Orchard Road Branch of Citibank Singapore opened on 23 June 2005, occupying of space spread over the building's lower four floors which house the largest wealth management centre in Asia. Architecture Palmer and Turner came to Johor Bahru in 1939 and then to Singapore in 1940 from Shanghai via Hong Kong. The firm was established by Colonel P.O.G. Wakeham in Singapore shortly after World War II. It was probably the longest established and one of the best known architectural firms in Southeast Asia, having been formed in Shanghai circa 1882. The MacDonald House is one of Palmer and Turner's first buildings in Singapore, and was built for The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. It was the first large office building of the post-war period. The building was built in a Neo-Georgian style. It is a reinforced concrete framed structure and clad in light red brickwork of fine detail, the last major building of its kind in downtown Singapore. It was the first building to be fully air-conditioned in Southeast Asia. In addition to the ground banking hall, seven floors of staff flats occupied the building. An open well runs through the building, allowing natural light into the inner offices. There are six skylights in the ceiling of the banking hall which thus needs no artificial lighting during the day. Bibliography National Heritage Board (2002), Singapore's 100 Historic Places, Archipelago Press, Norman Edwards and Peter Keys (1996), Singapore – A Guide to Buildings, Streets and Places, Times Books International, Rashiwala, Kalpana Khattar Wong to move into MacDonald House: sources The Business Times 24 February 2005 References External links Journey to Singapore's Yesteryears – MacDonald House National monuments of Singapore Commercial buildings completed in 1949 Orchard Road Museum Planning Area HSBC buildings and structures