SINGAPORE – Walking along the Singapore River, it is hard to imagine that tongkang (wooden cargo boats) and twakow (lighter vessels) once ferried cargo far up the river.

But three godowns, or warehouses, still stand as a reminder of those bygone days and today, they have a new face.

These 104-year-old buildings in Jiak Kim Street have had a colourful life. From the 1990s, they were home to popular night spot Zouk for 25 years. Zouk hosted international DJs such as Paul Oakenfold and Armin van Buuren until 2016, when it moved to Clarke Quay.

In 2014, the three godowns were gazetted for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). The warehouses then became part of a 145,119 sq ft (13,482 sq m) mixed-use residential Government Land Sales site.

Frasers Property Singapore acquired the site for $955.4 million in December 2017. It has since built the 455-unit Riviere condominium and the 72-unit serviced residence called Fraser Residence River Promenade.

And the three godowns have been restored.

Mr Lee Choon Li, head of developments and projects at Frasers Property Singapore, says: “The original structural and architectural elements of the godowns had to be retained and restored while preserving the inherent spirit and original ambience of historic buildings.”

This conservation effort, he adds, is based on URA’s conditions for the sale of the site.

One godown now serves as the front-of-house and reception area for the serviced residence. The second warehouse has been designed as a space that can be used for co-working and special events.

The third warehouse will be taken up by a food and beverage operator, which will start operating in early 2024.

A heritage trail through the development includes information panels with curated stories and information from the National Heritage Board archives. The site’s rejuvenation and redevelopment strategy is also highlighted.

Mr Lee says embedding placemaking in the design of the development was essential. “Our goal was to create spaces that are not just visually appealing but also emotionally engaging, fostering a deeper connection with the precinct’s unique heritage.”

The godowns were built on reclaimed swampland in 1919. Over the years, ground moisture and unsuitable paint had damaged the brick and plaster work.

The restoration included removing the old paint, repairing the brickwork and plaster, and creating a moisture barrier to protect the historic structures.

The metal roofs installed during the Zouk era were removed and replaced with clay tiles that resemble those of the original roof. Gutters and downpipes were redesigned to respect the historical aesthetic.

Ornamental elements such as fluted pilasters and cornices were restored to their original designs. Structural modifications from the 1990s, such as the mezzanine floor in the disco, were removed to reveal the building’s original high-volume interior. 

The serviced residence’s units are in a standalone structure that has been deliberately set apart to preserve the historical significance of the godowns. A swimming pool, deck area and spill-out zone connect the godowns to the serviced residence.

Fraser Residence River Promenade is Frasers Property’s sixth hospitality property in Singapore. Its first was Fraser Suites Singapore in River Valley, which opened in 1998.

In the Jiak Kim Street property, all units have fully functional kitchenettes, and range in size from 258 sq ft for studio units to 516 sq ft for one-bedroom units. Prices for a two-night stay start at $618 for the Studio Deluxe unit.

Instead of housing the 72 units in one monolithic structure, the architects reduced the appearance of the four-storey serviced residence building by introducing three roof forms to create the impression of a cluster of smaller buildings. The roof design is also a reference to the godowns.

The development was designed by Singapore firm SCDA Architects. In an e-mail interview, a spokesman for SCDA explains: “The three roofs for the serviced apartment wing take their cue from the undulating ridgeline of the conserved warehouses.

“This unique design choice serves to echo the architectural character of the historical elements, establishing continuity in design language across the site.”

The site has not been fenced in, so pedestrians strolling along the riverside can take in the contrasts between the old godowns and the new serviced residences, and appreciate how the structures complement each other in form and scale.

The heritage trail which runs through the development is open to the public and can be accessed from the riverside, near Jiak Kim Bridge at Kim Seng Park. 

The trail takes pedestrians around to the front of the godowns in Jiak Kim Street, where some will remember queueing to get into Zouk. For others, it will be the start of a new chapter in the long history of the godowns.