For decades, the sprawling grounds of the former Bukit Timah Turf Club remained a quiet green lung, a vestige of Singapore’s equestrian heritage tucked between the leafy estates of Dunearn Road and Eng Neo Avenue. Now, that expanse is on the cusp of one of the island’s most carefully orchestrated residential revivals. At the heart of this metamorphosis stands Dunearn House—the first private condominium to launch within the newly reimagined Turf City precinct. More than just another new launch, the project is a bellwether for a neighbourhood that will soon become one of District 11’s most sought-after addresses. With 380 elegantly appointed homes, a sterling developer consortium, and a location that places elite schools and two MRT lines within a few minutes’ walk, Dunearn House offers more than a home; it offers a front-row seat to the next great chapter of Bukit Timah living.
Set against the backdrop of the URA’s masterplan to transform the Turf City area into a vibrant, mixed-use community, Dunearn House captures a rare first-mover advantage. Unlike later entrants that will follow over the next decade, early residents get to experience the neighbourhood’s evolution from its very first day—watching heritage structures being sensitively repurposed, new public parks taking shape, and a car-lite, pedestrian-first streetscape emerge along former racetrack loops. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to plant roots in a location that will only grow more connected and complete with time.
The Turf City Renaissance and a Pioneering Residential Vision
Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority has long earmarked the Turf City site as a canvas for a distinctive residential and lifestyle destination. Spanning approximately 140 hectares—roughly the size of 200 football fields—the zone is being carved into a future-forward estate that balances modern housing with generous green spaces, heritage elements, and community-centric amenities. The first phase of this transformation kicked off when the government announced plans to inject around 15,000 to 20,000 new homes over the next two decades, with Dunearn House positioned as the inaugural private residential launch to hit the market.
Being the first private residential development in the Bukit Timah Turf City precinct carries a weight that discerning buyers understand instinctively. Early purchasers are not just buying a condominium unit; they are securing a stake in a landmark district before the full suite of future infrastructure and commercial amenities crystallises. The 99-year leasehold project, which rises from a gently contoured plot along Dunearn Road, sets the design tone for what is to come. Instead of a generic high-rise cluster, the architecture leans into the site’s lush character, with layered landscaping, sky gardens, and a resort-like arrival experience that softens the transition from the bustling Dunearn Road artery into a private sanctuary.
The masterplan concepts for Turf City reveal a strong emphasis on preserving the area’s open, bucolic feel while weaving in contemporary comforts. Plans include a repurposed Grandstand, vibrant retail clusters, and a network of cycling and jogging paths that tie directly into the Rail Corridor and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve beyond. For residents of Dunearn House, many of these amenities will be right at their doorstep, yet the immediate reward is the sense of space and exclusivity that comes with being the pioneer. The development’s 380 units are spread across two- to four-bedroom configurations, each designed to capture natural light and cross-ventilation—a quiet nod to the wellness-oriented, outdoor lifestyle that the Turf City vision champions.
Investors observing the trajectory of Singapore’s prime districts will recognise familiar patterns. Just as the early condominiums around Holland Village or the first wave of developments in the Marina Bay area commanded a premium as the neighbourhoods matured, Dunearn House stands to benefit from a similar dynamic. The difference here is the sheer scale of the transformation and the rarity of a completely new, ground-up environment being crafted inside such a central corridor. In a real estate market where buyers increasingly crave authentic place-making rather than unit density, the project’s pioneering status becomes a tangible form of value.
Unparalleled Connectivity and a Coveted Education Address
One of the strongest draws of Dunearn House is the seamless connectivity that its location affords, a factor that resonates deeply with both families and working professionals. The development is a short, tree-shaded stroll from the Sixth Avenue MRT station on the Downtown Line—just a 4-minute walk from gate to train platform. This single line places residents within minutes of the Botanic Gardens interchange, the bustling Stevens area, and the downtown financial core, all without the need for a feeder bus. For anyone who has experienced the morning rush along Bukit Timah Road, that proximity to a reliable underground MRT link is nothing short of transformative.
But the connectivity story doesn’t end with the existing network. The upcoming Turf City MRT Interchange, set to be a stop on the Cross Island Line, will further elevate the area’s accessibility. This interchange station is planned to sit within walking distance of Dunearn House, effectively giving residents a dual-line gateway. The Cross Island Line will slice across Singapore, linking the west to the east with unprecedented speed, while also providing a direct connection to the Jurong Lake District and Punggol Digital District. For homeowners who think in decades rather than years, this future-proofed infrastructure is a powerful underpinning of long-term capital appreciation.
Just as commanding as the rail links is the estate’s position inside Singapore’s most famous education belt. Dunearn Road itself has long been synonymous with elite schooling, and Dunearn House sits within the catchment or short commuting distance of an extraordinary concentration of premier institutions. Methodist Girls’ School (primary and secondary) is practically a neighbour, while Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls’ High School, and National Junior College are all reachable in under ten minutes by car or public transport. The presence of such a dense cluster of top-tier schools makes the development an obvious choice for families with school-going children who want to prune commute times and embed themselves in a community that values academic excellence without the stress of long-distance ferrying.
On a more tactile level, the appeal of Dunearn Road itself adds a layer of prestige. The avenue is lined with mature rain trees, old bungalows, and a tranquil rhythm that feels worlds away from the city centre, yet the Orchard Road shopping belt is less than a 15-minute drive away. Weekend routines can shift effortlessly between a morning walk along the Rail Corridor, brunch at the cafes near Sixth Avenue, and an afternoon errand at the upscale malls of Dempsey Hill. This blend of nature, convenience, and pedigree makes the address not just a place to live, but a backdrop for the kind of balanced, cosmopolitan life that Singaporeans increasingly seek.
The Developer Trifecta and Homes Designed for Modern Living
Behind Dunearn House stands a consortium that reads like a carefully curated alliance of real estate excellence. Frasers Property brings deep local market knowledge and a track record that includes award-winning residential projects across Singapore, from the integrated development of Northpoint City to boutique luxury condominiums in prime districts. CSC Land Group contributes a bold, forward-looking development approach rooted in cross-border expertise, while Sekisui House, one of Japan’s largest homebuilders, injects a philosophy of precision craftsmanship, human-centric design, and a near-obsessive attention to living quality. Together, these three partners have not merely assembled a project; they have calibrated a living experience that blends British colonial garden-city charm with Japanese spatial efficiency and contemporary Singaporean pragmatism.
This developer pedigree manifests tangibly inside each home. The unit mix spans from efficient two-bedroom apartments (starting from 527 square feet) to generous four-bedroom layouts that stretch to 1,378 square feet, ensuring that singles, couples, and multi-generational families can all find a layout that suits their needs. Floor plans have been composed to minimise wasted corridors while maximising usable square footage, a design discipline that echoes Sekisui House’s heritage of building homes that feel significantly larger than their stated area. Generous window openings, intelligent circulation, and kitchen layouts that support both quick weekday meals and leisurely weekend entertaining are all part of the package.
The resort-style facilities of Dunearn House have been conceived as extensions of the private living space, rather than as a checklist of obligatory amenities. A 50-metre lap pool is framed by tropical planting that filters the afternoon sun, while cabanas and shaded pavilions create pockets of intimacy across the pool deck. A well-equipped gymnasium opens onto a yoga lawn, encouraging residents to move their practice outdoors when the weather permits. For families, a dedicated children’s pool and a curated playscape are positioned within view of the clubhouse, so that parents can socialise without losing sight of their little ones. In every facility choice, one senses the guiding hand of developers who understand that luxury in 2025 is not about gilded finishes, but about thoughtful spatial programming and a genuine connection to nature.
The 99-year leasehold tenure, far from being a compromise, is a strategic alignment with the Turf City timeline. Buyers entering at this early stage get the full arc of the neighbourhood’s evolution under their tenure—a window long enough to enjoy massive infrastructure upside, yet structured in a way that keeps the entry price point accessible to a broader base of upgraders and young families. In a landscape where freehold properties in District 11 often come with a steep premium that compresses rental yields and exit flexibility, the decade-certain tenure of Dunearn House positions it as an intelligently priced gateway into one of Singapore’s most exciting future postcodes.
Beirut architecture grad based in Bogotá. Dania dissects Latin American street art, 3-D-printed adobe houses, and zero-attention-span productivity methods. She salsa-dances before dawn and collects vintage Arabic comic books.