The colourful painted facade of traditional shophouses in Chinatown, Singapore. Shophouses, as the term suggests, were used traditionally as a shop on the ground floor and as residence on the upper storeys. There are different styles of shophouses, from the squat, two storey early style to the ornamental late style which may incorporate eclectic elements. Nowadays shophouses have been converted to eateries, spas, offices, but some old shophouses are still with their original owner and kept to its original purpose. However, increasingly these shophouses are being bought by new owners and converted to commercial use.
Singapore is a country of religious diversity. Above picture shows the Jamae mosque side by side with traditional shophouses. The mosque dates to the 1830s and it is a fusion of Chinese, Anglo-Indian and Malay architectural styles.
Here, you see the shophouses being dwarfed by towering skyscrapers. For more That's my world pictures, go here
You really have diversity there! Almost too much for me. VEry enjoyable peek at Singapore.
ReplyDeleteSuch a pity sky scrappers are being built in such a historic area.I like the old Chinatown so much better. The Jama Mosque fits in much better.
ReplyDeleteSingapore is so diverse, always something new to discover..
I only saw Singapore from the Air but was mesmorized by what I saw. I would truely love to go back and explore the area. I look forward to more of your posts.
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain sadness in the loss of historic buildings. Much like the ache of a friend lost. Years passed I was in the construction restoration business. It was always rewarding to bring an aging structure back to life and purpose. I loved the photos, what a refreshing view of Singapore. Thanks.
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