Last Chance to Save 23 Amber Road

After an active campaign and many months of waiting, the URA has finally published its proposals for 23 Amber Road.

According to the proposal, only a small portion of the house comprising the porch and stairhall structure will be saved. The proposal allows the developer to destroy the rest of the building, including the distinctive crescent portion which has given the house the nickname “the Butterfly House”.

The developer proposes to dovetail an 18 storey modern condominium on the porch to make a hybrid building, which looks like the product of a genetic experiment gone wrong. This Frankenstein building would be an "eyesore on the seashore".

We encourage you to submit your feedback on the proposal to try to save the building in its entirety.

How to Send Feedback

Any objections or representations to the proposal need to be made in writing. They need to be sent in no later than 7th July 2007.

The address to send to is “Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Development, Maxwell Road, Singapore 069110”. You can also email your feedback to the Permanent Secretary at
tan_tee_how@mnd.gov.sg

We have made up some letter and email templates, which you are free to use as a basis for your letters.

If you prefer to write your own letters, please do so, but make sure you cite “Notice 1717 in the Gazette of 8th June 2007” and “Proposed Amendment No. 37/07” in your letter.

Possible Reasons for Objecting

The Proposed Amendment does not adequately protect the Butterfly House from inappropriate development and destruction We feel that the Butterfly House should be preserved as a whole.

Here are some reasons why you might agree with us:

• Historic buildings should be conserved as an integral structure (the URA Conservation Guidelines make this very clear).
  
• The porch and stairhall structure are integral to the structure of the house, and do not “make sense” without the rest of the house.
  
• The crescent arms of the Butterfly House are what make it special and worth preserving.
  
• The crescent arms of the Butterfly House were designed by the architect to let in the sea breeze, to let in the light and to get the best view of the sea. The crescent arms allowed maximum enjoyment of the seaside location.
  
• The crescent wings are therefore in a real sense the raison d'etre of the house. Without them, the entire context of the house in its seaside location is lost.
  
• The house was by Regent A J Bidwell, who was the architect who designed the Raffles Hotel, Victoria Concert House, Stamford House and the Goodwood Park Hotel.
  
• The house is the only private residence designed by Bidwell in the "Butterfly Style" (semi-circular).
  
• There are other buildings in the Butterfly Style in Singapore, but these are all public public buildings which were built for a different purpose and with different considerations.
  
• The house was built in 1912 and because of its age it should be saved.
  
• If the developer cannot be trusted to come up with a sympathetic proposal that preserves the character of the building, then perhaps it is time for the Government to step in and acquire the land.
  
• It would be a bold step, but this may be the only way to protect and preserve the building for the benefit of future generations of Singaporeans.

See the Save 23 Amber Road website for more details!