The Fullerton Waterboat House

The Fullerton Waterboat House, originally known as the Water House, was formerly a historic water supply house used to supply fresh water to incoming ships in Singapore. The former Water House was gazetted for conservation in 2002 and has since reopened as a restaurant.

The Fullerton Waterboat House
Location in Singapore
Former namesWater House
Alternative namesWaterboat House
General information
StatusComplete
TypeCommercial
Architectural styleArt Deco
ClassificationA2
LocationSingapore
Address3 Fullerton Road, Singapore 049215
CountrySingapore
Coordinates
Current tenantsJulien Bompard (2003–2013)
Starbucks (2014–2020)
Named forWater House
Completed1919
Renovated2003
OwnerSino Group
LandlordSino Group
AffiliationThe Fullerton Heritage
Technical details
Floor count3
Design and construction
Architecture firmSwan & Maclaren
Renovating team
Renovating firmMINKTan Architects
EngineerKTP Consultants Pte Ltd
Main contractorHexacon Construction Pte Ltd
Awards and prizesArchitectural Heritage Award (2005)
Other information
Number of stores1
Number of restaurants2
Number of bars1
Website
thefullertonheritage.com

History

Singapore was established as a Straits Settlements trading port in 1819. In 1820, Captain William Lawrence Flint, the brother-in-law to Sir Stamford Raffles,[1] was appointed as the second Master Attendant with an office at the mouth of the Singapore River to control shipping. In 1852, the harbour was moved to Keppel and the office had since been demolished.[2]

In 1919, a three-storey Water House was completed on the former site of the Master Attendant's office, the building was an Art Deco building designed by Swan & Maclaren. The Water House also included a basement which was visible from the sea. It was built to supply fresh water to incoming ships in Singapore. The Water House was later taken over in 1960 by the Port of Singapore Authority. It continued to supply fresh water to incoming vessels until 1990.

Restoration
New glass annexe of The Fullerton Waterboat House, facing the sea

The Waterboat House was gazetted on 21 March 2002 for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and opened for tender, which was won by Sino Group. After which the renovation of the former Water House building would start soon afterwards.[3]

Following the renovation in 2003, the Waterboat House, presently known as The Fullerton Waterboat House, was later used as a restaurant.[4] A souvenir shop was opened on its newly installed glass annexe of the building's basement (1st floor) of the building. Later in September 2003, The French restaurant Le Saint Julien by Chef Sir Julien Bompard was opened on the ground (2nd) floor.

In 2005, the Waterboat House was awarded the Architectural Heritage Award by the Urban Redevelopment Authority for the restoration works done by MINKTan Architects, which included recovery of the original grey Shanghai Plaster finish and the addition of a new glass annexe.[5]

In January 2010, the European restaurant simply named the Boathouse with the extension of a rooftop bar Prelude were opened on the third floor and rooftop of the building respectively.[6][7]

On 25 January 2013, the Le Saint Julien restaurant was closed and since moved to a new premise known as Scotts 27 from September 2013 onwards.[8] The American coffee company Starbucks soon took over the space of the former French restaurant on the ground floor of the building and opened its 100th Singapore store on 14 February 2014, which hired six clients from the Autism Resource Centre.[9]

In 2015, the Boathouse restaurant and the Prelude rooftop bar were taken over by the new management team and re-branded as 1919 Waterboat House of the building's same namesake and its built year and the rooftop bar so named as The Rooftop respectively, had officially re-opened on 19 November 2015.[10] Later on August 2018, Galeno, the Food & Beverage company of the restaurant and rooftop sought a High Court order to compel the landlord to extend its lease and bar's license for two more years.[11]

On 2 February 2020, the Starbucks restaurant was closed due to its end of lease, and clarified that the closure was unrelated to the coronavirus pandemic.[12] By end August 2020, the 1919 Waterboat House and The Rooftop had closed down upon its extended two years expiry lease.

  • The Fullerton Waterboat House
  • Lookout tower
  • The Fullerton Waterboat House by night

See also

References
  1. "Portrait of Captain William Flint, Master Attendant of Singapore - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  2. Singapore, National Library Board. "Mouth of the Singapore River | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  3. "Waterboat House opened for tender". Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  4. "Our Heritage - The Fullerton Heritage". thefullertonheritage.com. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  5. https://sunrise.ura.gov.sg/uol/publications/corporate/aha/2005/3-Fullerton-Road.aspx%5B%5D
  6. "1919-wbh". 1919-wbh.
  7. "Boathouse (and Prelude) - A Marvellous Find!".
  8. "About Chef Julien Heritage". shop.saintjulien.com.sg. Retrieved 2018-02-23.
  9. migration (2014-02-14). "Starbucks opens 100th store here, its first to hire clients from Autism Resource Centre". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  10. "1919-wbh". 1919-wbh. Retrieved 2018-02-15.
  11. hermes (2018-08-06). "Restaurant and bar going to court in bid to stay at Fullerton". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  12. "Iconic Starbucks outlet at Fullerton Waterboat House now closed as its lease ended". Mothership.sg. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
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