Over the past century, Raffles Place has seen several waves of transformation, reflecting our island’s own journey of growth and renewal. From the first commercial hub, Commercial Square, where international traders used to gather, our precinct has turned into a vibrant bustling community within Singapore’s Central Buzz District.
Many of the buildings that once defined Raffles Place no longer stand—removed, replaced, or lost to tragedy. Landmarks like Chartered Bank Chambers, Mercantile Bank Chambers, the former Hongkong & Shanghai Bank Building, John Little Building and Robinson’s Department Store were once icons of their time. Today, they’ve made way for the sleek skyscrapers that shape our modern Singapore skyline.
Those unfamiliar with the precinct’s rich history may not know that before the MRT station, rooftop bars and sky gardens, these long-gone landmarks defined the CBD: a clock made from flowers, a towering car park 10 stories high, and European and Japanese department stores stocked with the latest offerings.
Here are four memorable stories from Raffles Place’s past—each one a fascinating glimpse into Singapore’s unique history!
1. Raffles Place was home to the first multi-story car park in Singapore
The Market Street Car Park was Singapore’s first ever multi-story car park and once the largest in Southeast Asia. The 1964 structure, with its unique spiral shape, was able to fit almost 800 cars and over 100 motorcycles. Eventually, this car park was demolished to make way for the construction of CapitaGreen.
Where CapitaSpring now stands, also used to be an iconic car park. Built 20 years after Market Street Car Park to add to the parking spaces in Raffles Place, the Golden Shoe Car Park was a 10-storey building constructed along Market Street. It housed 1,074 parking lots, three floors of hawker stalls and even a petrol kiosk.
2. The Raffles Place MRT’s exits bear likeness to John Little
Did you know that the Raffles Place MRT’s station exits were designed to resemble the facade of John Little, Singapore’s oldest department store, as well as other Spanish style colonial buildings that used to occupy Raffles Place?
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore.
Established by John Martin Little in the 1840s, the John Little building, which housed the famous John Little department store, catered mostly to Singapore’s growing European community until it was taken over and replaced by the Japanese department store, Daimaru, during the Japanese occupation. It was not until after the war that John Little resumed operations again. In 1960, it moved out after 117 years of occupying the building in Raffles Place. In 1973, Singapore Land Group acquired the building and turned the site into what is now Singapore Land Tower.
3. Raffles Place witnessed one of the worst fires in Singapore’s history
Image credit: Chiang Ker Chiu Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore.
On 21 November 1972, a terrible fire broke out, completely destroying the Robinsons department store building. This iconic landmark of Raffles Place, which managed to survive the Great Depression and Second World War bombings, met its unfortunate demise when an electrical short circuit caused the store to go up in smoke. The blaze killed nine people, eight of whom found themselves trapped in the lifts inside Robinsons. The building was demolished in the same year and One Raffles Place took its place in 1986.
4. Raffles Place Park was underground car park with a rooftop garden
Before Raffles Place MRT station was built in 1987, an underground car park used to exist in the space where Raffles Place Park stands today. Embellishing the top of the structure was a rooftop garden, constructed to beautify the surrounding landscape with the aid of flower beds and ornamental fountains. Its most notable feature was its $58,000 flower clock from Seiko.
Image credit: National Archives of Singapore.
Plans are underway for a redeveloped Raffles Place Park, one that will thoughtfully balance civic and park spaces, catering to a wide range of users. Once again we will see Raffles Place evolve.
