Fullerton Building was part of key events in S’pore’s history
I thank Mr Han Ming Guang for his support for the gazette of the former Fullerton Building (“Why was Fullerton building made a National Monument now?”; Dec 19).
I thank Mr Han Ming Guang for his support for the gazette of the former Fullerton Building (“Why was Fullerton building made a National Monument now?”; Dec 19).
The National Heritage Board’s Preservation of Sites and Monuments division (PSM) identifies buildings that are worthy of preservation as National Monuments. Buildings gazetted as such are recognised for their national significance and accorded the highest degree of legal protection here.
To date, 71 National Monuments have been gazetted, as they satisfy criteria of high national significance. The priority has been to gazette buildings, that clearly meet PSM criteria, to accord the highest protection level under the Preservation of Monuments Act.
With the critical sites now gazetted, the PSM has, with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), embarked on reviewing conserved buildings for gazette as National Monuments.
This review is an ongoing process to ensure that nationally significant structures within our changing heritage landscape are accorded the highest protection.
The timing of a gazette also takes into consideration other factors, including appropriate commemorative events and the support from monument owners and stakeholders.
This year, as part of Singapore’s Jubilee celebrations, the PSM selected a group of buildings that have witnessed significant milestones in Singapore’s journey. Jurong Town Hall was pivotal in Singapore’s industrialisation drive; Istana Kampong Gelam was the seat of the Johor Sultanate; and the former Fullerton Building was home to the General Post Office and has seen tumultuous, important events in Singapore’s history.
Today, the former Fullerton Building has been refurbished as an iconic hotel. While its interior had undergone changes owing to adaptive reuse, its intrinsic historical value has been captured through the retention of its key architectural features.
Other examples of National Monuments that have been given a new lease of life include the National Gallery Singapore (former Supreme Court and Municipal Building) and the Asian Civilisations Museum (former Empress Place Building).
This ensures that our National Monuments remain relevant, accessible and self-sustaining for future generations of Singaporeans, so they too can continue to create new memories and contribute to our shared heritage.
We hope that our National Monuments, together with the buildings conserved by the URA, will help preserve and present to Singaporeans a more complete landscape of our built heritage.