Authorities Seeking New Ideas to Repurpose Old Changi Hospital While Retaining Its Charm

By
Avery
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Old Changi Hospital will soon be more than just for ghost-hunting. 

According to The Straits Times, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) have started a competition on how to transform the Changi Point area while preserving its rich historical and natural heritage.

Authorities Seeking New Ideas to Repurpose Old Changi Hospital While Retaining Its Charm

The competition will consist of two tasks, and participants can send in entries for either or both.

The first task will be drafting a master plan that will inform the redevelopment of the entire 42-hectare Changi Point area, which requires participants to propose improvements that would attract visitors, while preserving its tranquil, rustic character.

The authorities prompt participants to focus on repurposing existing facilities in the area, and developing community spaces as well as accessibility. No billion-dollar redevelopments here.

The second task involves proposals to renovate Old Changi Hospital without compromising the buildings’ architecture, building on their existing advantages like high ceilings and open verandas.

And maybe the presence of ghosts as night security.

The competition began on Thursday (15 April) and will conclude on 9 June. Entrants can contest in two categories, one for students of design-related fields in tertiary institutions and one for everyone else.

What about the Old Changi Hospital?

The Old Changi Hospital has a history dating back to the 1930s, when it was a small British military hospital called the Royal Air Force Hospital, according to Remember Singapore, a blog dedicated to documenting historical buildings in Singapore.

It became a hospital for prisoners-of-war held at the nearby Changi Military Base during the Japanese occupation, and was returned to the British until their withdrawal of troops from independent Singapore in 1971. 

After a brief stint as a hospital for the Commonwealth forces, it became the main hospital for those staying in eastern Singapore, but the steep, undulating terrain meant patients found certain blocks difficult to access. 

It was then replaced by the Changi General Hospital in Simei, and has remained abandoned ever since. It became a hotspot for paranormal sightings, though reports were never confirmed.

Few would bother to confirm them anyway, considering how ulu the place is. And also, the place is apparently monitored. Not cool to go on a search for ghosts only to be caught… by AETOS officers instead.

Two adaptive reuse tenders have been put up by the Singapore Land Authority, though neither was successful. It was almost redeveloped into a resort in 2006, but the 2008 financial crisis forced the plans to be shelved.

Maybe the third time’s the charm.

Featured Image: Google Maps 

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Avery
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