 The construction of the Istana Singapore ( then called Government House ) and Sri Temasek was ordered by the Governor of the Straits Settlements , Sir Harry St. George Ord , after the original governor 's residence had to be demolished in 1859 to make way for Fort Canning on the hill that bears its name . Sri Temasek was designed by John Frederick Adolphus McNair ( 1829 – 1910 ) , a civil engineer who was appointed Executive Engineer and Superintendent of Convicts of the Straits Settlements , and built largely using Indian convict labour from Bencoolen . It was completed in 1869 . 
