Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, Singapore

This is a collection of photos of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, Singapore taken on 15 and 16 May 2011.

Built in 1932, the station was designed with Neo-Classical and Art Deco architecture external facades. The station is the southernmost terminus of the KTMB railway line that runs north-south of the Malay Peninsular. On 1 July 2011, however, this will change when the station is handed back to the Singaporean government and ceases to operate as a train station. The southernmost terminus of the KTMB railway line will be Woodlands, on the north part of the island.

Anyway, don't worry they building will be preserved in any development and in fact, the Preservation Monuments Board of Singapore has already declared the building the country's 64th National Monument. I'm sure it will be turned into something useful.

Station's front facade

Another view of the front facade

Platforms and Tracks

 Station waiting area with vault ceiling above

Federated Malay States Railways (FMSR) insignia

Two of the six murals

Another two of the six murals 

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RH Residences Sulaman Brochure

For those of you wanting more information on the above, I’ve scanned the brochure that I got when I visited the showhouse. By the way, I am not an agent or anyway related to the developers. So, I don’t get anything in return for this post. Anyway, the developers are more than welcome to send some commissions my way for this post. Ha ha ha.

Here are the scans:

Front Cover

Development Layout

Layout I

Layout II

Back Cover – Contact Information

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RH Residences Sulaman Showhouse

The other day my office mates and I went to see the showhouse at this upcoming residential project along Jalan Sulaman Kota Kinabalu. The project is made up of three storey terrace houses. Prices start from RM325,000. Later, I was told there are no more houses at this price.

I liked the showhouse but sadly the price of the actual house is way beyond my budget. Besides I already have a housing loan to pay for. So, getting another house is out of the question for now. A newer and bigger house means that I have to sell off my current house.

Anyway, here are some photos from the visit. I like the living room the most because of the high ceiling. It just felt spacious.

Living room

Living Room - Empty

Master Bedroom

Family Room

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Kota Kinabalu International Airport New Terminal Building

I’m now in the off new terminal building of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. From the outside it looks very modern. The inside is airy and bright, unlike some stuffy and dark terminal buildings that I’ve been to.

Besides that, I like this airport for two things. First, there’s free Wifi (yeah, I am your average internet junkie) and second, there’s a superb view outside the terminal building. In the mornings and on good weather days (like today), you can actually see the majestic Mount Kinabalu in the distance.

The only thing that I don’t like so far is that there are no visible local or traditional designs incorporated in the design of the airport. So far, I only some traditional motives on the pillars in the departure hall. And there isn’t much to say about these motives – there are small and not very noticeable. As for the rest of the building, you’ll see lots of aluminium claddings and glass.

Here are some photos of the departure hall of the new terminal building.

Departure Hall


Pillar with traditional design

View outside the departure hall

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Kota Kinabalu International Airport

This is the new terminal at the above airport. Its futuristic, sure. But I am still disappointed that there is no visible local design or motif to be seen in the outside. I don’t know how the inside will look like. Hopefully, there’s something traditional in the interior design. As it is, the airport could be located anywhere else, by design, but Sabah.


The airport also has a great location, it is by the Tanjung Aru Beach. Here’s a photo of an aircraft taxiing down the runway. In the background are the South China Sea and the islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National (Marine) Park.

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Minangkabau International Airport, Padang, Sumatera Barat, Indonesia

This airport (PDG) is one of the few airports that I have been to that incorporate local architecture in its building. If you can see the airport building from the seat in the airplane, you can immediately tell that you have landed. The building’s pointed roof is a prominent feature in Minangkabau architecture. In contrast, most Asian airports that I have been to are nothing more than Western copycats. It’s not wrong for the form to follow the function, but where possible, building designs in Asia should be more reflective the local architecture especially for airports, which will most likely be the first building a visitor to a particular place will first see.

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This airport (CGK)

Actually, I’ve been in this airport for countless of times. For me, however, it is usually out of the arrival hall and into the taxi or waiting car and out of the taxi or car into the departure hall. This by far the longest time I’ve spent in the airport. It’s a busy airport due to the sheer number of citizens and airports around the country. It’s no Changi or KLIA but I think I still like it. Why? It seems lively and full of people. I hate seeing KLIA when it’s not the holiday or hajj season. Nobody seems to be around. But not here.

Of course, this airport has shortcomings but when you look at the interior design, you know you are not in some Western airport wannabes. Usage of local traditional motives is numerous in CGK. If you go to KLIA, tell what do you see? KLIA might as well be an airport in America or Europe. Maybe, they should have used a Malaysia architect to design the airport. And now, you can see a mini KLIA in the airport I use most, the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Aping the West is not always right.

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