Discovering the former Bukit Timah Fire Station

30 01 2026

Discovering Singapore’s Best Kept Secrets

Exploring the Past, Reimagining the Future of Singapore’s Historical State Properties

Discovering the former Bukit Timah Station

This visit is being organised in collaboration with the Singapore Land Authority and LHN Space Optimisation as part of the Discovering Singapore’s Best Kept Secrets 2025/26 series of tours.

[Registration opens on 1 Feb 2026 at 2 pm – see below for registration link]

Information on the former Fire Station:

With its bright red doors and distinctive tower, Bukit Timah Fire Station was immediately recognisable; even with Singapore’s tallest natural elevation as a backdrop. Its surroundings—except for was quite different when it opened in late 1956, as Singapore’s fourth fire station.

Factories then dominated the built landscape. There were two large soya sauce manufacturers in the area, one of which was right next to the fire station. The blasts of the area’s granite quarries often punctured the silence. There would also have been rubber processing plants, and the Ford and Hume Pipes plants of course, along with the likes of Union Carbide, who made the popular Eveready batteries not far away. Over its 49 years in operation, personnel from the station responded to an array of emergencies, including cliff rescues, gas explosions, and a very sticky situation caused by some 15 tonnes of latex being spilled on a road not far away.

With the face of the area altered by urbanisation and redevelopment, the station was decommissioned in 2005. It has since found a variety of uses, and its engine bays were at one point occupied by Spruce, a popular dining spot. As part of the effort to develop the Rail Corridor, the former station and quarters were identified as a future community node, and gateway into the corridor. A pedestrian link will eventually connect the former station to the corridor.

In 2019, the former station and quarters received conservation status, following which the site was the subject of an award winning entry for the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group’s “Reinventing Cities” competition. The consortium behind the entry, headed by Homestead Holland Pte Ltd, planned to develop the as an “environmentally sustainable lifestyle hub, integrating urban farming, wellness, and nature-based activities, with generous community spaces amidst lush greenery and rich heritage”. Homestead Holland however, pulled out of the project in 2022. A subsequent tender called in 2023 saw the site awarded to LHN in April 2024. Redevelopment efforts by LHN have seen the former station and quarters being transformed into a lifestyle destination, anchored by LHN’s co-living brand, Coliwoo who operate 62 co-living units. There are also retail and some rather interesting workshop spaces that offer a variety of unique experiences.

More information on the station can also be found in the 2015 post: The fire station at the 8th mile

Details of the 7 February 2026 Visit & How to Register

Join me on this journey of discovery and maybe rediscovery of the former station during which I will touch on some of the area’s history, the station’s key design features and the reasons for it being in the location. There will also be representatives from some of the workshops on hand to share on what they have on offer.

The tour will be held at 9 am on 7 February 2026 and is expected to end by 10.45 am.

Limited places are available through registration via Peatix: https://bukittimahfirestation.peatix.com/view

More on the property and its adaptive reuse:

Decommissioned in April 2005, the Bukit Timah Fire Station has since been adapted for lifestyle and educational uses.

Most recently, a joint SLA-URA price-quality tender for the property was awarded to LHN Facilities Management in April 2024 , for a five-year lease, renewable for four – to transform the site into a gateway node for visitors to enjoy nature, heritage and adventure.

Strategically located near the Rail Corridor and nature reserves, it has undergone a major revitalisation to become Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station – presented by homegrown co-living brand Coliwoo – offering co-living, heritage, and nature experiences with sustainable, zero-energy features while preserving its historic character.

The site’s existing buildings, which include former living quarters for firemen and their families, have been transformed into modern co-living suites. Design elements such as the main building’s distinctive red doors and terracotta-toned finishes nod to its heritage while lending a welcoming, contemporary feel. Beside the main building, the tower features a vibrant mural by Mural Lingo titled Tracks of Life, which pays tribute to both the Rail Corridor and the site’s firefighting heritage.

The project, which features 62 co-living units, 32 commercial spaces, and communal facilities, was awarded Top Co-Living Development at the EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards 2025.