Working Live at Cross Street: Fit-Outs in a Conservation Environment

Working in live environments is second nature to us. We've seen a steady increase in A&A activities driven by evolving business requirements, regulatory updates, and energy efficiency improvements aligned with the Singapore Green Plan.

At Cross Street, we navigated unique challenges by executing a major fit-out within a conservation shophouse in Singapore's bustling CBD. The complexity stemmed from three key constraints: limited or outdated structural documentation, stringent conservation regulations, and restrictive low headroom that affected our equipment choices and installation methods.

Working Within Regulatory and Physical Boundaries

The first constraint of conservation projects is often the lack of accurate structural drawings. Many of these shophouses pre-date current regulatory standards, so we cannot fully rely on existing documentation.

In addition, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) regularly publishes technical handbooks (such as those covering roofs, structure, and facades) that set out restoration best‑practices, material compatibilities, and envelope controls relevant to conserved shophouses like Cross Street.

Low headroom was another challenge, typical in older shophouses but especially restrictive when working with heavy equipment.

How We Structured the Work Around Constraints

Since the site was a live environment, round-the-clock work became standard practice. Traffic and noise management was put in place to minimise disruption to neighbours and ongoing operations.

Where as-built drawings were insufficient, we stepped in with our own surveys and detailed site investigations before designing new structures.

Just as crucial was our close collaboration with JS Tan, our structural partner highly experienced in conservation projects. Serving as the C&S engineer for the award-winning Kranji Marshes restoration, a project that balanced ecological sensitivity with built‑heritage concerns and later won the Outstanding Award of Excellence at the Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards. Their expertise in sequencing and safety helped us deliver with precision.

Coordinating Trades for Seamless Delivery

Part of the client’s grander vision was to create a new alfresco dining area on the roof. To achieve this, we had to remove part of the existing roof and build a new structure over the opening. Temporary works were installed to ensure watertightness and safeguard the site against weather.

Major structural and service upgrades demanded precise coordination between trades. We methodically sequenced each phase, beginning with casting the slab over the void before roof opening. This careful orchestration ensured seamless integration between steel structures, concrete work and roof alterations with zero margin for error.

Sequencing at Scale

Sequencing became the defining theme of this project. To accommodate a grand staircase and escalator, we had to form a huge slab opening. With multiple slab openings and structural alteration work to the site, the team ensured temporary supports were designed and installed to protect structural integrity throughout the works.

The new lift pit posed a similar challenge. Low headroom meant we could only use smaller equipment, and piling had to be carried out with precision to avoid damaging the existing shophouse structure. Every move was deliberate, ensuring both progress and protection.

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Cross Street has already taught us valuable lessons about sequencing, collaboration and care in a live conservation environment. We’re still in the thick of it, but the experience so far has reinforced how important it is to balance heritage sensitivity with practical delivery on site. These are lessons we carry forward into future commercial and mixed-use projects. If our approach resonates with you, get in touch to explore how we can collaborate on your next project.