National Monuments

The Central Fire Station, also known as the Hill Street Fire Station, is Singapore’s oldest surviving fire station in Singapore. The iconic building is a living monument to the local firefighting force. Completed in 1909, the distinctive red-and-white brick building was gazetted as a national monument 1998.

Here is more information on the monument.

“Designed by William Ferguson, the building’s red-and-white rusticated façade is a distinctive characteristic of what is commonly known as ‘blood-and-bandage’ architecture. In the case of the Central Fire Station, this feature coincidentally and aptly underscores the firefighters’ work mission to rescue and save. The ‘blood’ points to the exposed red bricks on the façade, while the ‘bandage’ refers to the plaster layovers that are painted white. This architectural style was popularised during the Edwardian era (1901–1910).

“Another outstanding feature of the fire station is its impressive lookout tower, which rises to a height of about 110 feet (34 metres). A fireman was always stationed in the tower to spot any outbreaks of fire in the vicinity. Flanked by twin cupolas, a triangular pediment bearing the monogram of the Singapore Fire Brigade fronts the façade’s midsection. Behind the row of bright red shutter doors are fire engines and rescue vehicles on standby for activation.” - Source

A little further down the road from the Central Fire Station, is another historical, iconic and colonial landmark. The building houses the Ministry of information, communications and the Arts. In the colonial days, it was a police station and barracks. The building was gazetted as a national monument in 1998.

"The building has a total of 927 windows that have been painted in shades of rainbow colours." It is very striking. One can't pass by without noticing it.

More information on the historical building -

“The Old Hill Street Police Station is a six-storey building covering a total floor area of 25,000 sq. m. It was built in a typical Neoclassical style that characterised many public buildings in England during the 1930s.15 The façade is symmetrically designed  with balconies, arcades, columns and rough surface masonry blocks. The building is structured into long thin blocks that surround two internal courtyards. Outwards, the view from each room faces the streets and inwards, the courtyards.” - Source

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