For more than 40 years, the iconic People’s Park Complex stands proudly along Eu Tong Sen Street. At 31 storey high, the yellow-and-green building is easily noticeable from far.
The complex consists of a shopping center situated below its residential block, which was completed in 1970 and 1973 respectively.
There are three gigantic Chinese characters on the side of the block that faces the main road. It reads “Zhen Zhu Fang” which literally means “Pearl’s Center”.
The complex was designed by a local company called Design Partnership, spearheaded by chief architects Tay Kheng Soon and Koh Seow Chuan.
According to architectural experts, the design of residential block was injected with British Brutalist element, which was hugely popular in the sixties and seventies. Buildings with Brutalist concept usually expose large areas of concrete on their exterior.
It resembles some of those residential blocks found in Hong Kong.
The original colour of People’s Park Complex was brown and blue. It was given a complete makeover years ago, turning it into the yellow and green appearance that we see today.
Published: 16 December 2010
In early 1977, while I was waiting my GCE O level result, I worked temporalily as messenger boy near Chinatown. I enjoyed walk around this area and frequently lost. My “compass” was OCBC Building and sun so I could knew my location. Women worn Samsui dress and street hawkers were still seen around. Made me supprised when I found that there was a Boyan Community in the heart of Chinatown.