THIS PAGE The Peninsula Yangon is one of the most talked about restoration projects in recent times, taking over the original site of the Myanmar Railways Headquarters building C

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From a colonial railway station in Yangon to police barracks in Hong Kong and a Qing dynasty courtyard building in Chengdu, spectacular heritage hotel transformations are preserving historic landmarks and revitalising communities. For travellers seeking authentic destination experiences, they also offer unique alternatives to conventional branded hotel rooms.

But embarking on a heritage rehabilitation project, especially making over an old building into a comfortable contemporary hotel, is not for the faint-hearted. “There is no easy way of adapting old buildings for modern needs. You have to jump through a lot of very expensive hoops,” cautions hotelier Loh Lik Peng, founder of boutique property brand Unlisted Collection. The brand comprises seven hotels located within heritage-listed buildings in Singapore, London, Shanghai and Sydney.

“I work with these buildings because they have a unique charm,” explains Loh. “There is nothing like the passage of time to lend an air of mystique and character. [That’s something] that a new building can never replace.”

I N T E G R AT I N G O L D A N D N E W A superficial glance around modern Chengdu in central China reveals very little of the city’s 2,000-year history. However, one of Chengdu’s hottest new hotels is giving the city pause to reflect on how better to utilise its heritage, by carefully rehabilitating small vestiges of the past.

The Temple House by Hong Kong’s Swire Hotels is the third property in The House Collective, after The Opposite House Beijing and The Upper House Hong Kong. Adjoining the millennium-old Daci Temple, one of the city’s most revered holy sites, the hotel integrates a century-old former translation office and small nunnery with several modern, glassy structures.

UK-based Make Architects was commissioned with the task of integrating old and new into one luxury hotel experience, while also placing it within the context of the 100,000 square metre open-air Taikoo Li mall next door. “It was important to us to integrate the heritage buildings into our scheme so that guests could experience and enjoy the character of the site and of Chengdu,” says Katy Ghahremani, a

O L D F A S H I O N E D

C H A R MThere are a slew of heritage buildings around

Asia being coaxed into the modern world of luxury hotels. The Peak checks into four properties where architects’ efforts to conserve history are benefitting

locals and guests alike.

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director at Make Architects.The former translation office

was chosen as the arrival point due to its location at the corner of the site, anchoring the Taikoo Li development on the eastern side. Guests arrive outside a weathered grey-brick wall inset with a scarlet gate on tiny Bitieshi Street, the only lane in the city that has retained its Manchu name from the Qing dynasty.

They enter through a garden courtyard surrounded on three sides by century-old carved wooden doors and vaulted side chambers that are now home to a contemporary art gallery, residents’ library and event space, then into the reception lobby. Continuing directly through the back of the building, a large-scale contemporary courtyard opens out, and finally the lift lobby is accessed through a modern grey-brick wall.

“Although the guest is travelling from a heritage building to a contemporary building, the journey is choreographed so that the experience is seamless,” says Ghahremani. The small, enclosed nunnery is well suited to its new incarnation as the Mi Xun spa and teahouse.

All 149 guestrooms and residences are located in purpose-built towers with large underground spaces housing the restaurants, indoor swimming pool and gym beneath the grassy central courtyard. In this way, The Temple House benefits from a flavour of the past without sacrificing modern facilities, picture windows and free-flowing spaces – something that tends to be a challenge for hotels located entirely in heritage buildings.

F I N D I N G T H E R I G H T H E R I TA G E B U I L D I N G“The biggest factor for me when identifying a potential site is that the building is large enough and has sufficient daylight, which usually means enough windows,” says Loh. All of the Unlisted

Collection’s seven boutique hotels have featured adaptions from heritage buildings, ranging from a restored former school in Singapore’s Little India (Wanderlust Hotel), to a riverside warehouse in Shanghai (The Waterhouse at South Bund), an Edwardian-style town hall in London (Town Hall Hotel) and a former brewery in Sydney (The Old Clare Hotel).

The Peninsula Hotels group, eager to add to its elite collection of hotels around the world with a landmark property in the fast-growing tourism destination of Yangon, scored when it secured the stunning former Myanmar Railway Headquarters building in 2013. Dating from the 1880s, the large, three-winged redbrick structure is one of the oldest existing colonial buildings in the former capital city, and is slated for opening around 2020.

“When searching for a project site, we take into consideration real

estate costs, heritage appeal, labour costs and availability of the right skills, competition, the stability of the operating environment, levels of luxury consumption in those locations and potential for tourism growth,” says Martyn Sawyer, group director of properties at The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, who is heading up the Yangon project. “While The Peninsula Yangon project is still subject to conditions being fulfilled, we have started careful renovation and restoration of the building using local artisans,” he adds.

R I S I N G TO T H E C H A L L E N G E Once a suitable site has been established, restoring an old building for modern use while making it safe to meet today’s standards is no easy feat. “You do lots of pre-construction surveys and think you know the building inside out, but then you start construction and you’re usually

THIS PAGE AND TOP RIGHTThe Temple House's redesign centres on retaining the charming historic elements while upgrading facilities to create an aura of luxury

BOTTOM RIGHTThe Waldorf Shanghai on the Bund spans across two historical buildings

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RESTORING HERITAGE BUILDINGS: DO’S AND DON’TS • Do make changes to bring life back into the building.• Do treat the building with respect and maintain its character.• Do consider whether the character of the building matches the

character of its proposed use.• Do be very clear about where you have made contemporary

insertions or changes.• Do expect the unexpected and have a large contingency in your

budget.• Don't look for a quick fix – the restoration process is usually

considerably longer than planned.• Don't ignore the type of registration required and the usage

before beginning the project. • Don't choose architects who prefer to imprint their own signature; this often isn’t desirable with old buildings.• Don’t be afraid to ask what can and can’t be altered. Sometimes,

an element may seem historic but is actually a modern copy.

thrown a curve ball,” says Loh. Issues can range from

contamination, such as asbestos and lead paint, to structural stability and emergency vehicle access. Loh’s latest project, The Old Clare Hotel in Sydney, proved to be his most complicated to date, taking four years to complete. The 62-room hotel transformed the 1880s Carlton & United Breweries Administration building and the neighbouring Clare Hotel pub.

During restoration it was discovered that the floors were unstable and needed to be rebuilt. Complicating this it emerged that the former boardroom at the heart of the project, which features original teak and mahogany panelling, parquetry floors and cornices, as well as the executive men’s washroom had sensitive heritage protection status.

In order to avoid compromising the boardroom, the team had to suspend the 100-year-old room in mid-air while rebuilding the hotel floors around it. Despite the engineering headaches and expense, Peng says being able to preserve the original boardroom at the heart of the revitalised hotel was worth it. It’s now his favourite suite.

The Temple House also concealed some surprises for the architects at Make. “Once we

began construction, we discovered the columns and first floor in the side wings of the arrival building were not structurally strong enough by modern standards,” says Ghahremani. Rather than not allowing people upstairs, they decided to remove the first floor entirely, to create a double-height library and gallery space. “This volume allows guests to enjoy the beauty of the historic roof structure, which would not have been visible otherwise,” she says. Another reminder that challenges can reap unexpected rewards, especially when it comes to old buildings.

P R O V I D I N G L I V E L I H O O D The government of Hong Kong’s ongoing ‘Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme’ is championing adaptive re-use to ensure the long-term viability of historic monuments across the city. One of its early contenders, Lantau Island’s Tai O Heritage Hotel, converted from the Tai O Police Station that was originally built in 1902, is a fine example.

The boutique hotel opened in 2012 after a 21-month restoration. Ticking all the boxes of promoting heritage conservation, tourism, green living and bolstering Tai O’s economy, it became the first Unesco-

awarded hotel in Hong Kong when it was honoured with a Unesco Cultural Heritage Conservation Award of Merit in 2013.

Once a base for marine police guarding against pirate activities and protecting order in the fishing village, the graceful colonial building with arched, colonnaded corridors overlooking the shoreline is an ideal setting for a boutique hotel. The two-storey former main station, an outhouse and a 1960s extension were carefully restored and converted into a nine-room hotel and restaurant, complete with original cannons, searchlight, corner turrets, dry-goods store and police cells. Other original elements like a Chinese tiled roof, French windows and century-old fireplaces add to the unique charm.

As well as being a source of livelihood and pride for the small population of Tai O, the hotel drives high-end tourism to the island and introduces visitors to a more untapped side of Hong Kong. The memorabilia displayed in the hotel’s Heritage Interpretation Centre and its penthouse restaurant, featuring a distinctive peaked glass roof, are also popular with day-trippers. Curated activities, from cooking classes to docent-led tours, enhance the community spirit of the hotel.

THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE Tai O Heritage Hotel retains its colonial charm while updating to accomodate the needs of modern travellers

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Undoubtedly, heritage hotel transformations present tricky challenges, not just in the initial renovation of the fabric of a building, but also in delivering the hotel experiences that discerning guests expect. However, the benefits for owners, guests and even entire neighbourhoods, can be priceless. Says Loh: “These buildings have a strong local connection that makes it more interesting to develop a story around the hotel and engage the wider community. The social context, stories and history are as important to me as the hotel itself.”