DESCRIPTION

Desker Shophouse hotel is a series of 6 conservation shophouses located at the cultural heart of Little India. The Little India precinct belongs to one of the four main Historic Districts in Singapore. Based on URA’s long-term planning intentions for these areas, their historic significance means they are one of the most protected and sought-after conservation properties in Singapore.

We are proud to be awarded the project in this distinct ethnic precinct. Recognised as a hub of the Indian community, the area has a rich variety of buildings, retail shops, eateries and backlanes. Streetscape is vivid and colourful and it is an area that is buzzing with activity throughout the year.

The design brief was to give the old and dilapidated hotel a new look and feel that would be fitting to its historic locale. At the same time, the owners were keen to bring back the crowd since it was a stone’s throw from the popular Mustafa shopping center. It also had a thriving eatery located at the 1^st level of the hotel.

CONCEPT

Our vision was to encapsulate the identity of the location with an offering that would combine both the new and old worlds. The hotel would allow the occupants an experience that would be uniquely distinct for this area. The façade key elements of the full-height and double shuttered windows would remain while the interiors would be given a new lease of life.

The 2^nd and attic level housed 24 rooms that were of different shapes and sizes. The timber flooring for the rooms and the corridors were had deteriorated over time. Hence, they were replaced with new timber flooring. The balustrades of the staircase were in good condition and they were restored them without replacement. Furniture and customized carpentry were brought in to give the rooms a feel of modern comfort and style. Contemporary lighting completes the final touches to give the interiors a look of modern simplicity within the traditional row of shophouses that resonate with its vibrant heritage streetscape.

BRIEF

Located in the bustling Bugis district, Populous Hotel is a new concept hotel for the travel-savvy urbanite. Our scope for the project included the architecture, the interior design, spatial planning and the branding of the hotel. Conceived as a boutique hotel of amenity, it consists of 80 rooms with a restaurant for breakfast and a lush garden roof top terrace.

The project brief was to design a hotel of distinction along a busy street that was already dotted with similar hospitality establishments. As a party-wall development, the hotel was located along a row of buildings that were similar in height. With a only a single distinguishable façade facing Middle Road, the challenge was to create a building that could maximize its context and be distinct in appearance.

CONCEPT

Our strategy was to redefine the continuity of the streetscape with a dynamic façade comprising of a continuous curtain of fixed and sliding aluminum screens. The screens are adjustable internally from the hotel rooms. These screens served to give varying degrees of privacy and openness to the rooms.

The front façade facing Middle Road is articulated with a duplicity of screens that is dynamic in nature. Alternating between fixed and movable screens, they serve to give varying degrees of privacy to the rooms.

The rooms allow penetration of natural light by way of large sliding doors at the front and back. Internal rooms were enlivened by portraits of nature that were intentionally framed to resemble picture windows.

At the roof, an open terrace allows the guests a panoramic view of the city. Outdoor timber pavilions are provided amidst lush greenery and full-grown trees.  A bold 3-meter-high green wall separates the public space from services area at the rear.   

Façade lighting illuminates the essence of the building as the sun sets. Landscape lighting further enhances the experience at the open terrace. The hotel stands as an exciting and iconic addition to the continuous row of buildings along Middle road.