Though physically small, Singapore is an economic giant. It has been Southeast Asia’s most modern city for over a century. The city blends Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian and English cultures and religions. In 1895, when the British occupied Singapore, Robertson Quay lived and breathed as a “godown” to house goods peddled by merchants from Singapore to Malaysia along the Straits of Malacca.
Architects : Zarch Collaboratives
Interior Designer : Chris Lyee , Asylum Creatives pte Ltd
Area : 2102 m2
Project Year : 2016
Built in 1895 as one of the countless warehouses that lined the Singapore River, these buildings were storehouses for an established trade route which took spices and merchants from the Strait of Malacca in neighboring Malaysia down to Singapore.
1895
By 1950s ,the area was the operating neighbourhood of the Chinese and Fujianese secret societies. Gambling & prostitution were rampant, and opium made up 50% of the Straits’ revenue. The Havelock Road neighbourhood was the verifiable red light district of its time.
1950s
CONSTRUCTION , SPACES , MATERIALS
Robertson Quay is one of the only neighbourhoods in Singapore with a vibrant blend of residential and commercial offerings. It is walking distance to Clarke Quay and Boat Quay; and equidistant from the Central Business District and the Orchard Road shopping district. Its bustling riverside location makes it a natural food and beverage hub.
On the South bank of the Singapore River, across the bridge from some of Robertson Quay’s most popular haunts, sits a former 19th-century spice warehouse turned boutique hotel. There’s an immediate uniqueness to it as it has white facades in contrast to the glass filled buildings in the vicinity.
REFERENCES :
1. https://www.archdaily.com/806054/the-warehouse-hotel-zarch-collaboratives
2. https://www.architonic.com/en/project/asylum-the-warehouse-hotel/5104735 3. http://zarch.com.sg/portfolio/the-warehouse-hotel/
Until 1986 , the warehouse stored rubber and cotton. In 1986, the site became the Warehouse Disco - a legendary party haven for jiving throngs of young people.In 1996 , the disco was closed permanently due to suicidal cases
1986-1996
Original design elements like louvre windows, doors, cornices, mouldings and the Chinese characters on the leftmost gable are sensitively retained and restored.
The government took over the warehouses. Before the warehouses were released for tender in 2013, the site stood empty.
The area had changed dramatically. Robertson Quay transformed from a historic wharf into a commercial and residential hotspot in the 1990s, with Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority at the helm.
In 2013, Singaporean hospitality firm Lo & Behold Group, which is responsible for some of the city-state’s trendiest restaurants and bars, acquired the three warehouses and converted into a 37-room boutique hotel.The hotel opened in January 2017.
2013-2017
In terms of addition, 3 beams in the trusses have been added as additional support. A new building for a swimmming pool has too been added to the premises. A double-volume space greets visitors at the Hotel lobby, with the original warehouse trusses, now re-finished in black spanning the lobby. Natural light filters in through the jack roofs in the daytime, while new portal frames serving as discreet structural interventions fringe the lobby space, providing a clear access and line of sight to the waterfront.
The bar at The Warehouse Hotel serves drinks that have spices in them to give a little touch to its heritage. Apart from that , few items have been displayed at different places of the hotel such as hand cuffs , to pay homeage to the rich history of the hotel.
The lobby reflects alot of the warehouse heritage. The sqaure boxes on the walls are meant to give a feeling of the storage boxes. Pulleys were also added as lighting elements to show the original box picking technology used back then. The key feature of the entire hotel is its lobby as it consists of the reception , entrance and the bar.
The reception area The restaurant ‘Po’ The hotel consists of 37 rooms. There are 6 types
4. http://www.thewarehousehotel.com/about
5. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/warehouse-hotel-singapore/index.html
6. https://design-milk.com/former-spice-warehouse-illegal-distillery-rave-disco-now-boutique-hotel-along-singapore-river/
