1. World's First
  1. The Storey behind ICON
  1. Living by the lake
  2. An undiscovered gem of Serangoon - Central View
  3. A landmark painted in foliage, steel and glass
  4. The Secret Garden of Gardenvista
  5. Layers of choices - Strata
  1. 964 new homes sold in first half 2003
  2. Outstanding projects recognised
  1. Hip Healthy Drinks for the Y-Generation
  1. An early start to National Day at Far East Square
  1. Cuisines of Asia, Italy, Japan and the Pacific Rim
  2. De Trafford Wine Dinner
  3. Over the Moon at Town
  4. Premium Honeymoons at your fingertips
  5. Seasons in the Sun
  6. Meet in Style
  7. Weekend specials for Landmark readers at FEO Hotels
  1. The Fullerton Square - A Technological & Logistical Feat
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Copyright Far East Organization 2003/2004

 
The S$400 million Fullerton Square development, winner of the 2003 FIABCI Prix d’Excellence (Leisure Category), involves the successful restoration and adaptive re-use of the Fullerton Building, a historical civic institution, to a grand world-class heritage hotel, The Fullerton Singapore. It also includes the construction of a modern, trendy al fresco dining and entertainment complex on the waterfront called One Fullerton; as well as an underground link way connecting the two developments.
The Fullerton Singapore is a restored 400-room five-star hotel with a New Asia theme, characterised by majestic neo-classical colonnades and grand entrances. Historical records, archival photographs and stringent conservation guidelines were carefully studied and observed in the preservation of the external façade and certain internal historical elements of the institutional Fullerton Building. To further reduce the risk and achieve better control in the restoration process, rigorous detailed elemental and spatial studies facilitated by computer-aided design and “virtual walk-through” technology were also undertaken prior to construction.

The restoration involved complex reconfiguration of interior spaces to create the Atrium. Floors were carved out while the historical “coved ceiling” room was carefully propped and braced. The existing structural framework was substantially strengthened to sustain new loads. New openings were also sensitively incorporated into the guestrooms to provide sufficient windows and views for guests whilst retaining the characteristic and distinctive feature of the neo-classical Renaissance architecture. The porte cochere and conservatory at the Presidential Suite, designed in glass and steel, are contemporary statements to distinguish these new additions from the historical fabric.
For a five-star hotel, a sizeable ballroom with 500 seating capacity is a must. To meet this requirement, deep and extensive excavation had to be carried out adjacent to the building, precariously exposing the foundations. Careful shoring and all necessary safety precautions were taken for this process.

An ingenious floating floor was also constructed in conjunction with a mechanical water extract system to keep the basement bone dry and rectify the perennial leaking that existed in the basement of the old Fullerton Building due to the high water table.

In the conversion from “office” to “deluxe hotel”, new programmatic requirements necessitated modern interventions that were carried out in the least obtrusive manner, in harmony with and without detracting from the character of the building. Modern mechanical and electrical services were sensitively incorporated without compromising the ornamental ceilings and preserving the purity of the original design.

 

With The Fullerton Singapore’s transformation into a luxury hotel, the grand Edwardian Baroque architecture is complemented with contemporary design in a strong Asian flavour.

The car park of The Fullerton Singapore is located at the basement floors of One Fullerton. This creatively overcame limitations in car park space at the original Fullerton Building.

One Fullerton, a new building with 8000 square metres of commercial space and a panoramic view of the waterfront, is inspired by Singapore’s marine history as a bustling trading outpost of the former British Empire. Its unique glass and steel architecture in nautical themed design provides a sharp contrast to its historic neighbour, The Fullerton Singapore. At the same time, One Fullerton complements and enhances the offerings of the hotel with its unique outdoor venue options found in its popular al fresco dining and enlivening night entertainment outlets, thereby rejuvenating the surrounding Marina Bay area.

Built on reclaimed land, the excavation of the three basement floors at One Fullerton was a technological feat. A special “top and down” construction method was used to fast track superstructure works in parallel with the substructure works. A skin wall tanking structure was also required as double protection against water penetration due to the high water table.

The underground pedestrian link way joining The Fullerton Singapore with One Fullerton is elaborately designed as part of the hotel amenity with luxurious carpeting, soft lighting, airport-styled travellators and an integrated display of historical pictures of the old Fullerton Building. Constructed beneath a major six-lane thoroughfare, Fullerton Road, this subterranean connection is a logistical feat. Careful planning ensured that the busy Fullerton Road was never closed during the construction period, and large tracts of existing buried municipal services were protected.