East Coast Road

A sketch while waiting for our table at the crowded lunch place to celebrating my young son's birthday.

Circular Road

Circular Road might be named after the curve road that was built parallel to Singapore River. This place used to be a Teochew enclave and most of the shops here were selling fabrics and textiles. In 1989, Circular Road and other areas in the proximity of Singapore River were gazetted and the shophouses were preserved and transformed into new businesses mainly restaurants, pubs and bars. Interesting post about the old days here.

Kandahar Street

Seven of us went to Kampong Glam to sketch this morning. I had sketches on this neighbourhood here, here, here and here but today it was the first time I did a loose piece on a bigger format 200x400mm in ink and watercolours. This shophouse at Kandahar Street was very unique that its building typology stood out from the usual shophouse facade design. It had a projection on the upper floor and a semicircular roof parapet wall. The projection appeared to be out of the boundary line and why it was the only one allowed to be built in this way? The weather was so hot that the shadow was so strong and the image of the building was reflected so clearly on the car bonnet next to us. By the time I completed the sketch, the shade that we were sitting moved away. It was hot hot hot that I had to leave!

101010 sketch

Today is 101010 and too bad this sketch was not done at 1010 hour. This is the junction of East Coast Road and Sea Ave. Weather was really hot outside so I did this in the comfort of the air conditioned car. The road was narrow and traffic was heavy. I also did it with my sun glasses on as I could not stand the outdoor glare.

The shophouses along this stretch of road are still very attractive although some shophouses have been renovated with big signs on the facade covering the beautiful second storey french windows. Some roofs are also not properly done with just a layer of bitumen felt roofing laid with timber battens over to weigh it down. The church in this sketch is Church of the Holy Family.

Little India

Singapore is a multi racial society. So far I have done sketches on Club Street near Chinese area, Kampong Glam the Malay area and how can I not do a sketch right in the heart of Little India? Here it is - Kerbau Road.

The weather was hot and humid at about 34 degree C. I could not find a comfortable spot on the street so I decided to sketch inside the car with the air conditioning turned on. I was lucky to find a parking lot opposite this building.

Rare Oval Windows

There are three main ethnic neighbourhoods or hitorical districts in my country - the Chinatown, the Kampong Glam and the Little India. These shophouses at Syed Alwi Road in my sketch are gazetted for conservation under the larger Little India Historic District. This area is characterised by a row of two storey shophouses with heavily ornamented oval windows decorated with fruits and plants. The richly decorated oval windows contribute to a visually interesting architectural style that cannot be found in other part of the city. However, in recent years, the traditional trades are fast disappearing and the thriving newer businesses bring in uninspiring larger than usual signages and posters grabbing everyone's attention. The historical ornaments are also painted with very strong colours. Personally, I find them very loud and disturbing - the grand old lady has been putting on too much cosmetics!

a small neighbourhood

This is a sketch at a neighbourhood where foreign workers and residents co-exist amicably side by side. Or is it? This small neighbourhood made news last year when an owner was charged with allowing ninety foreign workers to be housed in a 1,300 sq ft private apartment. Although many new private apartments were built in the recent years, this place still maintains a large number of original richly ornamented shophouses where prices are now beyond reach of common folks.

I did this sketch under the cool shade of a big tree with current hot temperature at 33 degree C. The row of shophouses on the left is lined with front gates adorned with elaborated designs that suggest these are middle-class families. However, the row of shophouses on the right which is facing the busy main road, is the heaven for either low-income families or foreign workers. The tell-tale signs are the barbed-wire railings, derelict wooden planks, canvas and the large quantity of laundry hanging at the crumbling balcony. It is also uncommon to find flying cable and large numbers of TV antennas in this tiny city-state country.

Shophouses with Oval Windows and Front Court

Two old sketches I did for Muhammad Sultan Road in the 90s.

The row of shophouses along Muhammad Sultan Road has lost its prime compared to the old days. When I brought few groups of students for drawing trips in 1992, 1993 and 2001, the place was full of character and surprises. See my article here. This place used to be one of the most hip and popular nightlife areas in Singapore but it is now replaced by the adjacent Clark Quay - the night entertainment hub.

I must emphasize again I love the oval windows on the facade in one of the shophouses and its rare elevated front court. I hope people pay more attention to these details especially the oval windows as they are important and tangible evidences that testify to the arduous journey of our shophouse heritage.