A colorful and cosmopolitan city, Singapore is home to a wide variety of architectural styles. Here, neoclassical colonial buildings rub shoulders with Hindu temples and the most eccentric shophouses. A brief overview of this diversity which makes the city unique.

A preserved colonial heritage

Neoclassical style and Palladianism can be admired in the many historic buildings that bear witness to the splendor of the British colonial period. In Singapore, museums, art galleries and restaurants invite heritage lovers on a real journey through time.

At the heart of the Singapore Botanic Garden, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, is the Corner House restaurant. It was in this former colonial house that the first deputy director of the botanical gardens, EJH Corner, resided, having played a major role in the protection of Singapore's cultural heritage during the Japanese occupation. Today, the remarkably preserved house has been transformed into an extremely popular restaurant, which, positioned in the unique setting of the Singapore Botanic Garden, offers the lucky ones the opportunity to taste the specialties of chef Jason Tan.

The renovation of the National Gallery Singapore is the perfect example of Singapore's desire to preserve its heritage. It is also in this context that the architectural firm studioMilou was entrusted with the project of sublimating the former buildings of the Supreme Court of Justice and the City Hall to create the National Gallery Singapore. Above these colonial-style buildings, a modern openwork glass structure unites and connects the whole. The minimal intervention reflects the desire to preserve the original beauty of historic buildings.

Colorful culture mosaic

The colorful shophouses are the hallmarks of Singapore's Peranakan neighborhoods and have become iconic architectural elements of the city. These Chinese baroque-style dwellings were built by wealthy merchants, who competed in inventiveness to erect the most colorful and richly decorated facades in order to exhibit their success for all to see. These period shophouses that now color the alleys of Chinatown and Peranakan are home to restaurants, art galleries, craft shops and more.

In addition to this festival of colorful buildings, there are many Indian temples, including the famous Buddha Tooth Relic, a temple with an architecture as astonishing as it is daring.

Singapore, model of plant architecture

In Singapore, there are many buildings that place plants at the heart of urban facilities in a sustainable manner. The green and futuristic architecture of some hotels offers visitors a unique experience:

A succession of hanging gardens, the Park Royal on Pickering is not only an architectural feat, but also an ecological one. The facades of the hotel, which look like a tropical jungle, are all equipped with an ingenious rainwater harvesting system and numerous solar panels, making the hotel responsible.

Designed by the architectural firm WOHA, an expert in sustainable architecture, the Oasia Hotel, like the superstructures of the Gardens by The Bay, looks like a real giant tree. Its red facade will eventually be completely covered with green vegetation made up of virgin vines and other exotic climbing plants. The eco-responsible design allows its visitors to benefit from natural air conditioning and considerably reduce the hotel's energy consumption.

More information on Singapore: http://www.visitsingapore.com