Nine-dragon relief walls and stone lions: Iconic SCCCI building marks 60th anniversary

SINGAPORE – At 14, he constructed a three-dimensional model of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) building without floor plans or architectural drawings.

It was 1962, and Mr Teo Peng Hoe was living opposite the building in Hill Street. He would observe the progress of the building’s construction as he returned home from Victoria School, and managed to create an intricate, accurate model made from plywood and office pins.

He gifted it to SCCCI during the building’s opening in 1964, where he met founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who was impressed by his talent.

His model of the SCCCI building is one of over 200 artefacts and photographs on display at the building’s 60th anniversary exhibition, which is being held at the SCCCI Chinese Business Culture Hub in Hill Street.

The exhibition is centred around the theme “Home to the Business Community”, and includes interactive multimedia installations that celebrate the historical journey of SCCCI, the apex body of the Chinese business community in Singapore.

The free exhibition was launched on Sept 17, and will be open to the public from Sept 18 to June 2025. Opening hours in 2024 are between 10am and 5pm from Mondays to Fridays, and 10am and 1pm on Saturdays. Opening hours in 2025 will be announced on SCCCI’s website at a later date.

Building that model changed Mr Teo’s life. “I was bad in all my subjects except art and geography,” he said. “The chamber helped me transfer to Queenstown Technical Secondary School, to learn woodwork in Secondary 3 and 4.”

The 74-year-old, who now resides in Taman Jurong, went on to become a professional model maker who created models of familiar architecture like UOB Plaza and Jurong Town Hall. He is a freelance model maker today.

Besides the launch of the exhibition and a pictorial catalogue, a commemorative painting by mural artist Yip Yew Chong was unveiled at the SCCCI Building Diamond Jubilee Celebration and Mid-Autumn Festival dinner on Sept 17. The Singapore Chinese Orchestra also performed an original composition called Spirit Of Enterprise.

Speaking to the 200 guests, including SCCCI members, government representatives and trade association members, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said the chamber building has been a very important and striking landmark in Hill Street, alongside the Armenian Church, Masjid Al-Burhani, the Central Fire Station and Old Hill Street Police Station. 

“These are all icons around this area, and more importantly, they are also a symbol of multicultural and multi-religious Singapore.”

He added: “The building embodies the local Chinese business community’s unwavering commitment to our nation’s progress, and is indeed a testament to the chamber’s core values of patriotism, integrity, succession, innovation and uniting businesses.”

Established in 1906, SCCCI counts among its members some 5,000 corporates and over 150 trade associations, together representing more than 40,000 companies.

SCCCI president Kho Choon Keng said at the event that SCCCI will donate $1.2 million to the Singapore University of Social Sciences to nurture the next generation. It will continue to donate to Yayasan Mendaki, the Singapore Indian Development Association and the Chinese Development Assistance Council, to support education for all ethnic groups.

SCCCI’s building was a mansion known as “Da Fu Di”, which was built by Teochew merchant Wee Ah Hood in 1873. In 1912, it was purchased by SCCCI for 55,000 Straits dollars. The old building was demolished in 1961 to make way for a new one reminiscent of Chinese imperial architecture, with unique green-glazed roof tiles, a red lacquer door, two sets of nine-dragon relief walls and a pair of stone lions.

In 2017, the building was renovated again, before it was opened by

then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2022.

The refurbished building unites tradition and modernity. It retains the iconic front facade and nine-dragon relief walls at the front, but has a new modern curved glass facade on three sides. New facilities like the SCCCI Chinese Business Culture Hub on the fourth floor were added to house artefacts that are significant to SCCCI and Singapore’s history in business and trade.

Mr Kho said the building stands as a fortress of Singapore’s Chinese entrepreneurial spirit and traditional Chinese values, having witnessed generations of Chinese migrants and entrepreneurs sink their roots here and build their businesses from scratch. It also embodies the selfless spirit of the chamber’s forefathers, who believed in “benefiting from society, giving back to society”, he said.

In the early days of nation-building, SCCCI had raised funds for the National Defence Fund to support national service and spearheaded the construction of the Civilian War Memorial. Today, it also awards scholarships and raises funds for disaster relief.

Calling the SCCCI building a “home” for the business community, Mr Kho added: “This building also embodies the patriotism of Singapore enterprises and our mission to progress as one united nation. SCCCI strengthens communication between the Government and business community, improving the business environment and fostering innovation.”

Looking ahead, he said SCCCI supports the Government’s “prudent and bold” approach in refining policies and renewing Singapore’s social compact, including greater emphasis on mother tongue education and actively promoting Chinese culture.

“SCCCI will fully support these efforts through the SCCCI Chinese Business Culture Hub, as well as celebrating traditional festivals, education initiatives and awarding scholarships to promote our Chinese culture and the Chinese entrepreneurial spirit.”