Campaign Featured in I-S Magazine

From I-S Magazine this week comes this article on 23 Amber Road:

"And how much of a difference has or will all [the effforts to save the building] make? Especially in a society known more for its top-down approach than for grassroots influence?URA is supportive of the cause to save the house, but so far is not making any concrete move to save it. 23 Amber Road is not on URA's conservation list, and the URA is leaving it to Goodland Development to voluntarily list the property which would immediately protect it-but given Goodland's plan to build a condo on the site, this is unlikely."

Straits Times: Conserve Linguistic Heritage of Singapore

“Look beyond brick and mortar preservation and save dialects from becoming extinct
By Paul Tan

THE recent debate on saving the Butterfly House at 23, Amber Road is heartening on two counts.

One, it points to the growing interest many Singaporeans have in protecting the island's architecture. The 20-member group that was formed to lobby for its preservation, the Historic Architecture Rescue Plan, has its forebears in the enthusiastic Singaporeans who petitioned against the demolition of Eu Court along Stamford Road in the early 1990s and, more recently, the old National Library.

Two, it underscores the uniqueness of certain parts of Singapore. The individuals interviewed for the Straits Times report identified themselves as Katongites and spoke passionately of the distinct character of the area. In a modern era of homogeneous public housing and families who change homes every few years, that unique historical flavour should be valued, not least by the country's urban planners.

But in this popular discussion to conserve heritage and foster the rootedness of Singaporeans, one wonders, can preservation be extended beyond brick and mortar? For instance, should we also try to save Singapore's rich linguistic heritage?
...
One wishes the Katongites well in their petition to save 23, Amber Road. It will be an uphill task, given that the prime land the mansion sits on belongs to a private entity and the planning authorities' track record when it comes to petitioners.”

Read the full article at the Straits Times website.

Bird’s Eye View of 23 Amber Road

This photo was taken by Mrs Helen Khoo, from a neighbouring apartment block Amberville (Block 50D), and shows very clearly the “butterfly” configuration of this house.

Amber Road on Singapore Infopedia

The Singapore Infopedia website maintained by the National Library Board has a very interesting article on the history of Amber Road.

Here’s an extract:

“In 1921, a stretch of road running between Grove Road (now discontinued) and Tanjong Katong Road was named Amber Road, after a renowned property owner, the Elias family. Amber Elias was the mother of Joseph, Ezra and Issac Elias and they belonged to a well-known Jewish business family. Other places named after her is the Amber Building on Malacca Street and Amber Mansion on Orchard Road.

Amber Road was the scene of two tragic events in Singapore's history. During the Japanese Occupation, the beach across this road was used for Operation "Sook Ching", carried out to purge suspected anti-Japanese elements. As a result, many Chinese males were brought to the beach only to be slaughtered mercilessly by the Japanese soldiers. Amber road was also one of the worst hit areas during the Maria Hertogh Riots that took place in 1950.”

Straits Times: No. 23 Wasn't 'Cashin Mansion'

This letter was published in the Straits Times Forum today:

"TO DISPEL any misinformation, may I, as a former resident who lived in Amber Road, point out that 23 Amber Road was never known as Cashin Mansion, although it was given by Mr A. W. Cashin to his brother-in-law, Mr D. Kitowitz.

The only residence there dubbed with a name was Mandalay Villa at No. 29 Amber Road.

The other surviving original buildings in the locality are No. 40 Amber Road and, as far as I know, the Elias mansion, which now forms part of the Sea View Hotel complex.

Lee Kip Lee"

Save 23 Amber Road Campaign Blogged!

Edoraye has written about the Campaign to Save 23 Amber Road at her blog, Many Degrees Off the Equator.

The whole article is really worth reading, and here’s a taster:

“I believe that in the course of keeping up with the times, our society should not run the risk of becoming overly modernized and culturally sterile. After all, even the newest of buildings which we build today will someday become old but the oldest of buildings we preserve today will always remain fondly in style in the years to come. Some day, when I walk along the streets of Mountbatten with my children, I will tell them stories of my childhood and that of my parents, my grandparents and my great grandparents. And I pray that we will be able to stop by the Cashin Mansion to awe at how far Singapore has come to be the great nation it is and the place we affectionately call 'Home'.”

Straits Times Highlights Plight of 23 Amber Road

The Straits Times newspaper published a two page spread on building conservation today. There are excellent photos (in colour) of eight of the buildings HARP has earmarked for rescuing. They are lined up on H2 of the Home Section.

Call to preserve 1912 ‘crescent’ house

Save these buildings

The 1912 'crescent' house is shown on H1 with Tan Hui Yee's write-up:

“A GROUP of heritage property lovers are trying to save a bungalow designed by the architect of Raffles Hotel that could be facing demolition after it was bought recently by a developer.

The neo-Renaissance style bungalow on Amber Road was designed by Regent Alfred John Bidwell in 1912.

The two-storey property, which stood on the seafront before land reclamation began, has an unusual crescent shape to let in as much fresh air as possible. It is currently surrounded by many private housing projects.
A new developer, AG Capital, bought the bungalow last year. The company told The Straits Times 'no corporate decision has been adopted' on future plans for the site.

The company is free to tear it down though, as the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has no plans to add it to its list of more than 6,000 buildings that have to be retained because of their historical heritage value.”

Read more on the Straits Times website, or here.

New Paper: Save this “Butterfly” House

This grand old Katong mansion, sold to a private company for $9m, isn't designated for conservation. It has one anxious heritage group harping on this theme

By Ng Tze Yong
December 31, 2006

THE imposing house at 23 Amber Road has seen better days.

The 'Butterfly House', with its unique crescent-shaped verandah, is the forgotten cousin of Singapore's grand dames - the Raffles Hotel, Goodwood Park Hotel and Stamford House.

All were designed by Regent Alfred Bidwell, one of Singapore's most famous architects in colonial days.

The house was sold to a private company for about $9 million in August this year, a property search by The New Paper has revealed.

It's not clear what plans the new owner has for the house.

When The New Paper tried to interview the new owner - a company with an office near the Farrer Park MRT station, an official of the company declined to comment.

Now a group of Katongites fear the house may be demolished as it has not been designated for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

BULLDOZERS COMING

They have formed a group called Historic Architecture Rescue Plan (Harp). Its 20-odd members - 'ordinary people who have no knowledge of architectural terms' - call themselves rescuers of old buildings.

'It's not a good sign. The bulldozers are coming soon,' said Mr Terrence Hong, 26, an undergraduate and a founding member of Harp.

'We share a passion for preserving our past. We want to give heritage buildings a voice.'

On Christmas Eve, Harp sent out an e-mail petition, complete with the e-mail addresses of President SR Nathan and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, urging Singaporeans to save the house.

'There is no way you can look at this house and not take a second look. You travel back in time 100 years, and go 'wow...',' said Madam Helen Khoo, a 72-year-old retiree.

SEMI-CIRCULAR VERANDAH

Waves once lapped at the house's backyard. The 'butterfly' - the house's semi-circular verandah - was designed to catch the sea breeze.

But after reclamation, the sweeping sea view has been replaced by condominiums and the East Coast Parkway.

The house used to belong to the prominent Cashin family.

Cashin Street, off North Bridge Road, was named after Mr Joseph Cashin, a lawyer's clerk who made his fortune investing in legal opium farms in the 1880s. It was just one of about 400 properties he came to own island-wide.

A Chinese family lived in the house but moved out a few years ago. It has been vacant since.

When The New Paper visited the house last week, trays of oranges, Sprite cans and incense paper - offerings to the spirits - had been left all around the 1,095 sq m compound, about the size of four basketball courts.

'This magnificent house has become a part of every Katongite,' said long-time Katong resident Miss Irene Low, a 35-year-old scientist.

'But it's not just about Katong. It's about Singapore.'

'We're not silly people being nostalgic about the past,' added Mr Hong.

'How many of us have gone back to the house we were born in only to find that it is gone?'

He believes that if the Government wants to keep Singaporeans in Singapore, it must keep their places of childhood.

'HDB flats and shopping centres are not going to make us stay,' he said. 'We need to remember the places we played in as kids.'

But saving houses isn't easy.

'Conservation is an integral part of our city planning,' said a URA spokesman, but it is done on a highly selective basis.'

The URA uses a 'win-win approach' to balance the owner's desire to realise the economic potential of his property and society's wish to preserve the past.

'Based on this pragmatic approach, we have carefully evaluated the house and will not be conserving it,' said the URA spokesman.

URA added, however, that it 'welcomes' the new owner to a discussion to consider alternatives.

Architecture professor Chan Yew Lih, of the National University of Singapore, believes that the 'Butterfly House' is 'worthy of conservation'.

'It is one of the few remaining seaside houses that the elite of old used as weekend getaways from the crowded city,' she said.

She suggests turning the house into a museum, inn or multi-family housing.

Mr Hong said that while saving old buildings may not make dollars and cents, their social value is priceless.

'They are the storehouses of our memories and our identity,' he said. 'Can anyone say our national identity is less valuable than, say, $800 psf.'

Straits Times: Cashin Mansion in our Urban Village

This letter was published in the Straits Times Forum today:

“I REFER to the impending demolition of Cashin Mansion at 23 Amber Road and request a moratorium on its demolition so the Urban Redevelopment Authority may reconsider conserving it. We ask this because the building means something to us; it is part of what makes Singapore our home.

My parents and I moved to Jalan Batu a few years ago and have never felt more at ease. We love it not only for its proximity to town but also its unique mix of old and new. Within a 1 km radius of our flat, there are skyscraper condominiums, mid-rise HDB flats like the one we live in, four-storey HDB flats like the one I grew up in, private bungalows and historic private residences like Cashin Mansion. Each housing type represents an era in Singapore's progress and development, as well the number of generations our family has called Singapore home.

More important, we love how the physical diversity of the neighbourhood promotes interaction between Singaporeans across all ages, and ethnic and socio-economic groups - something we could not experience in our previous neighbourhood where such physical diversity is lacking. To us, Jalan Batu is our urban village.

We know our neighbours and we converse with the shop and foodstall owners. Even a simple daily routine such as having lunch at the hawker centre at Block 4 is a visual, cultural and gastronomic treat. There are hip LaSalle students with their trendy outfits and outlook on life; working professionals in office attire who, despite the heat and humidity, carpool from the city to patronise stalls that were there even before the hawker centre underwent renovation; retirees who always congregate at the same tables to get their caffeine fix; and everyone else in between.

Cashin Mansion is not just another building worth conserving for its historic and architectural importance. It is an integral part of what keeps our neighbourhood socially alive and vibrant.

We believe that, to keep up with the times, society should not risk becoming overly modernised and culturally sterile. After all, even the newest buildings we build today will some day become old, but the oldest buildings we preserve today will always remain fondly in style. Some day, when I walk along the streets of Mountbatten with my children, I will tell them stories of my childhood and that of my parents, grandparents and great grandparents. I pray we will be able to stop by Cashin Mansion to gaze in awe at how far Singapore has come to be the great nation it is today and the place we affectionately call 'home'.”

Serene Laudene Lee (Ms)"

Poll: How Should Historic Buildings be Preserved?

A newly posted poll on the Singapore Heritage Yahoo Group website (registration required) asks:

We're all aware that more effort should be made to conserve historic buildings like 23 Amber Road. However, it's less clear how these buildings should be preserved.

Should they simply be left where they are? Is it best to convert them to some other use? If so, what type of use?

Please visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/singaporeheritage/polls to cast your vote! Polling closes on 31st January 2007.

Developer and Owner of 23 Amber Road Identified

Developers involved in project management, project development, general:

Goodland Development Pte Ltd
18 Roberts Lane
Hex 02-01/02 Goodland Building
Singapore 218297
Phone: 62890003
Fax: 62893818
email: goodland@goodlandgroup.com.sg

Owner of 23 Amber Road:

AG Capital Pte Ltd
18 Roberts Lane
Hex 02-01/02 Goodland Building
Singapore 218297
Phone: 62890003
Fax: 62893818
email: goodland@goodlandgroup.com.sg

Straits Times: Call to Preserve 1912 'Crescent' House

Developer has no plans for Amber Road site but it's not on heritage list
By Tan Hui Yee

A GROUP of heritage property lovers are trying to save a bungalow designed by the architect of Raffles Hotel that could be facing demolition after it was bought recently by a developer.

The neo-Renaissance style bungalow on Amber Road was designed by Regent Alfred John Bidwell in 1912.

The two-storey property, which stood on the seafront before land reclamation began, has an unusual crescent shape to let in as much fresh air as possible. It is currently surrounded by many private housing projects.

A new developer, AG Capital, bought the bungalow last year. The company told The Straits Times 'no corporate decision has been adopted' on future plans for the site.

The company is free to tear it down though, as the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has no plans to add it to its list of more than 6,000 buildings that have to be retained because of their historical heritage value.

The URA told The Straits Times it adopted a 'pragmatic' approach to conservation. It said: 'It is done on a highly selective basis to retain the unique character and identity of an area.

'We have adopted a 'win-win' approach to strike a balance in allowing owners to realise the economic potential of their properties and ensuring the identity and character of our historic past are retained.'

However, a group of about 20 people, who call themselves the Historic Architecture Rescue Plan, feel this bungalow deserves preservation. On Christmas Eve, the group distributed fliers about the bungalow to residents in the Mountbatten area.

One member, Mr Terrence Hong, 26, unemployed, suggested the building be dismantled and relocated rather than demolished.

Destroying buildings like this would 'contribute to the sense of impermanence and unrootedness in Singapore', he said.

Another member, 72-year-old retired administrator Helen Khoo, said: 'Modern buildings are okay in themselves. But when we have too many, we start everything on a clean slate and rub off all the happy memories.'

The group is trying to get the authorities to conserve at least 12 other buildings.

They include private buildings like the National Aerated Water Company building in Serangoon Road, the Shaw Brothers film studio in Jalan Ampas, off Balestier Road, as well as state properties like a two-storey manor in Gilstead Road that used to be home to Leslie Charteris, author of the mystery books that inspired the television series, The Saint.

The conservation group tries to raise awareness of heritage properties by giving their owners or tenants information on their historical value. They recently approached Gracefields Kindergarten, which rents the house in Gilstead Road.

The imposing 1920s building, which used to house the Spastic Children's Association, was painted a cheery mint green when the kindergarten took up the tenancy in August.

Its principal, Ms Joyce Teo, 50, said that since then, at least eight people have walked in to express admiration for the building.

'I stand in awe. Every day that I stand here, I am grateful for this place,' she said. 'It's so majestic.'

Straits Times: Save these Buildings

Some of the properties the Historic Architecture Rescue Plan hopes to conserve are listed here. The Urban Redevelopment Authority says it is studying whether this can be done for the state-owned properties on the list. As for the privately owned ones - the National Aerated Water Company building in Serangoon Road and Shaw Brothers movie studio in Jalan Ampas, off Balestier Road - the URA said: 'If their owners are willing to consider an alternative to complete redevelopment, we will welcome them to a discussion.'

Old Kandang Kerbau Hospital in Hampshire Road
More than one million babies were born in this hospital, opened in 1924. It has since moved to bigger premises in Bukit Timah Road, and the old building houses the Land Transport Authority headquarters. There are no development plans for the site until 2015.
National Aerated Water Company building in Serangoon Road
The company moved into this building in the 1950s, producing soft drinks like Sinalco, Kickapoo and Royal Crown Cola. The art deco factory exudes an understated charm, despite the stacks of plastic crates that block its ground floor facade these days.

Former Nafa campus in Sophia Road
107A Sophia Road used to be the site of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts' San San Campus from 1984 to 1990. Nafa acquired the site with the help of the Hokkien Clan Association. Notable features include wall art in the courtyard, one wall depicting different sports and the other showcasing various art forms.

Alexandra Hospital in Alexandra Road
Established in 1938, it was the principal hospital for the British in the Far East. It became a public hospital in 1971. Staff at the hospital will move to a new 450-bed facility in Yishun in 2009.

Ellison building in MacKenzie Road
Erected in 1924, the yellow and green building is unique for the two domes on its roof, from which British governors reportedly watched horse races. Named after its original Jewish owner, the building still bears a Star of David sign beside its name. Now owned by the Government, it is leased out to eating houses, convenience stores and clothing stores.

Old Fire Station in Upper Bukit Timah Road
The station was used by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) from 1956 to 2005. According to the SCDF, it was used by the British military before that.

Former police headquarters in Pearl's Hill Terrace
Built in 1934, this building was used in pre-war days as the living quarters of the Sikh Contingent, which was disbanded in 1946 after World War II. It was used as police headquarters from 1989 to 2001.

Shaw Brothers film studio in Jalan Ampas
Behind the discoloured walls of the Shaw Brothers film studio in Jalan Ampas is an illustrious history. Established in 1937, it was used by the Japanese to make propaganda films during World War II and reopened by Shaw in 1947 as Malay Film Production Ltd, which closed in 1967. This was the place which shot the film legend P. Ramlee to fame.

House at 25 Gilstead Road
The imposing manor, built in 1927, was the childhood home of author Leslie Charteris, whose books inspired The Saint TV series.

Old Yan Kit Swimming Complex in Tanjong Pagar
A locked gate greets visitors these days, since the complex was closed permanently in 2001, having been deemed unsafe. It was the first public swimming complex to open in Singapore in 1952. It was named after a wealthy, influential Cantonese dentist, Look Yan Kit.

Atbara House at 5 Gallop Road
The French embassy used to be located in this black and white building, which was designed by Regent Alfred John Bidwell in 1898.