Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Maxwell Chambers

A distinguished curved building along Maxwell Road and Wallich Street is known as Maxwell Chambers was built during 1930, for about 60 years it served as the Singapore Custom Headquarters for the processing of custom permits, collection of customs duties, and application for goods to be stored in the bonded warehouse located at Jurong Marine Base and Loyang Offshore Base, together in the same building are the  Maxwell Road Post Office and Film Censor Board.  The building was gazetted for conservation in 2007.







Monday, September 14, 2020

Asia Insurance Building

Once a mighty giant dotting at the waterfront now had been dwarfed by others within the vicinity, Asia Insurance Building was once the tallest building standing at 18 stories which surpassed the Cathay Building after much discussion with the Singapore Municipal Commissioner regarding the height of the said building which they finally agreed and was completed in 1955 at that time Asia Insurance Company one of the first local insurance company and back then I was only 7 years old. Being the tallest building back then when they saw a sharp rise of people leaping to their death which are similar to the Upper Pickering Housing Flats and in 1960 the top balcony was eventually closed to the public to prevent further tragedy. Then in 2016 is was acquired by the Ascott Group and renamed to Ascott Raffles Place and turned it into a service apartment than in 2007 the URA officially gazetted the building for conservation.



Sunday, September 13, 2020

Siong Lim Temple

Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery (蓮山雙林寺) is also known as Siong Lim Temple (雙林寺) located in the satellite town of Toa Payoh the construction of the temple only begin in 1902 and completed 5 years later. This Buddhist temple was built by a Hokkien merchant a devout Buddhist, he had a dream about a golden light rising over the sea from the west and decided to build a temple, the original building was constructed by craftsmen from China with materials imported from Fujian. The building had numerous restoration during its rein and had been gazetted as a national monument.   



Saturday, September 12, 2020

Mun San Fook Tuck Chee Temple

This temple had a 150 years old history and one of the oldest Cantonese Temple to date. It was founded by the workers of a brick kiln factory in 1862, now it sits on a 30 years land lease from the present government since 2009 with a renewal of yearly licence till end of the lease and hopes that there is a reprived to have it seek conservation status. It is famous for its yearly Firedragon performance from the Sar Kong Lion and Dragon dance troupe with a procession of it through the street around the neighbourhood. For those in the pioneer generation living in then Lorong 17 Geylang know as Yeh Par, is today Sim Drive. 


Friday, September 11, 2020

Marina Bay Sands

Built at a cost of S$8 billion the Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort sit on a reclaimed piece of land within the Marine Bay Reservoir and owned by Las Vegas Sands, open in 2010 exactly 10 years ago, it is the world most expensive standalone casino property and it was designed by Moshe Safdie Architects. The Sky Park is situated at the 57th Storey together with the Infinity Pool. There is the Arts Science Museum, with the 3 hotel towers towering at 55th storey high with a total of 2,500 rooms and suites and a Casino and shopping malls featuring branded names boutiques and F&B, and Sand Theatre.



Thursday, September 10, 2020

Garden by the Bay

Opened in 2012, Garden by the Bay offer visitors and resident alike a horticulture oasis of lush greenery and floral display with an area of 101 hectares in the heart of the city with two conservatories namely the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest and it is the largest glass greenhouse in the world and it transforms our Garden City into a City in a Garden. The Garden is divided into Bay Central Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay South Garden, there are also 18 tree-like structures called the Supertree Grove which comes alive at night with coordinated light and music show called the Garden Rhapsody it also had an elevated walkway for visitors to have a panoramic view. In 2014 a Children Garden was added and also Floral Fantasy was included recently. In 2019 a Supertree Observatory an open-air rooftop deck which offer a 360 degree unblocked view of the Garden and the Marina Bay Area.




Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Siglap/East Coast Road HDB

These miserable 4 blocks of flats had been there since 1963 just to accommodate the resident in the Siglap Kampong due to a fire during the Chinese Lunar New Year in 1962.  Those flats had a view of the sea but soon they disappeared when reclamation was done. They made up of low rise, belong to owner-occupied and some rental flats, there are also various shop units consisting of assorted trades and now their fate are seal and waiting for demolition to begin