Previously situated in the middle of a pepper plantation, 6 Russels Road was referred to as a “plantation house” even though it did not resemble the 19th century plantation houses, which were known to be larger in scale.
The house combines the Victorian, Gothic, and Arts and Crafts schools of European architecture with Malay architecture as it is raised on brick piers in imitation of a Malay kampung house. The extensive open latticework screens and thinner walls facilitate airflow to cool the bungalow down and combat the tropical heat.
The house survived World War II. Prior to the war, many houses in the Alexandra Park estate were built to accommodate British Army personnel, including doctors and technicians from the British Military Hospital, now known as Alexandra Hospital. Moreover, during the Japanese Occupation, many of the houses in the Alexandra Park estate were transformed into barracks for Japanese medical officers.
From the 1980s onwards, the bungalow was home to many expatriates and continues to be used for residential purposes.
Buildings and sites featured on Roots.SG are part of our efforts to raise awareness of our heritage; a listing on Roots.SG does not imply any form of preservation or conservation status, unless it is mentioned in the article. The information in this article is valid as of September 2019 and is not intended to be an exhaustive history of the site/building.
