Parochial House
Fabian Ong

Parochial House

ONG&ONG como Architecture and Landscape

Sitting within the compound of St Joseph’s Church along Victoria Street is Parochial House, a 112-year-old building that has emerged anew from a seven-year restoration and renovation project carried out alongside the conservation works for the main church.

Designed by Donald McLeod Craik in the Portuguese Baroque style with Gothic accents, it was originally the headquarters of the Portuguese Mission in Singapore, which dates from 1825. The three-storey building was gazetted for conservation by the Urban Redevelopment Authority in June 2016.

photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong
photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong

Today, Parochial House continues to serve as an annex to the main church, and functions as an office and residence for the staff and priests of the parish. The landmark also houses several Catholic artefacts of significance, including a relic of the Holy Cross.

The restoration included the encaustic floor tiles, nine sets of azulejo tiles depicting scenes from the Bible, and unique architectural features. This includes the coat of arms of Joao Paulino d ’Azevedo e Castro, Bishop of Macau from 1903 to 1918. Other artefacts that were restored are the throne of the Bishop of Macau, a roundel above the main entrance with the letters “PM” for Portuguese Mission, and a desk once used by the visiting Bishops of Macau.

photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong
photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong

At the heart of the building, a grand staircase winds upwards, decorated with a carved wooden balustrade that was sanded and polished to its former glory. A lift was inserted with lobbies on each floor to improve accessibility, while a fire escape staircase was added in a corner of the building to bring it up to code.

Externally, the walls were painted a pleasing beige shade which harmonises well with the other buildings in the church compound. The five-foot way along Victoria Street was raised to resolve the issue of periodic flooding. Across the facades, all statuary was carefully cleaned and repainted.

photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong
photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong

Within Parochial House, a refreshed layout to suit the needs of the church was implemented. The street level rooms retain their more public-facing purposes, with a large hall, choir room and lounge rooms for various functions. Offices for staff and priests occupy the second level, while the third level hosts a private chapel, more offices, and accommodations for priests and other visiting members of the priesthood. The building has also been air-conditioned throughout. Interstitial spaces such as the verandas on the upper floors were also conserved. Warm cove lighting was integrated into new ceiling panels, giving all rooms a gentle illumination.

Parochial House was reopened and blessed by Cardinal William Goh on 19 March 2024, the church’s feast day.

photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong
photo_credit Fabian Ong
Fabian Ong

Team:
Architecture, Landscape: ONG&ONG
Client: St Joseph’s Church
Photography: Fabian Ong

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Architecture and Landscape
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