If you have at least two hours extra in Singapore’s Kampong Glam (after visiting Sultan Mosque and Haji Lane), how about doing a leisurely, or even lazy, inspection of the facades of old shop houses?
Singapore deserves credit for restoring, preserving, and gentrifying its old shophouses and those at Kampong Glam, the ethnic Malays’ historical neighbourhood, is one worth a slow architectural tourism.
It’s been over three decades now when its government has the foresight to start preserving these storied old shop houses which reflect not just Singapore’s colonial pasts but multi-ethnic and eclectic architectural heritage.
Singapore’s Kampong Glam / Pravit Rojanaphruk 
Singapore’s Kampong Glam / Pravit Rojanaphruk These buildings are Victorian, pre-modern, art deco, and early modern – and some stood next to one another in juxtaposition – a reminder of the changing times and architectural fashion.
Many, particularly those shop houses from the Victorian-era that’s known as Sino-Portuguese shop houses, particularly in southern Thailand such as in the island of Phuket’s Old Town (which is at the periphery of the Malay-speaking world, historically speaking, as the word “Phuket” mutated from the word Bukit, which means hills.)
Read a bit about the history of Singapore while sitting at one of the many atmospheric cafes there.
My advice is look for a café with a nice vista when looking out, sit alfresco, and there are a few of them.
For larger structures, there aren’t many. Check out Aliwal Art Centre, which is located at an old decommissioned school built during the art deco era, in 1938 to be exact.
Those keen on art deco architecture, or what is now broadly referred to as “retrofuturism” will definitely enjoy a leisurely, or even lazy, hour or two in the morning or afternoon there, perusing these well-preserved and re-purposed shophouses and buildings in Kampong Glam.”
To me, these buildings are architectural treasures and much more interesting than 99.99 percent of the glass-façade modern buildings in Singapore’s CBD. Just make sure you wear comfortable clothes, walking shoes, sunglasses and have an umbrella with you as the rain there can be rather unpredictable.
Singapore’s Kampong Glam / Pravit Rojanaphruk 
Singapore’s Kampong Glam / Pravit Rojanaphruk __________
(The writer would like to thank One Kampong Gelam, and the team at Muse & Motif, for their kind hospitality and invitation.)
The post How To Spend A Lazy Time in Singapore’s Kampong Glam appeared first on Khaosod English.
