What is Architecture of Singapore?
[[File:Junction of Smith Street and Trengganu Street 2, Dec 05.JPG|thumb|right|Lai Chun Yuan opera house in [[Chinatown, Singapore|Chinatown]].]] [[File:Golden Mile Complex 4, Aug 07.jpg|thumb|right|Golden Mile Complex]] [[File:Esplanade by slivester for wiki.jpg|thumb|right|Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay]] The '''[[architecture]] of [[Singapore]]''' shows influences and styles from different places and periods. Singapore architecture may be divided into two periods: the more traditional pre-[[World War II]] colonial period, and the modern post-war and post-colonial period. ==Pre-colonial architecture== [[File:House near the northern coast of Pulau Ubin, Singapore - 20050803.jpg|thumb|right|Timber house on [[Pulau Ubin]].]] Malay houses built in the 'kampong' style were common before the British came.. ==Colonial period== [[File:Capital Tower, Singapore.jpg|thumb|right|[[Capital Tower, Singapore]], as seen from a park along Maxwell Ave]] After the British established a settlement near the mouth of the [[Singapore River]] in 1819, building construction in Singapore changed. The new settlement was small but very [[Urban area|urban]]. Merchants built warehouses right next to each other along [[Boat Quay]]. Risk of fire became a problem because the buildings were so close together and had many valuable goods inside. Builders switched to brick [[masonry]] with clay tiled roofs, to reduce the fire hazard. Bricks and tiles were made at kilns on the island, and the [[Mortar (masonry)|mortar]] and [[plaster]] was made by grinding up corals from sea around Singapore. ===Shophouse=== [[File:Teo Hong Road, Dec 05.JPG|thumb|right|Shophouses in Singapore]] Shophouses are common style of building in [[Southeast Asia]]. They are usually two or three storeys high. Each shophouse is usually very narrow and part of a long row of terraced buildings. But, shophouses may be very deep front to back. The first floor is usually for business and the upper floors are for living. The front of the building usually has a covered area cal