We are pleased to announce that Raffles Hotel has received the prestigious Award for Conservation at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Architectural Heritage Awards (AHA) this year. The conservation and renovation work highlights our dedication to creating world-class design solutions that are tailored to the needs of cities and communities around the world.

Restored and refurbished by Aedas, Raffles Hotel Singapore has officially reopened in August 2019 following a three-year conservation and renovation process. Aedas led a multi-disciplinary team for the hotel restoration, including Heritage Consultant Studio Lapis, Interior Designer Alexandra Champalimaud with Aedas Interiors for the hotel guestroom and main circulation spaces, Jouin Manku with Aedas Interiors for ‘Bar and Billiard room Restaurant by Alain Ducasse’ and Aedas Interiors for the Chinese restaurant ‘Yi by Jereme Leung’ at the hotel.

The team carried out an extensive survey and investigation into the historic fabric of the building to ensure that a comprehensive understanding was established prior to the commencement of the conservation and restoration process. The Raffles hotel is gazetted under ‘Monument’ Status, Singapore’s highest level of protection that can be conferred on a historic building. The team therefore worked carefully within the ICOMOS principles of conservation to ensure that the project integrated the historic splendour of the protected building with the upper luxury expectations of the Raffles brand.

The hotel’s fabric has been systematically restored with careful and diligent attention maintaining a balance between heritage preservation and contemporary building performance requirements. State-of-the-art restoration techniques, original materials, and lime based materials were applied to heal the deterioration caused by time, weather, acid rain, sea-salt corrosion, and past methods of maintenance and restoration attempts. The interiors and spaces are a classic expression of an era of grace, conviviality and civility.

Architectural Heritage Awards (AHA) showcases outstanding restoration efforts, commitment towards long-term building management and upkeep, and contribution towards community engagement through our heritage assets. The awards aim to increase professional standards and encourage continual capability building within the industry to achieve greater heights in technical restoration for our built heritage.