When the building first open in December 1955, the Asia Insurance Building was the tallest building in Southeast Asia – hard to believe, considering the immensity of the skyscrapers in present day Singapore. Today, the building is the Ascott Raffles Place Singapore, a luxurious hotel.
The Asia Insurance Building, 2 Finlayson Green, Singapore, +65 6736 9800
The Cathay Building originally opened in 1939. When the building was slated for redevelopment in 2000, the government stipulated that the new building would need to save the facade of the original as it is gazetted as a national monument.
The Cathay Building, 2 Handy Rd, Singapore, +65 6732 7332
The Cathay Building | © Calvin Teo/Flickr | © Calvin Teo/Flickr
The Art Deco sign of the Capitol Theatre faces into Capitol Piazza. Today it is part of the much larger Capitol Plaza complex that includes shops and residences.
Capitol Theatre, 13 Stamford Rd, Singapore, +65 6499 5168
The Capitol Theatre | © Jacklee/Flickr | © Jacklee/Flickr
The Tiong Bahru flats were the first public housing estate in Singapore when they were built in the 1930s by the now-defunct Singapore Improvement Trust. Unlike later HDB blocks, it is clear that a significant amount of effort went into the design of these aesthetically pleasing homes, that feature elements of both Streamline Moderne and Straits Settlements architecture with elements such as rounded balconies, flat rooftops and spiral staircases.
Tiong Bahru block, 26 Tiong Bahru Rd, 26, Singapore
Tiong Bahru HDB blocks | © Dickson Phua/Flickr
Tiong Bahru HDB blocks | © Jonathan Lin/Flickr
Tiong Bahru HDB blocks | © Payton Chung/Flickr
Once Singapore’s rail link to Malaysia and the rest of the world, Tanjong Pagar Railway Station ceased operations in 2011. Currently the site is closed, although it will be reopened in 2018 with slight renovations as the Cantonment MRT station.
Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, 30 Keppel Rd, Singapore
Ticket office at Tanjong Pagar Railway Station | © shankar s./Flickr
Interior of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station | © Lionel Leong/Flickr
Entrance to the Panjong Pagar Railway Station | © Walter Lim/Flickr
Parkview Square – the imposing building that is nevertheless affectionately referred to as the Gotham City Building – was actually built in 2002, however, the architects were heavily influenced by the Art Deco style. Although the offices in the tower have modern amenities, the decor, as can be seen in the building’s lounge, also follows a gorgeous Art Deco motif.
Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Rd, Singapore, +65 6463 1780
The Gotham City Building as locals affectionately call Parkview Square | © Fechi Fajardo/Flickr / The interior of Parkview Square | © Deckuf/Flickr
The fact is, there are many Art Deco and Art Deco-influenced buildings in Singapore. One of the easiest ways to identify them is from their exterior, as one of the traits of Art Deco in Singapore at the time was to print the year of construction on the building’s facade. Geyland is the best neighborhood for Art Deco spotting, but Bugis and its surrounding areas often have many buildings that follow this striking yet elegant style.
One can often spot an Art Deco building by its construction date on the facade | © Prianka Ghosh
Building in the Art Deco style | © Nicolas Lannuzel/Flickr
