ruled by the Empire of Japan, following the fall and surrender of British military forces on 15 February 1942 during World War II.
Japanese military forces occupied it after ...
, Governor Sir
Shenton Thomas
Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas (10 October 1879 – 15 January 1962), commonly known as Sir Shenton Thomas, was a British colonial administrator most notable for his role as Governor of the Straits Settlements in Singapore.
He served fr ...
and Lady Thomas sought refuge in the sleeping quarters of the Singapore Club.
The Fullerton Building was also where
General Percival discussed with Sir Shenton the possibility of surrendering Singapore to the
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
.
Subsequently, Fullerton Building became the headquarters of the Japanese military administration in Singapore.
Post-war years
In 1950s, The Fullerton Building became recognised as the unofficial public monument. It stood out of the City's Skyline as the most prominent feature of the waterfront. On its rooftop stood the lighthouse, whose beacon guided all ships approaching the harbour. In time, The Fullerton became the symbol of Singapore, appearing in every postcard, recognised by traveller and ship captains from all over the world. Singapore was remembered all around the world with the image of The Fullerton Building.
In 1965, Singapore's independence from colonial status to nationhood took place at Fullerton Square. From the majestic background of the Fullerton Building, crowds declared their support for merdeka independence.
From the 1970s to 1995, the
Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Singapore in charge of tax collection.
History
Early beginnings
The Singapore Income Tax Department was created in 1947 t ...
used the building as its headquarters. Internal alterations were carried out on the building by the Public Works Department in 1985. The General Post Office, under
Singapore Post
Singapore Post Limited (), commonly abbreviated as SingPost, is an associate company of Singtel and Singapore's designated Public Postal Licensee which provides domestic and international postal services.
It also provides logistics services in ...
, vacated the building in March 1996.
Though plans were initiated to
conserve
Conserve may refer to:
* Conserve (condiment), a preserve made from a mixture of fruits or vegetables
* Conserve (NGO), an Indian environmental organization
* Conserve (publisher), a Dutch publisher
* Conserved sequence, a protein or nucleic aci ...
the Fullerton Building after that, it was only
gazette
A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.
In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
d as a conservation building by the
Singapore Government
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of Singapore to mean the executive branch of the state, which is made up of the president and the Cabinet. Although the president acts in their personal discretion in the exercise o ...
in 1997.
Redevelopment
In 1997,
Sino Land
Established in 1971, Sino Group () comprises three listed companies – Sino Land Company Limited (HKSE: 083), Tsim Sha Tsui Properties Limited (HKSE: 0247), Sino Hotels (Holdings) Limited (HKSE: 1221) – and private companies held by the Ng Fa ...
(Hong Kong) Company Ltd, a sister company of
Far East Organization
Far East Organization is one of the largest private real estate developers in Singapore. It has businesses in property development, retail, hospitality, and food and beverage brands in Asia and Australia. The company was founded by the late Sin ...
, acquired the Fullerton Building from the
Urban Redevelopment Authority
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is the national urban planning authority of Singapore, and a statutory board under the Ministry of National Development of the Government of Singapore.
Mission
The authority was established on 1 Apri ...
(URA). It spent close to another
S$300 million converting Fullerton Building into a hotel and building the two-storey commercial complex One Fullerton opposite Fullerton Road.
Renovation
Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, ...
works on the Fullerton Building were completed on 8 December 2000. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore was officially opened by then Prime Minister
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong (; born 20 May 1941) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1990 and 2004, and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party between 1992 and 2004. He was the Parliament of Singapore, ...
on 1 January 2001.
The site, sandwiched between the Civic District and the central business district, was sold together with an underpass and the seafront site on which One Fullerton now stands for S$110 million. The two are linked by an
air-conditioned
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
underground pedestrian walkway with travellators.
To ensure that the historical Fullerton Building continues to be visible from
Marina Bay, URA specified a low building height for One Fullerton across the road. This also ensured that guests at The Fullerton Hotel would have unobstructed views of the sea.
Architecture and conservation
The Architect
Keys and Dowdeswell was an established British international architecture company, their design works can be seen in buildings throughout China and South East Asia from 1920s to 1940s, some of the most prominent buildings in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore were designed by them. Their design works are usually with major significance to a historical period, geographical place and local culture tradition, with many of their buildings in the classical style.
Major Keys & Dowdeswell were established and distinguished designers of grand interior spaces and classical façades. They followed the principals of 20th-century Beaux-Arts tradition of classicism. Relating to some of their core principals in design, they are largely Monumental and Ornamental.
Original design
![The Fullerton Hotel Singapore 5, Aug 06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/The_Fullerton_Hotel_Singapore_5%2C_Aug_06.JPG)
The grey
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
Fullerton Building sits on 41,100 square metres (442,400 square feet) of land. The height of its walls measures 36.6 metres (120 ft) from the ground. The building has
Neo-classical architectural
Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...
features which include a two-storey fluted
Doric Doric may refer to:
* Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece
** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians
* Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture
* Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode
* Doric dialect (Scotland)
* Doric ...
colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or curv ...
s on their heavy base, and the lofty
portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...
over the main entrance with trophy designs and the Royal
Coat of Arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
, crafted by Italian Cavaliere
Rudolfo Nolli
Cavaliere Rodolfo Nolli (1888–1963) was an Italian sculptor and stonework contractor from Lombardy, who worked mainly in Southeast Asia during the first half of the 20th century.
History
Born in 1888 Lombardy, Italy, he was the nephew of the s ...
. Originally, there were five distinct frontages, each treated in the Doric order. 14
elevator
An elevator or lift is a wire rope, cable-assisted, hydraulic cylinder-assisted, or roller-track assisted machine that vertically transports people or freight between floors, levels, or deck (building), decks of a building, watercraft, ...
s served the four floors plus the basement floors.
A hollow cellular
raft foundation
Floating raft is a land-based building foundation that protects it against settlement and liquefaction of soft soil from seismic activity. It was a necessary innovation in the development of tall buildings in the wet soil of Chicago in the 19th ce ...
was proposed by the original contractors in the 1920s to save cost because
bedrock
In geology, bedrock is solid Rock (geology), rock that lies under loose material (regolith) within the crust (geology), crust of Earth or another terrestrial planet.
Definition
Bedrock is the solid rock that underlies looser surface mater ...
lies directly below the building.
The Fullerton Building also possesses the one and only barrel-vaulted, coffered ceiling in Singapore.
Restoration
The Fullerton Building
restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
* Restoration ecology
...
project from 1998 to 2000 was a difficult conservation project that involved an institutional building.
Architects 61, together with DP Consultants, was engaged to convert it into a 400-room luxury hotel.
The hotel rooms were designed by
Hirsch Bedner Associates
Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) is an American international hospitality design firm originally headquartered in Santa Monica, California but now based in Singapore. HBA is the largest hospitality design firm in the world.
History
The partnershi ...
.
During its redevelopment, the historical building had most of its exterior architectural features retained and restored. The conservation work was coordinated by the URA, which had certain stipulations that the new owners had to comply with. Several features of the original building had to be restored faithfully. These included the General Post Office gallery area on the ground floor, with bays that corresponded with the building's towering Doric columns on the façade, and the Straits Club Billiard Room. The post office gallery no longer exists, but has been subdivided to provide a bar, a restaurant and the hotel foyer. The Straits Club Billiard Room was kept, but without its wood
panelling
Panelling (or paneling in the U.S.) is a millwork wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials.
Panelling was developed in antiquity to make roo ...
.
Exterior works
The building's neo-classical columns and high-ceiling
veranda
A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.
Although the form ''veran ...
s were retained. It was
clad
Cladding is an outer layer of material covering another. It may refer to the following:
*Cladding (boiler), the layer of insulation and outer wrapping around a boiler shell
*Cladding (construction), materials applied to the exterior of buildings
...
in Shanghai
plaster
Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for Molding (decorative), moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of ...
panels, which have been restored. The owners converted the windows back to be housed in timber frames. Part of the tunnel under Fullerton Road, which was used to transfer mail onto ships waiting in the harbour, has also been kept.
Interior works
While the building's exterior has been conserved, the architects had also to transform the interior into a five-star hotel. The room on the fourth storey, where the British Governor was first told of the British military's decision to surrender to the Japanese during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, was converted to an exclusive lounge. The room has a barrel-vaulted,
coffer
A coffer (or coffering) in architecture is a series of sunken panels in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault.
A series of these sunken panels was often used as decoration for a ceiling or a vault, also c ...
ed ceiling, which is the only one of its kind in Singapore, and is the only surviving interior from the original building.
![The Fullerton Hotel Singapore Light Projection Show Dec 2021](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/The_Fullerton_Hotel_Singapore_Light_Projection_Show_Dec_2021.jpg)
The building's historical
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
, which used to guide ships into the port, has been incorporated into a
food and beverage
The foodservice (US English) or catering (British English) industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many ...
outlet. The Fullerton Light, a revolving
beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...
of 540
kilocandelas mounted on the roof of the building, was installed in 1958 to replace the
Fort Canning Lighthouse
Fort Canning Lighthouse also known as Fort Canning Light is located on top of Fort Canning Hill and was formerly one of the 13 important lighthouses in the Straits of Malacca. Located nearby with The Flagstaff and the Time Ball, the three navigati ...
which was being demolished. The beacon could be seen by ships 29 kilometres (15.7
nautical mile
A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude. Today ...
s) away.
The Lighthouse has been moved to a new location as an artefact near Harbour Front Tower.
The Fullerton Building was designed for
natural ventilation
Passive ventilation is the process of supplying air to and removing air from an indoor space without using HVAC, mechanical systems. It refers to the flow of external air to an indoor space as a result of pressure differences arising from natural ...
before the age of
air-conditioning
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
; one of the architectural devices used to provide this was the internal air-wells. There were four air-wells along the central longitudinal axis, divided by three internal bays of offices, linking the front façade with the rear. These no longer exist as most of the interior was demolished to create a single large atrium. It was the largest and the last example of this kind of architecture in Singapore. As air-conditioning became increasingly common, the air-wells became redundant.
Two parallel sets of guest rooms now ring the hotel's central triangular
sky-lit atrium
Atrium may refer to:
Anatomy
* Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart
* Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods
* Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain
* Pulmona ...
. One row faces out towards the harbour and the tall buildings of the central business district. The rooms of the inner ring have views of the
courtyard
A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky.
Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...
in the centre of the building. There is an indoor garden over the old Straits Club at the centre of the atrium which can double as a venue for
cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely across ...
s. The main entrance into the hotel, where dignitaries and celebrities are received, is covered with a large glass
canopy
Canopy may refer to:
Plants
* Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests)
* Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes
Religion and ceremonies
* Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...
at the porch.
Structural and foundation works
Construction work in the interior was carried out to reinforce the
beam
Beam may refer to:
Streams of particles or energy
*Light beam, or beam of light, a directional projection of light energy
**Laser beam
*Particle beam, a stream of charged or neutral particles
**Charged particle beam, a spatially localized grou ...
s and columns, while
retrofitting
Retrofitting is the addition of new technology or features to older systems. Retrofits can happen for a number of reasons, for example with big capital expenditures like naval vessels, military equipment or manufacturing plants, businesses or go ...
done on the exterior to restore the façade.
Although studies carried out before the renovation work began showed most of the raft foundation was still in good condition, water from the adjacent Singapore River had
seep
A seep or flush is a moist or wet place where water, usually groundwater, reaches the earth's surface from an underground aquifer.
Description
Seeps are usually not of sufficient volume to be flowing beyond their immediate above-ground location. ...
ed slowly into some of the foundation's cells over the years, flooding parts of the old basement. As a result, a new
precast concrete
Precast concrete is a construction product produced by casting concrete in a reusable molding (process), mold or "form" which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and maneuvered into place; examples i ...
platform was built over the cells, and
waterproofing
Waterproofing is the process of making an object or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environme ...
added.
Pillar
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression (physical), compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column i ...
s supporting the entire building now rest on the platform. The engineering team installed a new set of five drainage
pump
A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic energy. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method they u ...
s to counteract the slow seepage of river water. As the building sits on solid rock foundation, no additional piling was required.
Gazetting as National Monument
The building was officially gazetted on 7 December 2015, as Singapore's 71st
national monument
A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure.
The term may also refer to a spec ...
.
The building will be preserved under the Preservation of Monuments Act.
Facilities
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore has 400 rooms and suites which either overlook the
atrium
Atrium may refer to:
Anatomy
* Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart
* Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods
* Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain
* Pulmona ...
courtyard
A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky.
Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...
, or face
downtown Singapore's skyline, the Singapore River
promenade
An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cle ...
or the Marina Bay.
The hotel has a 25-metre outdoor infinity swimming pool,
fitness centre and a luxury
spa
A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...
. It also has five food and beverage outlets. For business travellers, the hotel has a 24-hour
financial centre
A financial centre ( BE), financial center ( AE), or financial hub, is a location with a concentration of participants in banking, asset management, insurance or financial markets with venues and supporting services for these activities to ta ...
with the
Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to:
People
* Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer
* Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian
* Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician and ma ...
Professional service that provides
financial report
Financial statements (or financial reports) are formal records of the financial activities and position of a business, person, or other entity.
Relevant financial information is presented in a structured manner and in a form which is easy to un ...
s and world news, and 15
meeting room A conference hall, conference room, or meeting room is a room provided for singular events such as business conferences and meetings.
Room
It is commonly found at large hotels and convention centers though many other establishments, including even ...
s equipped with
conference
A conference is a meeting of two or more experts to discuss and exchange opinions or new information about a particular topic.
Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always decisions, are the main p ...
facilities.
Awards
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore won the ''Condé Nast Traveler'' Gold List award.
On 18 July 2001, the hotel received an architectural heritage award from the Urban Redevelopment Authority for its successful restoration of the former Fullerton Building.
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
The Fullerton HotelHomepage
Virtual Tour
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fullerton Hotel Singapore
Downtown Core (Singapore)
Hotels in Singapore
Lighthouses completed in 1958
Lighthouses in Singapore
Marina Bay, Singapore
Office buildings completed in 1928
Raffles Place
Tourist attractions in Singapore
1928 establishments in Singapore