#guesswhereSG

Concrete jungle's charisma

The Straits Times' photojournalists present a different perspective on these buildings. Guess where they are

No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14
1 Facing a budget hotel and a stone's throw away from a funeral parlour, this iconic building's facade comes alive at night when its lights give it the hue of the name of the street it is on. ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14
2 A snaking canal runs along a park connector in central-western Singapore. The flyover is flanked by a caged pedestrian walkway and a raised MRT track. At night, the nondescript scene comes to life when street lamps illuminate it. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14
3 A minute's walk away from an MRT station, this building - painted in bright colours - is located in an area that is usually bustling with people. Built by a successful Chinese businessman for his wife in 1900, the walls were originally whitewashed. The villa was later restored in the 1980s and won the Singapore Institute of Architects Honourable Mention Award in 1991. ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI
No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14
4 Oink, oink! With some imagination, you can see one of the buildings bears some resemblance to an animal in the picture above. In the background is D'Leedon condominium, designed by internationally renowned architect Zaha Hadid. This view is from Lornie Road, when one is travelling towards Adam Road. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14
5 This house belonged to Mr Ang Hai Sun, who produced the popular Dog's Head brand of soap in the early 1900s, hence the figures of dogs at the house. Mr Ang's descendants still live there. ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI
No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14
6 A woman and her child cross a bridge built in 1975 with an exterior that resembles a shipping container. Arching over six lanes of traffic, it links an open field to a private housing estate. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14
7 No need to visit Brighton Beach in Australia to see brightly coloured units near the water. Similar units lining the canal banks make for a lovely picture under a calm blue sky. Sitting on 5.8ha of land, these 13 four-storey blocks can accommodate 14,000 residents. ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
Updated
Aug 17, 2016, 12:23 PM
Published
Aug 11, 2016, 05:00 AM

Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded Singapore in 1819 as a British colony, would not recognise the island today if he set foot on the same landing spot in Boat Quay.

Skyscrapers and high-rise buildings have risen from the central business district and changed the skyline dramatically.

Caught up in a fast-paced society and lifestyle, people could pass by places several times a day and not notice them.

However, beyond interesting lines, graphic shapes and rainbow colours, there are buildings among the new structures with history, personality and character.

A boring white office building in the day can suddenly come alive at dusk with neon lights, and take on a look that epitomises Singapore's vibrant night life.

A concrete-and-metal bus stop of the 1970s, preserved along Old Choa Chu Kang Road, reminds us of a time before we had ez-link cards and electronic boards that provide bus arrival times.

To celebrate the nation's 51st birthday, The Straits Times' photojournalists shot these structures of steel and concrete in a different light, to expose something unique and surprising about them.

In the second of our two-part Guess Where Singapore series, have some fun and try to guess where these landmarks are located.

After popular mobile game Pokemon Go was launched last Saturday, who knows - they could even be Pokestops.

ANSWERS: 1. CT HUB 2, 114 Lavender Street 2. Ulu Pandan park connector, near Faber Crest Condominium 3. Residence of Tan Teng Niah, 37 Kerbau Road, Little India 4. Nineteen Shelford, 19 Shelford Road 5. 19 Barker Road 6. Along Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, near the junction of Lorong Chuan 7. PPT Lodge 1B, 2 Seletar North Link, opposite the Marina Country Club

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To experience 360-degree panoramic photographs of the respective locations, visit http://str.sg/guesswhere.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 11, 2016, with the headline Concrete jungle's charisma. Subscribe

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