▁part ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁col ony ' s ▁cent enn ial ▁celebr ations , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁designed ▁as ▁an ▁office ▁building ▁by ▁Major ▁P . H . ▁Ke ys ▁of ▁Ke ys ▁& ▁Dow des well , ▁a ▁Shang hai ▁firm ▁of ▁architect s , ▁which ▁won ▁the ▁project ▁through ▁an ▁architect ural ▁design ▁competition . ▁The ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁also ▁designed ▁the ▁Capit ol ▁Theatre , ▁its ▁ad jo ined ▁Capit ol ▁Building ▁and ▁the ▁Singapore ▁General ▁Hospital . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Fort ▁Full erton ▁and ▁the ▁Singapore ▁Stone ▁▁ ▁The ▁northern ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁covers ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁Fort ▁Full erton , ▁a ▁fort ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁settlement ▁against ▁any ▁naval ▁attacks . ▁The ▁fort ▁consisted ▁of ▁an ▁Art illery ▁Bar rack , ▁a ▁house ▁for ▁the ▁officers , ▁bar ra cks ▁for ▁soldiers ▁and ▁a ▁ 6 8 - p ound er ▁gun ▁guard ing ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁river ▁which ▁used ▁to ▁stand ▁on ▁the ▁location ▁known ▁as ▁Full erton ▁square . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁the ▁fort ▁was ▁extended ▁after ▁a ▁sand stone ▁mon ol ith , ▁the ▁Singapore ▁Stone , ▁with ▁an ▁ins cription ▁possibly ▁d ating ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁century ▁was ▁demol ished . ▁The ▁Singapore ▁stone ▁was , ▁unfortunately , ▁destroyed ▁by ▁the ▁British . ▁▁ ▁A ▁fragment ▁of ▁this ▁mon ol ith ▁was ▁salv aged ▁and ▁preserved ▁in ▁the ▁collection ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Museum ▁at ▁St am ford