Temasek Shophouse is a building on Orchard Road in the Museum Planning Area of Singapore. Completed as a townhouse in 1928, it presently serves as a "social impact hub".
History
editThe four-storey building was completed for prominent local businessmen Chee Guan Chiang and Ee Kong Guan in 1928 as a townhouse. It was designed by local architects Johannes Bartholomew Westerhout and William Campbell Oman of the architectural firm Westerhout & Oman. The ground floor served as a commercial space while the upper floor housed residential units. The building later served as a furniture shop and an eatery. In the 1980s, it housed a "popular" apparel and department store that specialised in selling "trendy but affordable" products.[1]
The building was acquired by Temasek Holdings in 2017, who restored it. The elevators, which had been installed in the building in the 1980s, were removed and replaced by a two-storey atrium. The false ceilings at the building's five-foot way was also removed. The rear court was converted into a garden while the roof was converted into an outdoor terrace. The verandahs were restored and the "hidden" cornices were reinstated.[1] A Green Wall, which contained more than 27 different plant varieties, accompanied with a microclimate cooling system, was installed within the building. The building was officially opened in 3 June 2019 as a "social impact hub", housing the Temasek Trust, Temasek Foundation and the Stewardship Asia Centre, which are the philanthropic arms of Temasek Holdings. Foreword Coffee, a cafe which provides employment for those with disabilities was opened on the ground floor.[2] The restoration project received the Urban Redevelopment Authority Architectural Heritage Awards of that year.[1][3]
In August 2022, it was announced that the shophouse would be closed for renovations as the hub would be extended into the adjacent shophouses. The extension project was scheduled to be completed by 2025.[4] The party Lights Out was held on 2 December 2023, its second last day of operations before the venue closed for the renovations.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c "28 Orchard Road" (PDF). ura.gov.sg. Urban Redevelopment Authority. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Lim, Kimberly (31 May 2019). "New Temasek Shophouse promotes social impact, sustainability on Singapore's premier shopping strip". today. Singapore. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Zaccheus, Melody (21 October 2019). "Orchard Road shophouse picks up restoration award; URA marks 30 years of conservation". The Straits Times. Singapore. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Sajan, Chantal (27 August 2022). "Temasek Shophouse launches Orchard Road extension project". The Straits Times. Singapore. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Temasek Shophouse Lights Out". Time Out. Singapore. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.