Finbarr Fallon Captures Singapore's Underrated Architectural Gems
Singapore‐based architectural photographer and artist Finbarr Fallon takes us on a tour of some of the most underrated heritage landmarks in the city.
BEDOK SPORTS HALL
Cotton tweed jacket with jewelled buttons, and matching skirt; metal necklace with resin and glass; leather handbag; and suede platform boots, Chanel
“Many of Singapore’s early public sports facilities have really fascinating modernist designs. Bedok Sports Hall (part of Bedok Sports Complex that, according to The Straits Times, opened progressively from the early 1980s and was the third indoor sports hall built by the Housing and Development Board) is hexagonal in shape when viewed from above and boasts an expressed engineering structure that forms these really cool flared columns.”
WATERMELON PLAYGROUND AT TAMPINES CENTRAL PARK
Wool jacket and matching mini skirt; Toujours medium calfskin bag; and Belle‐D calfskin boots, Dior
“In the late 1970s and ’80s, the Housing and Development Board constructed a series of thematic playgrounds incorporating mosaic designs. Most people know the dragon‐themed one in Toa Payoh, but my favourite is this watermelon one. So much thought went into its design – just look at its details, such as the transparent glass blocks and hollowed‐out ‘pips’.”
JURONG TOWN HALL
Wool‐blend mouline knit cardigan and matching shorts; metal necklace; GG Milano leather belt; and patent leather top‐handle bag and boots, Gucci
“There’s something heroic about civic architecture from the 1970s (this sprawling complex – formerly the headquarters of Jurong Town Corporation – was completed in 1974). It’s heavy, imposing and sculptural. I particularly love the way this building cantilevers out above its sloped base, appearing to almost float above the landscape.”
KAMPONG LORONG BUANGKOK
Cotton denim pants top, wool skirt and New Wader leather boots, Balenciaga
“It’s so quiet and peaceful here (located in Buangkok in Hougang, this community is popularly reported as the last surviving kampung on our island, dating back to 1956). Lush flora envelopes the traditional bungalows, and old telephone wires criss‐cross between the buildings. It’s hard to believe you’re in Singapore. Every now and then, modern HDB blocks loom into view – the juxtaposition between old and new feeling quite ominous.”
THE CLOVER @ KEBUN BARU
Cashmere pullover, tulle skirt and leather boots, Fendi
“Block 259 on Ang Mo Kio Avenue 2 is a one‐of‐a‐kind circular HDB design built in the early 1980s (which explains its popular nickname ‘The Clover’). Besides its unique design, I like how it stands all alone on a small hill, allowing one to appreciate it without the distraction of other buildings.”
KATONG SHOPPING CENTRE
Sportmax organza bodysuit with faux feather embroidery, and viscose‐blend belt, Max Mara
“The round windows of the mall (which opened in 1973 as the first air‐conditioned mall in Singapore) are a common motif of 1970s architecture – you can find the same at Golden Mile Complex and People’s Park Complex. I like the way they act as framing devices, offering punch hole views into the concrete structure.”
BBC FAR EASTERN RELAY STATION AT KRANJI
Crepe de chine blouse and matching jumpsuit (worn underneath); and leather belt with metal buckle, Chanel
“Part of the BBC’s station that was set up here in 1979 to beam programmes across the region, these antennas are relics of a near‐vanished analogue TV and radio infrastructure. The complex closed in 2023 after many decades of broadcasting and is currently pending demolition.”
TEXT AS TOLD TO NOELLE LOH PHOTOGRAPHY FINBARR FALLON PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT CLAIRE GOH PRODUCTION DANESSA TONG STYLING DAMIAN HUANG STYLING ASSISTANT PAIGE BOON HAIR TAN ENG CHONG/KIZUKI+LIM MAKEUP KEITH BRYANT LEE, USING LANCOME MODEL JANELLE TAN/BASIC MODELS
This article first appeared in the September 2024 Nostalgia Edition of FEMALE