Robinson Road is a street in the Downtown Core of the Central Area, stretching from Maxwell Road to Finlayson Green. It is a significant part of Singapore's commercial centre. It was named after Sir Francis William Robinson, Governor of the Straits Settlements (1877 - 1879). His administration was noted for the Water Works Department and the opening of the Tanjong Pagar Docks.
History
In exchange for land at Mount Palmer (now Tanjong Pagar) to build a defence battery, the government built Robinson Road, stretching from Collyer Quay to the docks, between Finalyson Green and Anson Road. Robinson Road sits on reclaimed land but has moved some distance from the sea as more land was reclaimed later. Robinson Road was perhaps built between 1882-1884 and could have opened for the public a few years later. By 1900, despite the presence and size of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company nearby, Robinson Road (and Cecil Street for that mater) was hardly developed.
Sited along the road are fine examples of architecture built in the 1920s and 1930s including the former curved Telecoms Building which was previously known as the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company (1927), and later Cable and Wireless Building serving as the companys headquarters. The Telecoms Building was known as Telecommunications Authority of Singapore (TAS) Building before becoming The Ogilvy Centre today. Another revival in the area is the Lau Pa Sat (formerly the Telok Ayer Market), which is a fully restored and preserved monument and was renamed so in 1989. On this road also, for years the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had its headquarters, and so did the Chinese daily, Sin Chew Jit Poh. Crosby House, a seven-storey office complex, is still a landmark at the corner of McCallum Street. It was the former home of Standard Chartered Bank before it was acquired by Singapore Telecom, which had turned it into its headquarters by April 1989. In December 2002, SingPost sold Crosby House to SingTel.
Today the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Building and the Singapore Airlines Building are among the newer developments here. The Robinson Road Park Garden adds the breath of greenery in the midst of the concrete jungle.
CPF Building
Designed by Public Works Department (PWD)
Constructed: 1976
Status: Found
CPF Building
This building, completed in
1976, houses the headquarters of the Central Provident Fund Board
(CPF). It received a new cladding in 2001.
Hotel Sofitel So Singapore
Designed by F.G. Lundon of Swan and Maclaren
Constructed: 1927
Status: Found
Conserved: Since 2000
Hotel Sofitel So Singapore
One of the earliest major
developments along Robinson Road was the Telecoms Building, completed in
1927. This 4-storey neo-classical building had large coupled columns,
recessed balconies and semi-circular arch opening. Throughout its
history, it was known by various names. Initially called the Eastern
Extension Telegraph Company, it was renamed the Cable and Wireless
Building, Telecommunications Authority of Singapore (TAS) Building, and
the Ogilvy Centre.
It is one of the oldest existing buildings in the vicinity
Its corridor was still accessible while it was being refurbished into a hotel
Ogilvy Centre gained
conservation status in 2000, and was sold to Sofitel Luxuy Hotels in
2011. It is currently under renovations to become the third hotel in the
world under the Sofitel So label.
