House of Tan Yeok Nee Wins SIA Design Award 2026 |
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| The Award was presented by Ms Indranee Rajah (pictured second from the right) to House of Tan Yeok Nee and received by Ar. Shawn Teo Eng Kiong (pictured first from the left) and Ar. Jiang Wenhuan (pictured second from the left). |
Announced as the winner of the Merit Award in Special Categories for Conservation at the Singapore Institute of Architects Design Awards (SIA DA) Night 2026, House of Tan Yeok Nee holds a singular place in Singapore’s architectural heritage as the last remaining traditional Teochew Chinese mansion on the island. Built in 1882, and gazetted as a national monument in 1974, the House is conceived as an echo of his larger ancestral mansion in Chaozhou, China, the building carries within its walls a layered history of ownership, use and reinvention.
The conservation work, undertaken with the support of the current owner and in close coordination with the relevant authorities, sought not to freeze the House in a single moment of its past, but to honour the full arc of its 140-year historical journey. Guided by the Chinese conservation philosophy of 修旧如旧 – to restore the old as old – the project places authenticity at its core while making considered allowances for contemporary use. Today, the House accommodates offices, dining options and a heritage gallery, all open to the public, offering the city a living point of encounter with its own cultural memory.
Since 2023 it has undergone extensive feasibility studies, wall treatments and the careful repair and reinstatement of historic elements. New elements were introduced with sensitivity, complementing the fabric, while maintaining coherence and restoring the building to its former glory.
In doing so, House of Tan Yeok Nee opens a wider conversation on rehabilitation, adaptive reuse in modern Singapore and its built heritage. Its re-opening as a living heritage space advances cultural stewardship and restores the House’s relevance amidst Singapore’s urban fabric.
Raffles Sentosa Singapore reinterprets the brand’s British colonial heritage through a low-density villa typology, embedded within the natural topography of Sentosa’s coastal forest edge. The resort creates a nature-immersed hospitality experience where architecture and landscape are carefully integrated.
SAFRA Choa Chu Kang Clubhouse harmonises nature, fitness and community through a design that integrates verdant boulevards, landscaped spaces and wellness facilities. As the first SAFRA clubhouse located within a park, it forges stronger connections between people, nature and the surrounding community.
The award presentation ceremony was held at Temasek Shophouse on 21st August 2026, attended by Guest of Honour Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development.