“Our approach was to celebrate the history of the Hill by enhancing the awareness of the richness of its heritage and to frame the gorgeous views of the Hill and its heritage trees by enabling the views of the Hill to be the unique selling point of the guest room,” says Jeremy Tan, senior associate director at DP Architects. “From this perspective, we updated the building and took inspiration to generate interiors, settings and ambience that would appeal to today’s top echelon of business travelers finding the HFC an oasis of calm and respite and to be inspired by its synergy with the green of the surrounding park.”

 

DPA was intent on merging the historical with the necessary modern elements, although this posed the dilemma faced with most adaptive re-use projects of how to make the distinction between them. “Our approach toward HFC was to interpret ‘modern heritage.’ In this expression, we translate the experience of tradition in a new light. For example, we showcased the archaeological treasures of the Hill by displaying them in pits that are dug into the floor of the reception lobby,” says Tan. “We highlight the conservation of the original timber doors by framing them with glass panels. History is thus heightened by expressing it in new materials, new elements and new light.”

 

 

A sympathetic attitude was also employed to promote the sustainable building practices, materials and functionality. DPA interpreted such initiatives through various means. For example, the incorporation of green walls on the external walls celebrates the essence of verdant life on the Hill. The introduction of the VDA Intelligent Hotel System (the first ever in Singapore) is also another green initiative. It integrates lighting, air-conditioning, curtain, Internet, entertainment and mood controls into a sleek touch-screen panel.

The history of the Hill and the building were the influences on their approach to the design and interiors of the HFC. The respect for heritage and the intent to showcase it as a unique selling point and to differentiate it from other heritage hotels in town inspired them in the design process in various ways: the restoration of the porte-cochere; the use of the original chamfered columns as a means of expressions in the lobby; the restoration of the grand stairs as the main architectural feature in the building; the use of the verandah as a “living room;” and the re-adaptive use of the verandah as a bathroom.

 

DPA went through the National Archives exhaustively to research its history. However, a lot of information was lost so they also searched the Internet for whatever information they could acquire. This rigorous detective work resulted in stripping away the modern additions and cladding to reveal original architectural details. One major discovery was the porte-cochère, which was a previously enclosed lobby that is now expressed as a grand drop-off area for the hotel.

 

The artifact pits are an integral part of the reception lounge and the brainchild of Mr Loh Hai Yew, DPA’s interior designer. The artefacts are a reminder of the close relationship the hotel has with its surroundings, currently on loan to HFC from National Parks Singapore.

 

The structural width of the building at almost 12 feet posed an exciting challenge to develop hotel rooms of adequate size and led to the development of a variety of room typologies to meet a gamut of lifestyle rooms. This provided a variety of room types to meet guests with differential lifestyle needs—deluxe rooms, premium rooms, garden rooms, suites, long stay rooms, island rooms, etc. The range of accommodations engendered different access, for example corridor access to the standard deluxe rooms and exclusive vestibule access for the suites.

 

Despite the tight spatial constraints, generous corridors of five feet were extended from the grand staircase, which has been restored to its past glory and is analogous to a tree canopy. “The reinstatement of the conservation doors on levels 2 and 3 had posed a constraint on the sizing of the hotel rooms. However, we met the challenge by framing the conservation doors in glass and using the conservation doors to frame the views of the park,” says Tan. “At the same time, it increases the visual perception of space within the hotel rooms.”

This reinstating of the doors within the guest rooms was a nod toward bringing the history of the hotel within the guest rooms. The extensive use of mirrors on the conservation doors and in the wardrobes serves to extend the sense of space within the tight floor area that the existing building entails.

 

When looking at styling and demographic considerations, the design team focused on identifying the guest as a person who appreciates technology and yet is culturally in tune with interests in history, traditions, nature and the environment. Tan adds that styling considerations adopted for the rooms speak of “modern heritage” with an air of subtle and sublime elegance. “We found Poltrona Frau to fit the bill, especially with its take on traditions through pieces like 1919 and a modern update through the Kennedee series,” he says. The owner also wanted to incorporate modern technology into the DNA of the hotel, therefore pieces like the “Regina” chair were chosen to reflect a modern take on the traditional lounging wing-backed chair.

“We utilized the simplicity and dignity in the expression of the building and translated it to the interiors. We chose sublime and subtle colors and expressions that evoke tranquillity to invoke an ambience of respite that harmonizes with the verdant nature of Fort Canning Hill,” says Tan.

 

The interior design of the rooms is primarily a modern language without the employment of classical elements such as cornices, dadoes, architraves, etc.

The lobby has placement of “traditional” wing reading chairs in contrast with modern interpretation of such chairs.

 

Modern heritage is the “style” resonating throughout the design approach. This marriage of tradition and modernity is heightened through the sense of contrast and juxtaposition between new elements, new language and new materials set against the building envelope of conservation and tradition.