Holland Village, often known as Holland V and home to a low-rise complex of hipster shophouses and food and beverage businesses, has long been regarded as an expat enclave. This is due to the history of the area, which was founded by the Dutch population in the early 1900s and is now home to British Army troops and their families.
In the early 1900s, the enclave was named after English architect and amateur actor Hugh Holland, which gave birth to the names Holland Avenue, Holland Close, and Holland Drive.
The highly wooded region of Chip Bee Estate and Lorong Mambong used to be densely forested, and the area was formerly densely forested. After the districts of Orchard Road and Tanglin gained in popularity as excellent residential areas, residential projects began to sprout up in the Holland Village neighborhood.
The area has developed a reputation for being a gathering place for local musicians and artists, with a diverse range of culinary options. The Lorong Mambong neighborhood has a plethora of restaurants and bars, including Wala Wala cafe bar, which hosts live music and serves beverages, and La Nonna, which serves Italian food.
Visitors may also visit Holland Village Market & Food Centre for a less expensive option. After its previous refurbishment in 2005, the facility had a $1.26 million makeover in 2019, which included new seats, tables, and electrical wiring.
Local fashion and creative companies may also be found in the neighborhood. Fashion brands Our Second Nature and Ong Shunmugam have established stores on the estate, while leather artisan Bynd Artisan has also erected a flagship store. The business organizes creative classes and provides personalization of paper and leather items, relying on experience shopping. Taksu Art Gallery offers a dose of contemporary art to art enthusiasts, with a variety of work by up-and-coming artists as well as highly renowned artists.
Keeping the allure of Holland Village
The Singapore government wanted to preserve Holland Village’s diverse appeal and classified it as a “identity node” in its 2013 Master Plan, paying tribute to the enclave’s unique charm. A land plot of 247,215 sq ft in Holland Village was put up for bidding in accordance with the government’s goal for the neighborhood, and was ultimately granted to Far East Organization and its joint-venture partners Sekisui House and Sino Group.
The partnership secured the property with a $1.2 billion offer, the highest among five selected bids, equating to $1,888 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr). Bidders are expected to present their suggested site idea as part of the bidding procedure. They are then judged on their idea suggestions before bidding prices are determined. The location was fiercely disputed, with 15 idea concepts submitted in all, with the consortium submitting several bids.
One Holland Village will revitalize the area once it is finished, with 145,313 square feet of residential apartments, serviced homes, offices, public communal spaces, and retail space. Lorong Liput and Lorong Mambong will be extended into the public plaza to fit in with the surrounding neighborhood, creating a continuous pedestrian route that goes all the way up to the Holland Village Market & Food Centre. The retail strip will be low-rise, while the office buildings will have a common sky deck where corporate events may be held. Cold Storage supermarket and Guardian pharmacy will be among the retail tenants.
Injecting Further Footfall
Aside from that, the new mixed-use development will have an art house theater. The Rice Company Limited, a not-for-profit arts organization, and The Projector. In addition, the Far East Organization has pledged $20 million to enhance One Holland Village with public art.
Van Holland, which is planned to open in 2024, is another new residential development that is expected to boost the neighborhood’s foot traffic. The project consists of three low-rise buildings with 69 apartments ranging in size from 495 to 1,991 square feet. The majority of the rooms in these houses have 3.1m ceilings.
Henry Park Primary School, Fairfield Methodist Primary School, Nanyang Primary School, Margaret’s Secondary School, Hwa Chong Institution, New Town Primary School, and Anglo-Chinese School (International) Singapore are among the schools near the area.
