Prexcursion

Commentary, Compilations, Culture, Features, Go Where?, Prexcursion 18 July 202617 July 2026

Joo Chiat Road: Sign of the Times

Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Huang Han Cheng (26S05B) and Kunchur Bharat (26A01B)

Taking a walk in Joo Chiat, one might form a rather simplistic image of the area. Rows of mixed-use shophouses inhabited by chic cafes, a mishmash of restaurant options and inoffensive street art make for a pleasant weekend itinerary. Behind this quaint facade, however, is a neighbourhood which plays a larger role in Singapore’s history than many expect.

Joo Chiat might be best described as an architectural palimpsest. Like a parchment scroll that has been consistently scraped and washed for reuse, the neighbourhood has assumed many identities throughout history.

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Compilations, Culture, Prexcursion 18 July 202617 July 2026

Peranakan Glamour: Singapore’s Kebayas

Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Nicole Lee (26S05A), Christian Adriel Tan (26S07B), Tomi Peh (26S06P) and Teng Yifan (26S06H)

A garment iconic enough to be nominated by multiple nations to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, to have been one of Southeast Asia’s oldest existing attire–it’s none other than the kebaya.

Historically, the kebaya was a loose-fitting, tunic-like garment which was worn for everyday occasions. Being knee-length and mostly plain, it proved to be a comfortable and simplistic outfit fashioned from light and airy materials, making it just as common an attire as T-shirts and blouses today.

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Compilations, Culture, Features, Go Where?, Prexcursion 18 July 202617 July 2026

Where Past Meets the Present — Gentrification in Joo Chiat

Reading Time: 8 minutes

By Georgia Ong (26S03O), Lerraine Neo (26A01A), Looi Ee Xin (26S03M)

What comes to mind when you hear “Joo Chiat”? Perhaps it’s the many cafes adorning the streets, or the Peranakan shophouses that are abuzz with tourists. Or maybe, you’re more familiar with Joo Chiat’s sisters, the neighbouring Katong and Marine Parade estates, with malls like i12 Katong or Parkway Parade.

Regardless, there’s one common thing that all these things share—the vitality they bring to the neighbourhood. When one thinks of mature, culturally significant estates, characteristics like TCM shops, playgrounds, worn-down buildings, wet markets and places of worship may arise, but that’s not the case for Joo Chiat.

Joo Chiat, Singapore’s residential Peranakan neighbourhood, has managed to pull off the unthinkable—effortlessly weaving culture with culture, past with present, allowing for a cohesive identity that remains culturally relevant even with the evolving times.

This is gentrification in Joo Chiat.

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