Raffles Hotel

Re-creating and connecting the Seven Garden Courts within Raffles Hotel’s historic precinct

Raffles Hotel was renovated in 2019 including a full restoration of the landscape. This includes retaining most of the original valuable trees and palms, creating new landscapes especially in the seven distinct courtyards, and remaking the grand lawns and surrounding gardens. Our approach is always to retain and enhance what is good and healthy, while creating new landscapes where old elements need to be replaced.

The Raffles complex group of buildings, had been extended in 1991, and became a series of linked courtyards and formal gardens with grand lawns and new public spaces.  The 2019 restoration results in a rejuvenated landscape, keeping the character, while capturing afresh the exotic atmosphere of the mythical “Orient”, with its evocative tropical plants, textures and colours.

That landscape design respects the heritage of the Raffles Hotel complex in a contemporary way, in arrangement and formality of outdoor spaces, and in material choices. A degree of informality and flamboyance is expressed in the planting to avoid a clipped or regimented appearance, adding a brighter dimension. The new gardens are stylish and reflective of the heritage, but are also a new look for many years to come.

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