Hakka village to be built in Geylang by clan association

The new building will blend modern and traditional Hakka architectural and design elements to attract both young and old. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The new building will be named Ke Ju, which loosely translates to "a space for the Hakkas and Hakka guests to gather". PHOTO: CHAR YONG (DABU) ASSOCIATION

SINGAPORE - One of Singapore's oldest Chinese clan associations will have a new home at a Hakka village in Geylang in two years.

The Char Yong (Dabu) Association's new building will take the form of a Hakka tu lou, or earthen building, a traditional fort-like communal Hakka residence.

It will be named Ke Ju, which loosely translates to "a space for the Hakkas and Hakka guests to gather".

The first two floors will be used to promote Hakka culture and heritage, with gallery areas, courtyard spaces for small performances, a library, a cooking studio and a multi-purpose hall for large-scale events.

Space in the seven-storey building will be leased out to other tenants.

The association, which has more than 5,000 members, was founded in 1858 to look after the welfare of Hakka immigrants that migrated to Singapore from Dabu in the Guangdong province of China.

Its president, Mr Ho Siong Hin, said: "We are looking forward to a bigger home and a holistic activity hub that will combine heritage, greenery and recreational facilities for our members. Organised groups interested in Hakka culture and heritage can also visit us."

The 17,000 sq ft freehold site, at 3 Geylang Lorong 18, is two streets from the association's current building in Geylang Lorong 22.

The Char Yong (Dabu) Foundation (CYF) purchased the land, which had previously been owned by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, for $37 million in August 2020.

The new building, which will have a basement carpark, will blend modern and traditional Hakka architectural and design elements to attract both young and old.

One distinctive feature will be the terrace gardens inspired by the Hakka mountainscapes in China, where people can learn about Hakka medicinal plants and food, as well as sustainability.

A pavilion inspired by the creeping fig grown in the Hakka region is set to be the centrepiece of the gardens, which will be stepped over several storeys. The building's light screen facade will display patterns inspired by Hakka embroidery.

Prose Architects and WeCreate Studio collaborated on the architectural design, which won a design competition organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects in December 2020.

The competition, commissioned by CYF, attracted 88 entries.

A tender for the construction will begin in August, and the building is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.

Mr Ivan Ho, chairman of CYF, said: "We hope to not just promote Dabu culture and spirit through this building, but also inject environmental sustainability, inclusivity and personal well-being, to be in line with Singapore's changing social needs and norms."

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.