Colors of Rochor

Singapore seems to have no shortage of candy-colored buildings. I had blogged about the rainbow-like building of the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth previously. Today, I visited the Rochor Center, a set of government housing blocks each painted a different primary color. These buildings are a landmark of the Bugis neighborhood and hard to miss whenever you drive past them. Unlike the glitzy new buildings that seem to have taken over downtown Singapore, the colored buildings of Rochor Center are iconic of 1970s Singapore. Longtime residents of different ethnicities have lived here harmoniously for generations. Walk around the shophouses on the ground floor and the old uncles at work, and you can feel the character of the place and the stories behind it. 

Unfortunately, nothing last forever and later this year, the Rochor Center will be torn down to make way for new developments and an expressway. Before that happens, I made a visit to this place and soaked up the view of the city from its rooftop. While there are still some residents there, most seem to have moved out along with many of the stores. It's sad indeed as this iconic landmark will be missed once it's been removed from the ever-changing cityscape.

Top: ESP (Bangkok) | Pants: Zara | Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Round Sofia Crossbody Bag

Shoes: Mumbai street shopping | Sunglasses: RayBans (Nordstrom Rack) | Bracelet: Nakamol