Joo Chiat Shophouses and Terrace Houses: A Heritage Guide

The Joo Chiat shophouses and terrace houses in Singapore’s east are some of the most photographed buildings in the country. Rows of two-storey homes with pastel façades, ornamental plaster, glazed tiles and timber fretwork line streets such as Koon Seng Road, Everitt Road and Joo Chiat Place. Unlike the dense trading streets of Chinatown, Joo Chiat developed as a suburban settlement, and its architecture reflects that difference.

This article explains how Joo Chiat grew, how its shophouses and terrace houses differ, how to read their mixed decorative language, how URA’s conservation rules apply, and what owners should consider before renovating. It draws on URA’s conservation portal and the National Library Board.

From plantations to a suburb

In the nineteenth century the area that became Joo Chiat was covered with coconut and other plantations. The National Library Board records that the district takes its name from Chew Joo Chiat, a migrant from China who became a wealthy landowner and philanthropist, with several roads in the area named after him. As the town expanded eastwards in the early twentieth century, plantation land was subdivided and built up with houses and shops.

The National Library Board notes that Peranakan families began settling in Joo Chiat in this period, building the shophouses and terrace houses for which the district is known. The streets off Joo Chiat Road became residential, while Joo Chiat Road itself developed as a commercial spine with shophouses serving the neighbourhood.

Joo Chiat shophouses and terrace houses compared

Two related building types sit side by side in Joo Chiat. The shophouse has a shop or business at ground level, a covered five-foot way in front and living space above, and it lines the main commercial roads. The terrace house is purely residential, usually set back behind a small forecourt with a low wall and gate, and lines the quieter side streets. Both are typically two storeys, narrow and deep, built in rows with shared party walls.

URA describes the Joo Chiat Conservation Area as mainly two-storey shophouses and terrace houses in the Transitional, Late and Art Deco styles, with some Simple Modern style buildings adding variety. For more on how these house types work as a form, see our article on terrace house design.

Koon Seng Road and the Straits Eclectic style

Koon Seng Road, formerly Lorong E East Coast and renamed in 1934 after the auctioneer and Municipal Commissioner Cheong Koon Seng, has the best-known terraces in Joo Chiat. The National Library Board records that most of the houses on the road were built in the 1920s and 1930s. URA describes them as some of the finest examples of Straits Eclectic architecture in the neighbourhood.

The style mixes influences in a single façade. URA identifies Chinese influence in the bat-shaped vents on the first storey, which symbolise good luck; Malay influence in the timber fretwork fascia boards; and Western influence in plasterwork with dentils and floral swags. To these are commonly added glazed ceramic tiles, pilasters with classical capitals and decorative timber doors and windows. It is the same architectural world as the Peranakan shophouse, and Joo Chiat is one of the clearest places to see it in a residential setting.

Art Deco and later buildings

Alongside the ornate Late-style terraces, Joo Chiat has a significant number of Art Deco shophouses from the 1930s onwards, with geometric motifs, vertical fins and stepped parapets, and some post-war buildings in a simpler modern style. URA conserved additional Simple Modern style buildings on 1 December 2003.

Conservation dates and what they cover

URA’s portal states that the Joo Chiat area was given conservation status on 23 July 1993. Further buildings were conserved on 1 December 2003, and again on 2 April, 18 September and 29 December 2009, when the additions included several bungalows and the main buildings of St Hilda’s Church and Bethesda (Katong) Church. Joo Chiat is classified by URA as a Secondary Settlement, distinct from the historic districts of the city centre.

Conservation permission is required before any additions and alterations, and before a new use begins. The guidelines differ for shophouses, terrace houses and bungalows, and for different parts of each building. In general, the front façade, roof, five-foot way or forecourt, party walls and key decorative elements must be retained, with more flexibility at the rear.

Renovating a Joo Chiat house

Many Joo Chiat shophouses and terrace houses are now around a century old. Like other pre-war shophouses, they are generally built with brick party walls, timber floors and timber roof structures on modest foundations. Common issues in our experience include:

Rising damp and deteriorated lime plaster on the lower walls.
Decay or termite damage in timber beams, especially where they bear into damp masonry.
Roof leaks that have damaged timber and ceilings over years.
Earlier alterations that removed or overloaded structural elements.
Cracking where new rear extensions or adjacent works have caused differential movement.

Before design starts, a condition survey and structural assessment help identify what can be kept, what needs repair and what changes are feasible. Any structural work will require a Professional Engineer, and conservation permission must be in place. Our guide to shophouse renovation in Singapore sets out the approvals involved.

Why Joo Chiat matters

Joo Chiat shows how a mixed community created a distinctive local architecture by combining Chinese, Malay and European elements. Its streets also show how conservation can keep a neighbourhood’s character while allowing its uses to change, as homes, eateries, shops and boutique hotels now share the same terraces. The Joo Chiat shophouses are part of what makes the east of Singapore feel different from the city centre, and their survival is a reminder that suburbs, not only downtown districts, carry heritage.

Frequently asked questions

When was Joo Chiat conserved?

URA states that the Joo Chiat area was given conservation status on 23 July 1993, with further buildings conserved in 2003 and on three dates in 2009.

What is the difference between a shophouse and a terrace house in Joo Chiat?

A shophouse has a commercial ground floor with a covered five-foot way and living space above, while a terrace house is wholly residential and usually set back behind a small forecourt on a side street.

Why are the Koon Seng Road houses so colourful?

The Koon Seng Road terraces, mostly built in the 1920s and 1930s, are fine examples of the Straits Eclectic style, combining Chinese, Malay and Western decorative elements, and their colours are a feature of how they have been restored and maintained.

Can I extend a conserved terrace house in Joo Chiat?

Extensions may be possible at the rear, subject to URA’s conservation guidelines for the specific building and to building and structural approvals, so it is best to check the guidelines and have the structure assessed before design.

Restoring a pre-war terrace or shophouse and need a clear picture of its structure? Talk to our consultancy or get in touch.