It is not, in fact, laid out on a true butterfly plan in the more usual Arts and Crafts sense of the name.

It was the only historic residence in Singapore to be built using this plan form, and was unique in Southeast Asia.

Most of the building, including its iconic curved wings were demolished in 2008 by developers in order to make way for a high-rise residential tower on the site, leaving only a small portion of the street-facing front of the house as a token facade to the generic residential tower behind, losing the part of the structure that gave the house its moniker.

[2] The Butterfly House was built in 1912 by Alexander William Cashin and was designed by prominent architect Regent Alfred John Bidwell.

In 2007, it was announced that the main body of the building, which consisted of the iconic 'wings' would be demolished and replaced by an 18-storey condominium, which would be completed in 2009.