Architecture
Eu Tong Sen’s “Pearl Under the Burning Tropical Sun”
The grandeur and opulence of Eu Villa on Mount Sophia was unrivalled in its heyday.
Remembering William Lim
The late architect William Lim did more than shape Singapore’s skyline. He was also deeply passionate about urban planning, culture, the arts and engaging the next generation.
An Interview with Victor Savage, Co-author of Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics
From Desker Road to Xilin Avenue, street signs around Singapore recall the lives of people whose stories are a part of the nation’s history.
Golden Mile Complex: Five Decades of an Architectural Icon
The collective sale and conservation of Golden Mile Complex will restore a visionary building designed for a “new look Singapore” 50 years ago. But it also means the loss of a unique community that had developed there.
Saving a Landmark But Losing a Community: Golden Mile Complex
With the en bloc sale of Golden Mile Complex in 2021, the tenants of the shopping centre have had to vacate the place by May 2023. These photos by Jimmy Yap capture the final months of what has come to be known as Little Thailand.
32 Binjai Park: The Modernist Home of an Architect
The house that Lee Kip Lin built has stood the test of time, reflecting its simple yet modern and clean design.
Subterranean Singapore: A Deep Dive into Manmade Tunnels and Caverns Underground in the City State
Singapore has been burrowing underground since the 19th century, but it was only after Independence that serious efforts were made to use subterranean space.
Towkays at Home in Singapore
Mandalay Villa. House of Jade. House of Teo Hoo Lye. Yap Jo Lin gives us a tour of three opulent homes from the early 20th century.
Planning to Build, Building to Plan
The building plans in the National Archives are a treasure trove, says Yap Jo Lin.
Karikal Mahal: The Lost Palace of a Fallen Cattle King
William L. Gibson uncovers the story behind the pair of grand buildings along Still Road South.
From Sea to Road: Building the Causeway
The foundation stone for the Causeway was laid 100 years ago. We look back at the history of this road and rail link.
The Istana Turns 150
The resplendent Istana – where colonial governors and modern-day presidents once lived – celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2019. Wong Sher Maine recounts key moments in its history.
To Wreck or to Recreate: Giving New Life to Singapore’s Built Heritage
Nearly 70 years have passed since a committee was set up to look into the preservation of buildings and sites with historical value. Lim Tin Seng charts the journey.
Bridging History: Passageways Across Water
The foundation stone for the Causeway was laid 100 years ago. We look back at the history of this road and rail link.
The House of Ripples
Martina Yeo and Yeo Kang Shua piece together historical details of the little-known River House in Clarke Quay and discover that it was once a den for illicit triad activity.
In Honour of War Heroes: The Legacy of Colin St Clair Oakes
Who was the architect behind Singapore’s Kranji War Cemetery and other similar memorials in South and Southeast Asia? Athanasios Tsakonas has the story.
Chinese Renaissance Architecture
This unique style of architecture only reigned for five decades in China, yet several buildings in Singapore still bear the hallmarks of this hybrid form, says Julian Davison.
Swan & Maclaren: Pioneers of Modernist Architecture
Singapore’s oldest architectural firm may be better known for designing the Raffles Hotel but it’s their 1930s Modernist buildings that are truly revolutionary. Julian Davison has the details.
Windows into History
Drawings discovered in a Belgian archive help fill gaps in the history of stained glass windows in Singapore. Yeo Kang Shua and Swati Chandgadkar reveal their findings.
Time-honoured Temple Design
Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore’s oldest Hindu shrine. Anasuya Soundararajan and Sri Asrina Tanuri describe the architectural features of this landmark.
Saving Pearl Bank Apartments
Architectural conservation or real estate investment? Justin Zhuang ponders over the fate of a 1970s style icon that has seen better times.
Lee Kip Lin: Kampung Boy Conservateur
