Old Streetscape - Jalan Besar & Lavender

[RafflesCity]

Originally Posted by Maverick713

There's an article on Exploring Jalan Besar in the latest edition of Voices, the newsletter of Central Singapore. It featured the New World Amusement Centre, Jalan Besar Stadium, the decorated shophouses at Petain Road and the Kallang Gas Work.

Worth a look.

interesting.....I saw that you mentioned the Kallang Gas Works is preserved? Which parts?

Here are the gorgeous Petain Rd shophouses:

[Maverick713]

Originally Posted by RafflesCity

interesting.....I saw that you mentioned the Kallang Gas Works is preserved? Which parts?

I read that it is the Gasholder No.3 which has been preserved. I have yet to take a photo of it but it should not be difficult to spot.

[LittlePig]

Originally Posted by RafflesCity

Here are the gorgeous Petain Rd shophouses:

Sigh, we don't get to see these kind of attention to details and colorful ornaments on new buildings anymore... its all about the quickest time and lowest cost possible... maybe with the exception of our Gotham City-like Parkview Square...

[Maverick713]

Originally Posted by LittlePig

Sigh, we don't get to see these kind of attention to details and colorful ornaments on new buildings anymore... its all about the quickest time and lowest cost possible... maybe with the exception of our Gotham City-like Parkview Square...

Our new buildings are already not bad liao .... wait till you see new buildings in high labour cost countries like the UK and Switzerland. They are basically made from pre-fab walls, steel frames and windows tightened together with screws.

[redstone]

Originally Posted by Maverick713

I read that it is the Gasholder No.3 which has been preserved. I have yet to take a photo of it but it should not be difficult to spot.

I thought the whole Gasworks complex had been demolished?

[Maverick713]

Originally Posted by redstone

I thought the whole Gasworks complex had been demolished?

Not if the Exploring Jalan Besar article in the latest Voices newsletter is to be believed ....

Anyway, I have seen some smallish structure still sitting at the perimeter of that land. That could have been kept for preservation.

[redstone]

Originally Posted by Maverick713

Not if the Exploring Jalan Besar article in the latest Voices newsletter is to be believed ....

Anyway, I have seen some smallish structure still sitting at the perimeter of that land. That could have been kept for preservation.

I don't see anything from Google Earth...

[Augusto]

Originally Posted by RafflesCity

interesting.....I saw that you mentioned the Kallang Gas Works is preserved? Which parts?

Here are the gorgeous Petain Rd shophouses:

Hi,

I'm sorry to be off-topic here, but I wonder why there is still a street in Singapore that honours Petain. I know that all the streets names in this area refer to World War I because I'm seen Somme Street and other battle fields names and General Petain use to be a hero during this war.
But as a French I have a weird feeling when I see Pétain's name in a street in Singapore; this guy became a shame for France during WWII when a became the Chief of State of Vichy and collaborated whith the Nazis. He contributed to the death of hundreds of thousands people, including french Jews.
I understand that the perception of the WWII in France is not as strong in Singapore than in Paris but why not changing this street's name?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petain

Sorry again for being off-topic, and I really loved the Petain Rd shophouses also ;-)

[hyacinthus]

Originally Posted by Augusto

Hi,

I'm sorry to be off-topic here, but I wonder why there is still a street in Singapore that honours Petain. I know that all the streets names in this area refer to World War I because I'm seen Somme Street and other battle fields names and General Petain use to be a hero during this war.
But as a French I have a weird feeling when I see Pétain's name in a street in Singapore; this guy became a shame for France during WWII when a became the Chief of State of Vichy and collaborated whith the Nazis. He contributed to the death of hundreds of thousands people, including french Jews.
I understand that the perception of the WWII in France is not as strong in Singapore than in Paris but why not changing this street's name?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petain

Sorry again for being off-topic, and I really loved the Petain Rd shophouses also ;-)

I forgot the reasons why the streets were named that way. It was explained in the Jalan Besar heritage walk handbook produced by Central Singapore Community Development Council.

Coincidentally, there's an affordable and popular French eatery called the French Stall (opened by a French Chef) in that area, just behind Kerrisdale. It only opens at night.

http://sg.pagenation.com/sin/The%20F...573/1.3141.map

[Maverick713]

Originally Posted by redstone

I don't see anything from Google Earth...

Saw the Gasholder No.3 today while visiting the Riverside Park, right inside before the small public carpark. It consists of huge iron columns painted the same light blue as the old gas tank.

[redstone]

Originally Posted by Maverick713

Saw the Gasholder No.3 today while visiting the Riverside Park, right inside before the small public carpark. It consists of huge iron columns painted the same light blue as the old gas tank.

Oh! That one!

Only left the structural elements ah?

[Augusto]

Originally Posted by hyacinthus

I forgot the reasons why the streets were named that way. It was explained in the Jalan Besar heritage walk handbook produced by Central Singapore Community Development Council.

A lot of streets around Jalan Besar have names related to WWI battle fields in France. If I see a map I could tell which ones.

I think it's because Singporean soldiers have died there. France took soldiers from allover its empire to fight the german including many Africans and Asians (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos). British empire did the same so it seems likely that some Singaporean and Malaysian died fighting the german too.

Coincidentally, there's an affordable and popular French eatery called the French Stall (opened by a French Chef) in that area, just behind Kerrisdale. It only opens at night.

I've seen it but Singapore food is so fantastic, It did not even come to my mind to eat there. But it looks nice and unpretentious.

[SEED]

that old shop house looks great! the detial and everthing is just the former owner must'v lov that flowers lots! local flowers?

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Maverick713

Our new buildings are already not bad liao .... wait till you see new buildings in high labour cost countries like the UK and Switzerland. They are basically made from pre-fab walls, steel frames and windows tightened together with screws.

That's not always the case in the UK (though I'll concede that it often is). In any case you can't say that it's not the case in Singapore though either, what's a typical HDB block if not what you just mentioned? I watched the 40 story blocks in Commonwealth go up and their facades are simply painted concrete panels bolted together. I don't think it's a problem though, they still look pretty good.

[Maverick713]

Originally Posted by Andrew

That's not always the case in the UK (though I'll concede that it often is). In any case you can't say that it's not the case in Singapore though either, what's a typical HDB block if not what you just mentioned? I watched the 40 story blocks in Commonwealth go up and their facades are simply painted concrete panels bolted together. I don't think it's a problem though, they still look pretty good.

Agreed, both methods are time-savers and probably cost-savers. The Commonwealth flats are using prefab parts made of thick slabs of concrete as Singaporeans would traditionally not buy anything that compromise on the sound/heat-insulation properties of their walls.

I think many new European buildings use less concrete and more light-weight composite materials or glass? The hotels/offices I stayed in tend to have rather thin walls, and frankly rather plain-looking I thought. Maybe the ones I stayed in are budget places.

[Maverick713]

Originally Posted by Augusto

A lot of streets around Jalan Besar have names related to WWI battle fields in France. If I see a map I could tell which ones.

I think it's because Singporean soldiers have died there. France took soldiers from allover its empire to fight the german including many Africans and Asians (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos). British empire did the same so it seems likely that some Singaporean and Malaysian died fighting the german too.

Hmmm ... which are the French names in Jalan Besar other than Petain Road, Foch Road and French Road? There are plenty of British names in old Jalan Besar such as Tyrwhitt, Jellicoe, Penhas, Caven, Kitchener, Maude, Horne, Allenby, Sturdee Roads and King George's Avenue.

BTW, I doubt if anyone from Singapore or old Malaya were sent to fight in WWI other than perhaps the Indian garrison (from British-colonized India). The indigenous Malays are muslims and would probably not join the British army while the local Chinese immigrants were just here to earn a living and would only pledge political alliance to their motherland China instead of Britain.

[hyacinthus]

Originally Posted by Augusto

A lot of streets around Jalan Besar have names related to WWI battle fields in France. If I see a map I could tell which ones.

I think it's because Singporean soldiers have died there. France took soldiers from allover its empire to fight the german including many Africans and Asians (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos). British empire did the same so it seems likely that some Singaporean and Malaysian died fighting the german too.

Lifted from "Jalan Besar - A Heritage Trail" by CDC and NHB:

"Many of the roads off Jalan Besar were named in 1926 by the Municipal Commissioners in commemoration of British and French generals and admirals and battle sites in World War I."

[Augusto]

Thank you Hyacinthus. In 1926 Pétain was still a hero. Not 15 years later..
To answer Maverick713 there are Verdun rd and Somme rd, 2 battle fields in France. May be there are other street names, I have to go back to Jalan Besar to check that.

[RafflesCity]

Recently I saw that a corner block of shophouses along Lavender Street have been demolished. They already looked quite modified, with zinc roof and modern glass -_-

Hopefully it could be rebuilt, or, something else is coming up on the plot.

[redstone]

WHERE?
Corner with which road?