21 Carpenter

21 Carpenter is a boutique hotel that was converted from a 1936 conserved group of four shophouses, which were built as the headquarters of the Chye Hua Seng Wee Kee / Chye Soon Long remittance office. The ambitious and thoughtful design emphasises history, art, sustainability, comfort and community. Great effort went into researching the history of the heritage building and its context, which informed the design. The conserved 4-storey shophouses and the 5-storey contemporary extension that floats above the heritage structure are a striking juxtaposition of old and new that complement each other visually and contextually. The new extension is a Jenga-like form of stacked cubic elements which reveal and frame elements of the old building, giving new viewpoints and a contemporary backdrop to the heritage elements. Where the old building has regular bays, ornate details and tectonic expression, the new extension is about surface and dematerialized, weightless volumes. The design retains and celebrates original features of the heritage building. A rare three-tone Shanghai plaster façade was uncovered and carefully restored to its original form. The façade was inscribed with the names of the cities in China to where remittances were made, as well as Chinese Art Deco panels depicting heroic visions for Singapore, all of which were retained and restored. The original Chengal wood floorboards were Reused in the guest rooms and the Chengal wood beams were upcycled into furniture and interior features throughout the property. Referencing and connecting to the past users of the building, the art façade of the contemporary addition is inscribed with poetic passages from original remittance letters. To achieve nicely proportioned rooms and protect the spatial heritage of the building the design keeps the shophouse’s 5.7-metre grid. The interior design features a contemporary interpretation of 1930’s Chinese Art Deco. The guest rooms are simple and elegant, with brushed timber floors and painted timber panelling inspired by the original fitout. The hotel has a strong art programme with pieces by Singaporean artists displayed prominently throughout the property. The lobby, a bright and airy skylit double-height social space, is embraced by the canopies of the trees of the Garden Terrace above. The Garden Terrace is a sheltered, yet breezy outdoor common space that can be used for lounging, socialising, or events. The planting scheme includes Gambir, Pepper and Nutmeg - a direct link to the original customers of the building, many of whom were labourers working in growing, packing and shipping these commodities which were the beginning of Singapore’s economy. Despite the 100% built-up site, the design allows 8 mature trees to be incorporated in the development, making the site greener, after development, than it has been for 200 years. Unusual for heritage conversions in Chinatown, a rooftop infinity pool and lounge offer exceptional views of the iconic Singapore skyline. The project contributes to street life with its fully glazed shopfront to the restaurant and lobby along the heritage covered walkway, giving passers-by an inviting look inside to see the activities in the hotel.