General Post Office

The new General Post Office (GPO), the first of Singapore Post’s smart post offices, is a hybrid of a traditional service store with digital network augmentation to offer round-the-clock access to postal and other essential services. Supported by technology-enabled innovations such as Pick Own Parcel Station (POPStations) and eSAM machines, the “future-ready” facilities give customers an improved experience and greater control over available services outside normal working hours. 

Adjacent to the GPO is SingPost’s flagship Philatelic Store, a heritage corner paying tribute to SingPost’s 150 year history. Like stepping into a collector’s store, the space is filled with nostalgia in its wide range of Singapore stamps, thematic MyStamps and philatelic gifts.

to inspire

Behind the futuristic revamp, the design of the new GPO incorporates elements from the historic Fullerton Building GPO, reflecting the continuity of SingPost’s heritage. Iconic elements of the Fullerton GPO were adopted and translated into modern graphics on the walls, glass panels and POPStation lockers, while historical postal artefacts, such as earlier versions of the posting boxes, were recreated. 

A row of these post boxes line the entrance of the GPO, evoking a sense of nostalgia and illustrating the design transformation of post boxes since Singapore’s independence. The walls at the new GPO resemble the grey concrete buildings of the civic district and pendant lights inspired by the colonial era. A clock was also specially designed to emulate the original clock from the Fullerton GPO.

At the Philatelic Store, a colonial-era red pillar posting box provides an old-school touch where any mail dropped off here be postmarked will be stamped in red ink. The design combines both tradition and modernity where Kingsmen Design drew upon SingPost’s heritage and emphasized mid-century modernism and Singapore’s colonial history. Highlighting its uniqueness, the differentiated design here follows 3D architectural lines that outline the store and make it stand out.

to activate

With efficiency in mind, single-use spaces are becoming outdated. The GPO is an integrated facility for customers, offering a self-service journey that integrates both online and offline services for faster transactions. 

The design was then able to play with visual perception, drawing 3D architectural lines to create dynamic spaces and enhance experience. To enable a high-tech, self-service customer journey, we create focused areas that were purposefully built to facilitate in the postal process.