past to present

A thoughtful restoration revives the glory of a national monument and a neighbouring conserved building and brings them up to current standards

- Victor Chen

“Heritage conservation is essential particularly in a city-state like Singapore,” says Joe Fu of Ong & Ong Pte Ltd. Together with Tan Wei Sheng, Fu led the team in the restoration and conservation of St Joseph’s Church and Parochial House, a national monument and a conserved building, respectively. “It is crucial for preserving the cultural, historical, and architectural legacy of a place,” he adds. Work on the project located along Victoria Street in downtown Singapore began in 2017 and was fully completed in March this year.

“Conservation connects us to our past, maintains the unique character of our environments, and provides a sense of continuity and identity in an ever-changing world. It also serves as a reminder of a city’s history, traditions, and achievements,” Fu continues. “The true challenge, however,” he emphasises, “lies in the significant effort required to balance heritage preservation with modern development needs.”

Fu explains that the work closely followed the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s fundamental principles of conservation. Often referred to as the 3Rs, they include maximum retention, sensitive restoration and careful repair. “During the design process, we worked very closely with government agencies to ensure that significant architectural or heritage elements were carefully considered and restored,” he shares.

These fundamental principles were evenly applied to the project. “To modernise the building,” Fu notes, “we incorporated air-conditioning, plumbing, fire protection, and other systems to meet modern codes. However, retaining existing elements was often challenging under such circumstances. We had to resist the urge to take the easiest path, ensure that our solutions were carefully considered, and adhere closely to the 3Rs.”