Charming Architecture at Joo Chiat

I adore the buildings at this corner of Joo Chiat, an area in the East of Singapore.  The striking red building houses a museum while the tudor style white and black one houses a quaint restaurant.  They are reminiscent of old Singapore and it would be lovely if more buildings like these scattered the island.

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

I love the contrast of black against white as well as beautiful iron wrought grilles.

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

Pretty pastel shades of Peranakan style architecture. This type of architecture with it’s decorative plaster renderings, is unique to Singapore, Malacca and Penang. The Peranakans are the Straits Chinese traders, who intermarried with the non-Muslim Malays like the Balinese and the Bataks in Malaya, in the 15th and 16th centuries to form a unique culture. Basically, without their womenfolk accompanying them, these early traders from China, resorted to marrying the locals instead. Peranakan girls have a unique beauty about them, and I have Peranakan friends who are exceptionally pretty. Perankans also tend to be westernized. These days most of them are of the Catholic faith, and have a great command of the English language.

photo by bookjunkie

An old style letter box in front of a shop house (shop on the ground level and the owner lives on the level above this).  When my mum was little her home used to have a letter box like this.

photo by bookjunkie

About bookjunkie

Blogging about life in Singapore & recently cancer too.
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2 Responses to Charming Architecture at Joo Chiat

  1. 365days2play says:

    Very nice! I think I want to try the restaurant!

  2. bookjunkie says:

    will look forward to your review 🙂

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