21 Carpenter opened its doors in late 2023, as part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Design Hotels network. Contributor Katha Nauriyal checked in for a stay filled with luxury, nostalgia and regional art…
21 Carpenter has garnered recognition from the likes of Forbes, which aptly described the heritage boutique hotel as a “stunning modern homage to 1930s Chinese Art Deco.” The property is located at the corner of New Bridge Road and Carpenter Street—hence the name. It sits between Clarke Quay, known for its pulsating nightlife and Chinatown, for its old-world charm. The blend of old and new, however, extends beyond its location, continuing from outdoors to indoors.
Image credit: 21 Carpenter
Though it caters to new-age luxury travellers, it promises lovers of history a beguiling deep-dive.
“21 Carpenter is a place to experience Singapore’s true history and past, while creating new stories for the future,” General Manager Tarun Kalra.
One of the first things that caught my attention was the inscription of the year 1936 atop its building’s age-stained, grey-hued facade. It’s the year the building was built as a remittance house called Chye Hua Seng Wee Kee. During this era, many migrant workers from China travelled to Singapore for work. They used such remittance houses (before the advent of modern banking) to send money home along with handwritten letters.
Today, the same remittance house has been artfully restored as 21 Carpenter—helmed by conservation specialists 8M Real Estate and designed by the award-winning agency WOHA. In fact, it’s housed within four former shophouses and was the office of Lee Wee Nam, who later became one of the founders of the Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation.
Image credit: 21 Carpenter
The property welcomes you with 48 rooms spread across two distinct wings. The Heritage Wing serves as its historic base, occupying the original 4-storey conserved building and featuring 26 rooms. The designs are ornate, complete with tectonic expressions. Rising behind it is The Urban Wing. This 5-storey extension with 22 rooms, in contrast, has an architecture reminiscent of a contemporary, aluminum-finished Jenga-like structure.
Stepping in, inscriptions are one of the hotel’s most distinctive design motifs and a recurring feature. Poems and excerpts from the letters that migrant workers would send home to their families are woven into the aluminum pattern. Horizontally in English and vertically in Chinese, even today the textured verse evokes a sentiment of longing and nostalgia through the decor.
“In the creation and design of 21 Carpenter, we wanted to honour the rich history of the heritage structure. Every detail has been thoughtfully crafted, with key parts of the design reflecting the historic building’s aesthetics and storied past,” shared Richard Hassell, Founding Director of WOHA.
Image credit: 21 Carpenter
Tucked away in the lobby is Kee’s, a 71-seater neo-bistro and bar. Michelin-starred chef Andrew Walsh serves as its Culinary Director. A meeting place for gourmet breakfasts and leisurely cocktails, the space overlooks the surrounding neighbourhood while also offering guests front-view seats to the bar and open kitchen where chefs toss whisks and knives into the air and meticulously plate each dish.
The rooftop infinity pool and lounge are ideal for gloriously lazy holidays. Put your feet up and savour views of the city, including the iconic Marina Bay. On the third floor, a garden terrace also awaits as a welcoming change of scenery.
Image credit: 21 Carpenter
Inside, the bedrooms are sumptuously appointed. They range from 30 to 56 square metres. Here, plush designs meet classic elements. Restored solid Chengal wood floors and paned windows tastefully contrast bespoke furniture, while Asian modernist and Art Deco influences bring their own charm.
The headboards draw inspiration from the calligraphy found in the remittance letters. To celebrate local artistry, the brand also chose Singapore-based artist Liu Liling to curate linen bed throws and pouches that add a finishing touch to the rooms.
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- Image credits: 21 Carpenter
That’s not all. To maintain the same ethos throughout the property, local partners are prioritised wherever possible—including homegrown produce in the restaurant. Quirky art collections by regional artists encapsulate a variety of themes like ‘diversity’, ‘home ’, ‘toy robots’ and more. Purezza provides water-bottle refill stations, while custom bathrobes are crafted by Singaporean clothing brand In Good Company. The cups and saucers are also from Un Studio, a local furniture and ceramics studio. By sourcing these items locally, the hotel hopes to reduce its carbon footprint.
Image credit: 21 Carpenter
Sustainability is also woven into the property’s design. Metal on the aluminum façade helps dissipate heat, for a cooler interior. This, in turn, reduces the energy consumption required for in-room cooling. Additionally, on the ninth floor, there are 16 solar panels that provide energy requirements for the operations of that level.
On a closing note, Kalra said, “During their time with us, we hope guests enjoy an immersive cultural experience that will leave a lasting impression.” 21 Carpenter is a vision of exceptional design. It takes you through the region’s rich heritage all within the setting of modern-day Singapore.
Main image credit: 21 Carpenter
