Heritage Stories III: Homecoming - A transformation
Throughout the Heritage Stories Series, we’ve explored Singapore’s iconic heritage hotspots, delved into the deeper meanings of “home”. Now for the finale, we’re wrapping it up with the most glorious experience we encounter at the end of every day: coming home.
There's nothing better than that.
The inspiration for this installation came to us one evening, as we were packing up to leave our studio in Joo Chiat : a sensory of sights and sounds, we viewed Joo Chiat, our home, in a different light. We yearned to learn the stories our neighbours hold dear, the inspirations behind their beautiful spaces and the identities that mould the heart of this vibrant place.
In a conservation shophouse district in the secondary settlement areas of Joo Chiat and Katong, we came across an inspiring abode that used to be The Lucky Bookstore, a retail space with history that dated back to the 1920s.
The couple chose to work with Chang Architects to realise their vision. We spoke with Yong Ter, Founder of Chang Architects, on the process of renovating a building at a conservation district, and from turning a retail space, into a home.
What was the main reason for the owners to have this particular shophouse restored?
Yong Ter: They grew up in Joo Chiat, and they even went to Lucky Bookstore; the couple has particularly strong sentiments and fondness for this place, and for this neighbourhood.
What are your thoughts with regards to conservation of such heritage structures?
Yong Ter: As we modernise and progress in the name of development, there is an importance in understanding our roots and our evolution, in terms of space, time, and values.
Interior photos of the dining area, with the original bricks of the shophouse structure.
And it is quite the magical mix, this harmonic divergence of design styles. The successful combination of history and modernity is a means of keeping heritage alive across generations. It is perhaps why Shophouses remain such important icons to Singapore - they’ve housed our ancestors, they’ve overcome our nation’s struggles, and they’ve seen new generations arise.
Our brand was also born in Joo Chiat and from this very neighbourhood we’ve grown and expanded to a flagship in Mandarin Gallery. But we too, wanted a strong reminder of who we are and where we began - we wanted a tangible metaphor of that unadulterated comfort of returning to a place you know so well.