Black and white colonial houses in Singapore have a long history. Recorded to have been built from the 1900s to early 1940s, these homes stand out when you drive past them thanks to their black and white monotonous colours of the dark timber beams and whitewashed walls.
In the past, these black and white homes were also used as military administrations and boarding schools for British soldiers’ children.
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Design Of Black And White Colonial Houses
The houses are styled on a Tudobethan style, which is designed to resemble a Tudor or Elizabethan architectural style, first manifested in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century.
The black and white house design in Singapore was attributed to architect Regent Alfred John Bidwell of Swan & Maclaren. This was due to his design of the W. Patchitt House at Cluny Road.
Some of the houses also adapt features of a Malay kampong house, such as high ceilings and stilts for ventilation to keep the homes cool before air conditioning was introduced. As the houses were built in an earlier period, some are also elevated from the ground to prevent termites and flash floods.
Tenants and owners are not allowed to make changes to the black and white houses as they are preserved heritage buildings. The houses can be as small as 540 sqft in land area.
There are also spacious Colonial Houses with some bigger than 5,000 sqft and have a land area of over 31,000 sqft. Those properties usually have two floors, large windows, and gardens. There are also some which have a swimming pool.
How Many Colonial Houses Are There In Singapore
Today, about 500 colonial houses remain and are managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and are mostly state-owned.
Some of the homes are reserved for residential stays while most are rented out for commercial purposes such as restaurants and businesses.
Some colonial houses that have been revamped into cafes or fine dining establishments include Corner House at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Colony at Raffles Avenue, and Indocafe along Scotts Road.
Where Can You Find Black And White Colonial Houses In Singapore
Of the 500 houses, many of them can be found in Sembawang and Seletar, there are also houses located in other areas, such as Alexandra Park, Mount Pleasant, Dempsey Hill, and Changi Road.
| Where to find black and white colonial houses | |
| North | Sembawang Park, Seletar Camp, Cyprus Road |
| South | Mount Faber, Alexandra Park, Gillman Barracks |
| East | Changi Road |
| West | Wessex Estate, Rochester Park, Nepal Hill, Mount Pleasant, Fifth Avenue |
| Central | Goodwood Hill, Dempsey Hill, Ridley Park, Adam Park, Chancery Lane, Barker Road |
Can You Buy A Black And White Colonial House
They are not for sale, but you can apply to rent a house from SLA. They are rented out through an open bidding method where the houses are leased out for two years.
The rental prices are determined by demand.
How To Rent A Black And White Colonial House
Here are the steps to rent a colonial house:
- Visit SLA’s website for the available listings
- Contact the managing agent on your interest to rent
- Submit your application and the necessary documents and wait for the result
- If you successfully get the application approved, you will need to sign the tenancy agreement, pay the deposit, and stamp duties.
When shopping for houses for rent, you can shortlist the ones you like and then reach out to the managing agent to rent the house. There are eligibility requirements, such as income. For example, applicants applying individually will need to have an average monthly income at least three times the offered rent OR be of sound financial status, accessed at the accessor’s discretion.
You also have to be older than 21 years old, among other financial considerations like having a bankruptcy petition against you.
You have to attend a tender interview if you are shortlisted to rent the black and white colonial house. The evaluation will include your intention, financial health, and track record.
If you passed the tender interview and are eligible to rent the home, you need to prepare the following documents and details:
- Letter of Acceptance including the signed Tenancy Agreement
- Pay in advance one month of rental
- Provide a security deposit of three months’ worth of rental
- Necessary stamp duties
- Administrative fees
Colonial Houses Are Very Rare And Limited
At the time of writing, there are only nine homes on the market for residential use.
There’s no asking price for the homes on the SLA website because you have to bid for the house via an open bidding system.
After the bidding period closes and the bid results are evaluated, the SLA website will reveal the results, without the names of the bidders.
The bids will be according to the land size and location and could be quite contested. Some bidding results reveal that the winning bids are in the $2,250 per month rental range for smaller properties with a land area of 500 sqft.
Featured Image Credit: SLA
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