Butterfly House, Singapore

The Butterfly House, located at 23 Amber Road, was a unique architectural gem in Singapore, known for its distinctive convex, semicircular design resembling butterfly wings. Built in 1912 by architect Regent Alfred John Bidwell, it was the only historic residence in Singapore with this plan form and stood as a notable example in Southeast Asia. The house featured two stories, a semi-circular verandah designed to catch sea breezes, and open verandahs along its sea-facing side. However, due to land reclamation and development pressures, most of the building was demolished in 2008 to make way for a high-rise condominium, The Aristo @ Amber, leaving only a small portion of the facade as a reminder of its former glory. The loss of the Butterfly House sparked public protests and highlighted the tension between heritage conservation and urban development in Singapore.