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Values of the Buildings
from SUSTAINABLE HERITAGE – Building a Livable Future for Chinatown + People’s Park Complex Singapore
Aesthetic & Architectural Value
People’s Park Complex is one of Singapore’s important modernist architecture manifestations, by in itself a unique creation to solve urban density in Kreta Ayer, based on the Japanese metabolism, Corbusier’s housing typology, contextualized in Singapore and designed by locallytrained Singaporean architects.
The City-room is a unique feature of the building, connecting the city and the interior of the building, which inspired the developments in the more recent eras. The building is an example of early modern urban nodes in Singapore, where connections for the residents to walk between the buildings and across to the shophouses were first built.
Historical Value
The building’s site itself has high historical significance for being the main gathering place of the vicinity, whether it was an open park, a market, or a mix-use building throughout its time.
The People’s Park Complex is a physical testament to modern Singapore state identity and the early stages of the country’s attempts in constructing various mix-use developments.
Contextual Value
The building has been the defining element of the Kreta Ayer/ Chinatown cityscape and skyline since the 1970s, which has been engraved in the memories of modern Singaporean society and international visitors coming to Singapore.
Communal & Social Value
A significant number of communities living and working in the People’s Park Complex throughout the years have set up their stores. Some stores have been there for a long period, especially those that opened since the commencement of the PPC. Along with the People’s Park Food Center, the People’s Park Complex has been their ‘home’ for decades.
Economic Value
Being at the fringe of the CBD Area and well connected by public transit and infrastructure, the PPC has great potential to succeed commercially like it did in its early days.
The building is an important node in downtown Singapore. The surrounding buildings and services, such as the Family Justice Courts, allow the building to be used strategically as offices, such as law firms and small banks.
