Adaptive Reuse Gains Traction as Singapore Property Owners Invest in Ageing Buildings

Adaptive reuse refers to the practice of repurposing an existing building for a different primary use while retaining its structure. Unlike full redevelopment, this approach preserves much of the original fabric, reducing demolition waste and construction costs.

Dr Sing Tien Foo from the National University of Singapore notes that adaptive reuse preserves a building’s economic value while reducing its environmental impact. The approach is particularly relevant as Singapore seeks to balance urban renewal with sustainability commitments.

Recent examples include St Andrew’s Mission Hospital, which has been transformed into Kada, a mixed-use space housing cafes, fitness facilities, and co-living units. Nan Chiau High School has similarly been converted into New Bahru, giving the former school building a new lease of life. These conversions have been largely state-driven initiatives.

The private sector is also embracing the concept. Clifford Centre has been redeveloped, while Singapore Land Group retained the structure of Singapore Land Tower for an asset enhancement initiative (AEI) rather than tearing it down and rebuilding.

CapitaLand is undertaking an AEI at Plaza Singapura, and its Rochester Commons project combines redevelopment of newer blocks with the adaptive reuse of conserved bungalows on the site. Singapore Science Park is being redeveloped into an innovation district, reflecting how entire precincts can be reimagined.

However, not every building is suited for the approach. CBRE’s Kabi Subramaniam describes adaptive reuse as “typology-dependent”, noting that buildings like AXA Tower and Fuji Xerox Towers have structural constraints that limit conversion options.

The government has put in place schemes to encourage building owners to consider alternatives to demolition. The CBD Incentive (CBDI) and Strategic Development Incentive (SDI) schemes offer gross floor area bonuses of 25 to 30 per cent for qualifying buildings that are 20 years or older.

These incentives recognise that retaining and upgrading existing structures can deliver better outcomes than wholesale demolition, particularly in land-scarce Singapore where construction resources and landfill capacity are finite.

Looking further ahead, about 45 per cent of existing HDB flats, those built between 1971 and 1990, will approach lease expiry after 2070. While this is a longer-term consideration, it underscores the growing importance of strategies like adaptive reuse and asset enhancement as Singapore’s built environment continues to age.