About ArCLab

As Singapore continues to evolve under pressures of redevelopment, climate change, and technological transformation, the NUS–Architectural Conservation Laboratory (ArCLab) serves as a key platform for advancing heritage conservation research, capacity building, and professional practice. NUS-ArCLab, a research and training centre dedicated to architectural conservation within the Department of Architecture, was opened in November 2022 by the then Minister for National Development, Mr Desmond Lee, who was the Guest of Honor. Since its establishment, the laboratory has endeavoured to strengthen capacity within the architectural conservation sector, advance research and technological solutions to address climate change and improve climate-resilience in historic buildings, and bridge the divide between professional expertise and public understanding.

ArCLab was established with four key objectives:

(1) To build capacity in Singapore’s building industry in the field of built heritage conservation;

(2) To develop innovative technological applications for conservation practice;

(3) To conduct high-impact research on broader conservation challenges; and

(4) To promote climate resilience and net-zero retrofit strategies for historic buildings.

ArCLab’s research is grounded in the realities of a dense, tropical, and highly urbanised context. Through interdisciplinary approaches that integrate architectural history, materials science, environmental performance, and digital technologies, it addresses critical questions on climate resilience, adaptive reuse, and sustainable conservation. Its work demonstrates how rigorous research can directly inform policy and professional guidelines, reinforcing the relevance of academic inquiry to real-world applications.

Education and training form a core pillar of ArCLab’s mission. Through studios, workshops, and hands-on programmes, it equips students and practitioners with the skills needed to address conservation challenges specific to Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Beyond the university, ArCLab collaborates with government agencies, industry, and regional partners, while engaging the public through exhibitions and outreach. Together, these efforts contribute to shaping a more informed, resilient, and forward-looking approach to heritage conservation.

Click here to view NUS-ArCLab’s Impact Report, where the lab’s impacts are assessed against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), measured across three key themes in alignment with ArCLab’s goals.

The laboratory is housed in a 1880s historic townhouse acquired by the Portabella family in 2020, and generously donated to support heritage conservation and sustainable stewardship of the built environment. It stands along Neil Road, a one-way street lined with historic shophouses and townhouses that reflect Singapore’s late-nineteenth-century urban residential fabric. It is located within the Blair Plain conservation area, which was officially gazetted in October 1991.