Cathedral of the Good Shepherd

Completed in 1847, the Church of the Good Shepherd has functioned as a place of worship over 165 years, making it one of the oldest and largest religious monuments in Singapore. Renovated at roughly 20-year intervals — most recently in 1996 — most of the original facades and interiors have remained largely unchanged, in keeping with the Preservation Guidelines. However, studies show that inadequate works carried out in the previous renovation as well as ground settlement due to tunnelling works in the vicinity from the last decade has significantly weakened and damaged the church’s structure and fabric. As such, protracted large scale work on the cathedral, rectory building, and boundary walls and fence was required to return the church to its former glory.

A project of this scale is by no means a small feat, so it was with great care and faith that SCK approached the restoration of the Church of the Good Shepherd. As the main contractors of this project, SCK oversaw the preservation of existing structures and design elements as well as undertook the construction of a new annex for the historical monument.

SCK worked closely with architectural conservation specialist consultants and architects to establish the extent of damage and implements conscientious measures as well as ensuring the longevity of the church. Every tile was labelled before being removed for restoration, to ensure that it is returned to its exact location. A temporary roof was created to shelter the buildings from further deterioration while roof restoration took place.

Absolute care was taken to maintain and protect historical items and mouldings while heavy civil and structural works ( such as underpinning works to stabilise the cathedral) were being carried out. In addition, a new 3-storey annex has been built, with a basement annex linking it to the main cathedral.

To uphold the pervasive ambience and character of the original church design. Spanning around 3 years, the project is slated for completion in 2016. An immersive experience awaits church goers and visitors alike, celebrating the authentic heriage ambience and character of the church.

Cathedral of the Good Shepherd

Technical Sheet

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