SINGAPORE – Some of Singapore’s storied buildings are entering their second act. Sensitive restoration of their original architecture has given them new longevity as hip heritage hubs.
One standout example of this rebirth is the Bukit Timah Fire Station. A once essential civic building completed in 1956, it functioned as a working fire station with firefighters’ quarters and a main red-and-white building serving the community for decades.
The station ceased operations in 2005. While its original civic role ended, the site found renewed relevance as a hub for food and beverage outlets, keeping the building active even as its long-term future was uncertain.
In 2019, it was gazetted for conservation, formally recognising its heritage value.
In 2025, it was reimagined as Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station, reframing the landmark as a co-living and lifestyle destination.
This adaptive reuse is part of a wider trend sweeping the island.
Colonial-era black-and-white bungalows and other heritage properties are also drawing renewed interest, from homes and historical state properties managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) to three rare units at The Oval in Seletar managed by JTC Corporation (JTC) that are now available for rent.
State-owned properties such as heritage bungalows are not the same as Good Class Bungalows (GCB). GCBs are a luxury landed-housing category defined by size, height and location within designated areas such as Nassim Road and Cluny Road in District 10.
In contrast, black-and-white bungalows and other state-owned conserved buildings are protected for their architectural, historical and social value. They are generally not for sale.
As more buyers and tenants in Singapore seek spaces with soul, these buildings are emerging as bridges between the city-state’s rich past and its rapidly evolving urban future.
The Straits Times looks at the latest heritage buildings managed by SLA and JTC that have been repurposed or are up for lease.
The facade of Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station, which is now a co-living and lifestyle destination.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Home-grown co-living brand Coliwoo clinched the government tender for the former Bukit Timah Fire Station in April 2024, after the SLA released the site for adaptive reuse.
The $7.5 million redevelopment spanned roughly 15 months, requiring close consultation with the authorities to retrofit the 1950s civic structure for its new life as a modern co-living and commercial cluster.
The project was officially launched in September 2025. Within three months, occupancy climbed to about 95 per cent.
Vacant commercial units at Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
The revamp transformed the old fire station from 45 original rooms across seven blocks into 62 serviced apartments. It also created 32 ground-floor commercial units for communal space, F&B outlets and retail.
As at April, 28 of those 32 units have been leased out, with tenants ranging from a bakery and an activity-based operator to a swim school and a pet boutique.
The co-living rooms start at about $3,000 a month for 100 sq ft. Commercial leases range from $8 to $15 a square foot.
Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station is home to the Aquaducks swim school.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Mr Kelvin Lim, executive chairman and chief executive of Coliwoo, says the design was shaped first by conservation rules.
Key heritage features had to be retained, such as the engine bays, hose-drying tower, facade and overall building form.
Within those limits, the company kept and adapted parts of the building that were still sound and suitable for co-living, such as the firemen’s quarters. It reworked areas that were too damaged or did not suit residential use.
Interior of the co-working space at Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
“The main challenges were fitting modern co-living services into a 1950s fire station built for operations, not habitation, and doing so within conservation limits,” says Mr Lim.
“The team also had to work around limited ceiling voids, scarce original documentation, strict approval processes and weatherproofing issues, while restoring signature features like the hose-drying tower and improving comfort with new sheltered walkways.”
The hose-drying tower, one of the site’s most distinctive features, presented its own set of considerations.
It was meticulously restored and refurbished by removing the layers of alterations accumulated over the years, allowing its original architectural integrity to re-emerge.
Its historic character is further elevated with a curated art mural that accentuates its imposing presence.
The walkways at Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
“By night, the tower is reimagined as a luminous landmark. Light gently filters through its signature ventilation blocks, creating a striking ‘pass-through’ glow that transforms the structure into a beacon reminiscent of a contemporary lighthouse,” says Mr Lim.
He also says the approval process for a conserved building was slower and more complex than for a standard project. As such, Coliwoo worked closely with authorities from the start and treated conservation limits as part of the brief.
