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Baba House (also known as the Tan Cheng Lock Baba House)

Models Project Information
Proj ID: 

Model10

Proj Subject: 

University-led restoration of a historic home

Proj Name: 

Baba House (also known as the Tan Cheng Lock Baba House)

Proj Purpose: 

To preserve the domestic architectural style of a typical Peranakan home (i.e., a mixture of southern Chinese, Malay, colonial Dutch and British influence) and use the restored structure as a “living heritage home” – a center for promoting and educating others about the history and culture of the Straits Chinese.

Proj Time Frame: 

2005-2009

The 208.67 square meter three-storey house was built in the late 19th Century and since 1910, had been owned by 6 generations of Peranakan (the Wee family). In 2005, a donation was made to the National University of Singapore (NUS) for its purchase and renovation. Restoration work began in 2007 and continued for 13 months until the House opened to the public in September 2008. The project was deemed completed by NUS in May 2009.

Proj Method & Activities: 

The initiative began with the bequest of SGD $4 million to NUS by Agnes Tan. The grant was given in honor of her late father, Peranakan entrepreneur Tun Tan Cheng Lock, who founded the Malaysian Chinese Association. The donation specified that the amount be used to acquire a traditional terraced house on Neil Road. Thus, NUS proposed the restoration project to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which acted as architect and engineer on the project. The project began with a seven-week long archaeological excavation to uncover remnants of the house’s history. Faculty of the NUS South-East Asian Studies Programme and students of the Department of Architecture were integral to the restoration efforts, especially at the initial stages. They conducted two architectural surveys of the building: first, to record the existing structure, then again to ascertain which portions of the more than 150-year old house needed to be restored.

Restoration work was guided by the principles of “maximum retention, sensitive restoration and careful repair” and where possible, traditional materials and construction techniques were used. With the exception of an annex added to the back of the house, the original use and layout was retained. The 1st and 2nd floors were restored to the condition of the house as it was in the 1920s. However, portions of the building were left untouched for future renovation work. The 3rd floor was converted into an art gallery.

Once the work was completed, the house was turned over to the NUS Museum and NUS Centre for the Arts. No longer a residence, the Baba House now offers one-hour long heritage tours (only by appointment), holds regular exhibitions of artwork that deals with Peranakan themes or subjects, and hosts events aimed at promoting Peranakan culture. Over the past year these have included dinners with traditional Nonya fare, talks about conserving historic homes, book circles, educational programs and workshops on Peranakan art, craft, cuisine and fashion. The annex houses the offices of the Peranakan Association of Singapore.

Models Coverage
Location: 

157 Neil Road, Singapore

The house is located in the historic district of Blair Plain, which URA declared a protected conservation site in 1991 due to the number of Peranakan terraced houses in the area.

Models Financing
Funding Agency: 

The purchase of the property and the construction costs (amounting to SGD $1.4 million) were covered by a SGD $4 million donation made to NUS by a philanthropic private individual. As a result of the success of this project, a further donation of SGD $1.5 million was made to NUS to purchase and restore two shophouses in Malacca, Malaysia.

Models Organization
Mod Org Name: 

NUS (namely the Department of Architecture and South-East Asian Studies Programme) and URA collaborated closely on the restoration of the house. However, management and administration of the Baba House falls under the remit of NUS Museum and the NUS Centre for the Arts.

Org Project Director: 

Chan Yew Lih of the NUS Department of Architecture (Conservation Consultant on the Project) / Peter Lee (Honorary Curator of the Baba House)

Org Resources: 

A number of other organizations contributed to the initiative. An external contractor was brought in on the project: LF Developments Pte Ltd. In addition, the arts and design community known as FARM gave input for the design of the gallery, and the Heritage Conservation Centre conducted paint analyses to help NUS and URA determine the house’s original color palette.

The Baba House Conservation Fund has since been established to help with continuing conservation work on the house.

Org Mailing Address: 

157 Neil Road

Singapore 088883

Models Outcome
Materials: 

Architectural restoration of structure (with an added extension)

Models Evaluation
Status: 

Baba House is only one of ongoing efforts that have served to preserve Peranakan culture in Singapore. Four months prior to the opening of the Baba House, the Asian Civilizations Museum opened a Peranakan Museum to showcase Nyonya artifacts. In 2008, two television drama series about Straits Chinese families were produced and found mass appeal among local audiences. These have, arguably, had the most influence in raising interest in reviving the Peranakan way of life – a movement that began in the 1970s – and today generates continued interest in Nonya history and culture.

Selection Criteria & Results of Initiative: 

Baba House exemplifies a successful partnership across sectors: an educational institution (National University of Singapore), a government agency (Urban Redevelopment Authority), a cultural institution (NUS Museum) and a private, special interest group (Singapore Peranakan Association). Bringing together these different actors allowed NUS to capitalize on the resources and expertise of URA while finding uses for the restored structure beyond the restoration process.

It illustrates a strategy for preserving heritage that places as much emphasis on the restoration process itself as an educational tool, as it does on the use and purpose of the built structure. The restoration provided staff and students with applied, practical experience in best practices in conservation and restoration.

Applicability to Philippine Setting: 

Baba House illustrates the central role that schools can play in attracting and directing heritage initiatives (e.g., providing access to grants and tax benefits to donors).

Moreover, it can serve as an alternative model for restoring ancestral homes:

(1) Rather than attempting to transform many historic homes into museums, the actors selected and restored one ancestral home to represent the larger category of homes within the area

(2) As a small center whose main use is as office space for the Peranakan Association and a venue for events, Baba House seeks to be relevant for the local Nyonya community rather than a venue created solely to showcase material artifacts. Although it also serves this function, this is ancillary to its role as a heritage center.

Possible Benefits: 

The renewed interest in Peranakan culture has brought economic benefits for local tourism and trade.