Beach Road
Encyclopedia
Beach Road is a road
located within the Kallang Planning Area
and Downtown Core
in Singapore
.
The road starts at its junction with Crawford Street in Kallang Planning Area in the north, runs in a generally southerly direction, enters the Downtown Core at its junction with Ophir Road
, and ends at its junction with Stamford Road
and Saint Andrew's Road to the south.
's 1836 Map of Singapore. The road was actually a coast
al road fronting the sea
coast in the early decades of the British colonial city — hence its name.
The Chinese
used to call the road thih pa sat khau, meaning "the street to which the iron
market
opens or faces", a reference to Clyde Terrace Market, which was taken over and run as a public market by the Municipal Commissioner
s in 1910. Clyde Terrace Market, also known as Beach Road market, had its foundation stone laid on 29 March 1873, with Mason
ic honours. Costing $37,889, the building was completed in 1874. It was demolished in 1983 to make way for the The Gateway
twin office
tower
s, designed by architect, I.M. Pei, which stand now on this site.
Beach Road was also known as sio poh kai ki in Hokkien
, which means "small town seashore
". Sio poh is "small town
", referring to that part of Singapore to the north of the Stamford Canal Road
, as opposed to tua poh or "big town", the Singapore River
end of the town.
Beach Road was known as kadalkarai sadakku or "seaside
road" in Tamil
.
Up till the 1870s and 1880s, the sea came right up to Beach Road. At the time, large seaside villa
s stood here — just as Stamford Raffles
had envisaged when he laid out his 1822 Town Plan
. Raffles reserved Beach Road for the residences
of the Europe
an merchant
s. By 1825, there were 20 such buildings. These luxurious homes earned the street its Chinese
name ji chap keng or "Twenty House Street". In 1886, one of these 20 houses, owned by W.R. George, was bought over by the Sarkies brothers
and later became the Raffles Hotel
. By the 1880s, these houses were turned into hostel
s or eating place
s to cater to the increasing flow of travellers and Beach Road ceased to be a prestigious residential district.
Apart from houses, there were hotel
s, club
s and bar
s as well. The Singapore Cricket Club
had its roots here. The area was also the scene of frequent brawl
s, as in the days before Tanjong Pagar
became the port
area, European sailor
s on shore leave
would make for Beach Road. Brawls and other unruly behaviour were the reason why Mrs Balestier, the first American
consul
's wife, presented the historic Revere Bell to Saint Andrew's Church in 1843. The bell
was intended not only for church service
but also to be struck in the afternoon to warn seamen to return to their ships before darkness fell.
A sand
y beach
once existed in front of Raffles Hotel on the Beach Road side, and may account for the few steps which today lead to the lobby
, as apparently it was common for the water to come up and over Beach Road at high tide
, before the land now in front of Beach Road was reclaimed
.
The first land reclamation
beyond the foreshore line of 1843 alongside Beach Road was to provide land to build the Alhambra and Marlborough Cinemas, a police station
and the Singapore Volunteer Corps
Headquarters and Drill Hall (later converted to the Singapore Infantry Regiment
Headquarters). Further land reclamation began around the 1880s, gradually robbing Beach Road of its sea frontage. Over the years, Nicoll Highway
and later Marina Square
and Suntec City
were built on reclaimed land, pushing Beach Road even further inland.
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
located within the Kallang Planning Area
Kallang
Kallang is an urban planning area and a subdivision located in the southeastern part of Singapore.It is probably best known for being the location of the Singapore Indoor Stadium & the old National Stadium, as well as the new Singapore Sports Hub...
and Downtown Core
Downtown Core
The Downtown Core is a 266-hectare urban planning area in the south of the city-state of Singapore. The Downtown Core surrounds the mouth of the Singapore River and southeastern portion of its watershed, and is part of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
The road starts at its junction with Crawford Street in Kallang Planning Area in the north, runs in a generally southerly direction, enters the Downtown Core at its junction with Ophir Road
Ophir Road
Ophir Road is a road that starts after the junction of Sungei Road and Jalan Besar and ends after the Ophir Flyover leading towards East Coast Parkway to Ayer Rajah Expressway or Singapore Changi Airport. The road is located within the planning areas of Kallang, Downtown Core and Rochor...
, and ends at its junction with Stamford Road
Stamford Road
Stamford Road is a one-way road in Singapore within the planning areas of Downtown Core and Museum. The road continues after the traffic light junction of Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Drive and Raffles Avenue towards Orchard Road. It then ends at the junction of Fort Canning Road, Bencoolen Street...
and Saint Andrew's Road to the south.
Etymology and history
Beach Road is one of the early roads developed in Singapore and appears in George Drumgoole ColemanGeorge Drumgoole Coleman
George Drumgoole Coleman , also known as George Drumgold Coleman, was an Irish civil architect who played an instrumental role in the design and construction of much of the civil infrastructure in Singapore, after the island was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819.Born in Drogheda County Louth,...
's 1836 Map of Singapore. The road was actually a coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
al road fronting the sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
coast in the early decades of the British colonial city — hence its name.
The Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
used to call the road thih pa sat khau, meaning "the street to which the iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
opens or faces", a reference to Clyde Terrace Market, which was taken over and run as a public market by the Municipal Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
s in 1910. Clyde Terrace Market, also known as Beach Road market, had its foundation stone laid on 29 March 1873, with Mason
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
ic honours. Costing $37,889, the building was completed in 1874. It was demolished in 1983 to make way for the The Gateway
The Gateway, Singapore
The Gateway is a 37-storey, , twin tower skyscraper complex completed in April 1990 on Beach Road in the Downtown Core of Singapore. The two buildings are named The Gateway East and The Gateway West.-Architecture:...
twin office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
s, designed by architect, I.M. Pei, which stand now on this site.
Beach Road was also known as sio poh kai ki in Hokkien
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
, which means "small town seashore
Seashore
-Landform:* Coast* Intertidal zone, between high and low water lines* National seashore, a special designation in the United States* Shore-Other:* Seashore , an open source image editor, based on GIMP written in Cocoa for Mac OS X...
". Sio poh is "small town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
", referring to that part of Singapore to the north of the Stamford Canal Road
Stamford Road
Stamford Road is a one-way road in Singapore within the planning areas of Downtown Core and Museum. The road continues after the traffic light junction of Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Drive and Raffles Avenue towards Orchard Road. It then ends at the junction of Fort Canning Road, Bencoolen Street...
, as opposed to tua poh or "big town", the Singapore River
Singapore River
The Singapore River is a river in Singapore with great historical importance. The Singapore River flows from the Central Area, which lies in the Central Region in the southern part of Singapore before emptying into the ocean...
end of the town.
Beach Road was known as kadalkarai sadakku or "seaside
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
road" in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
.
Up till the 1870s and 1880s, the sea came right up to Beach Road. At the time, large seaside villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s stood here — just as Stamford Raffles
Stamford Raffles
Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, FRS was a British statesman, best known for his founding of the city of Singapore . He is often described as the "Father of Singapore"...
had envisaged when he laid out his 1822 Town Plan
Jackson Plan
The Jackson Plan of 1822, also known as the "Plan of the Town of Singapore", was an urban plan for Singapore drawn up to maintain some order in the urban development of the fledgling but thriving colony founded just three years earlier...
. Raffles reserved Beach Road for the residences
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
of the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
s. By 1825, there were 20 such buildings. These luxurious homes earned the street its Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
name ji chap keng or "Twenty House Street". In 1886, one of these 20 houses, owned by W.R. George, was bought over by the Sarkies brothers
Sarkies Brothers
The Sarkies Brothers were a group of brothers of Armenian ethnicity. They created a dynasty that has influence throughout the region.They were best known for founding a chain of luxury hotels throughout Southeast Asia...
and later became the Raffles Hotel
Raffles Hotel
Raffles Hotel is a colonial-style hotel in Singapore, and one of the world's most famous hotels. The hotel was established by the famous Armenian Sarkies Brothers. Opened in 1887, it was named after Singapore's founder Sir Stamford Raffles. Managed by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, it is...
. By the 1880s, these houses were turned into hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
s or eating place
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s to cater to the increasing flow of travellers and Beach Road ceased to be a prestigious residential district.
Apart from houses, there were hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s, club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
s and bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s as well. The Singapore Cricket Club
Singapore Cricket Club
The Singapore Cricket Club is one of the premier sports and social clubs in Singapore. Its clubhouse is located at the Padang in Singapore's central business district....
had its roots here. The area was also the scene of frequent brawl
BRAWL
Brawl is a real-time card game designed by James Ernest and released in 1999 by Cheapass Games.-Gameplay:Like Spit or Icehouse, players in Brawl do not take turns, instead either making a move or staying inactive as best suits their strategy at that moment...
s, as in the days before Tanjong Pagar
Tanjong Pagar
Tanjong Pagar is a historic district located within the Central Business District in Singapore, straddling the Outram Planning Area and the Downtown Core under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's urban planning zones....
became the port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
area, European sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
s on shore leave
Shore leave
Shore leave is the leave that professional sailors get to spend on dry land. It is culturally infamous for its excess. Sailors without family obligations and with basic lodging needs provided aboard ship may spend their wages for the journey in a brief period of extravagance ashore and return to...
would make for Beach Road. Brawls and other unruly behaviour were the reason why Mrs Balestier, the first American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
's wife, presented the historic Revere Bell to Saint Andrew's Church in 1843. The bell
Church bell
A church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
was intended not only for church service
Church service
In Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
but also to be struck in the afternoon to warn seamen to return to their ships before darkness fell.
A sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
once existed in front of Raffles Hotel on the Beach Road side, and may account for the few steps which today lead to the lobby
Lobby (room)
A lobby is a room in a building which is used for entry from the outside. Sometimes referred to as a foyer or an entrance hall.Many office buildings, hotels and skyscrapers go to great lengths to decorate their lobbies to create the right impression....
, as apparently it was common for the water to come up and over Beach Road at high tide
High Tide
High Tide was a band formed in 1969 by Tony Hill , Simon House , Peter Pavli and Roger Hadden .-History:...
, before the land now in front of Beach Road was reclaimed
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
.
The first land reclamation
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
beyond the foreshore line of 1843 alongside Beach Road was to provide land to build the Alhambra and Marlborough Cinemas, a police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
and the Singapore Volunteer Corps
Singapore Volunteer Corps
The Singapore Volunteer Corps was a militia unit established in 1854 as the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps. The Corps underwent several reorganisations and was known by various names through its history...
Headquarters and Drill Hall (later converted to the Singapore Infantry Regiment
Singapore Infantry Regiment
The Singapore Infantry Regiment is the main formation of the Singapore Army. It consists of eight full-time battalions and a number of National Service , or Reservist battalions.-History:...
Headquarters). Further land reclamation began around the 1880s, gradually robbing Beach Road of its sea frontage. Over the years, Nicoll Highway
Nicoll Highway
Nicoll Highway is a major arterial road in Singapore which links Kallang to the city. En route, it passes through the areas of Kallang, Kampong Glam and Marina Centre....
and later Marina Square
Marina Square
Marina Square is a shopping mall in Singapore which opened in the late 1980s. It is part of the first building complex built on the reclaimed land at Marina Centre, and was the largest shopping mall in the country at the time...
and Suntec City
Suntec City
Suntec City is a major multi-use development located in Marina Centre, a subzone of the Downtown Core Planning Area in Singapore.- Design :Suntec City was designed by Tsao & McKown Architects with emphasis on Chinese geomancy . The five buildings and the convention center are arranged so that they...
were built on reclaimed land, pushing Beach Road even further inland.
Landmarks
The prominent landmarks located along Beach Road include (from north to south):- Golden Mile ComplexGolden Mile ComplexGolden Mile Complex is a high-rise commercial and residential building on Beach Road in Kallang, Singapore. The building was formerly known as Woh Hup Complex...
and Golden Mile Tower - Golden Mile Food Centre
- Masjid Hajjah FatimahMasjid Hajjah FatimahMasjid Hajjah Fatimah is a mosque located along Beach Road in the Kampong Glam district within the Kallang Planning Area in Singapore. The mosque was completed in 1846. The mosque represented a mix of local Islamic and European architecture, having been designed by colonial architect John Turnbull...
- Saint John HeadquartersSt. John Ambulance in SingaporeSt John Ambulance Singapore is a voluntary organisation in Singapore which provides training in First Aid and Home Nursing. Its members also perform voluntary first aid coverage duties during national events....
- The ConcourseThe ConcourseThe Concourse is a post-modern high-rise commercial and residential building on Beach Road in Kallang, Singapore.-History:The Concourse is located in Singapore's "Golden Mile", which refers to the strip of land between Nicoll Highway and Beach Road. It was planned by the Singapore Government as a...
- Parkroyal on Beach Road
- The PlazaThe Plaza (Singapore)The Plaza is a high-rise commercial and residential building on Beach Road in Singapore. The complex consists of a 30 storey residential and commercial tower and an 8 storey building housing The Plaza Parkroyal hotel....
- The GatewayThe Gateway, SingaporeThe Gateway is a 37-storey, , twin tower skyscraper complex completed in April 1990 on Beach Road in the Downtown Core of Singapore. The two buildings are named The Gateway East and The Gateway West.-Architecture:...
- Shaw Tower
- Old Beach Road Police Station
- South BeachSouth Beach, SingaporeSouth Beach is a planned commercial and residential complex to be located on Beach Road in the Downtown Core of Singapore. The new development will comprise offices, two hotels, shops and residences. The project includes the restoration of four conservation buildings — the former...
, planned complex comprising the former Beach Road camp and the former NCO Club - Raffles HotelRaffles HotelRaffles Hotel is a colonial-style hotel in Singapore, and one of the world's most famous hotels. The hotel was established by the famous Armenian Sarkies Brothers. Opened in 1887, it was named after Singapore's founder Sir Stamford Raffles. Managed by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, it is...
- Civilian War MemorialCivilian War MemorialThe Memorial to the Civilian Victims of the Japanese Occupation, usually called the Civilian War Memorial is one of Singapore's most famous iconic landmarks of heritage....
and War Memorial ParkWar Memorial Park, SingaporeWar Memorial Park is a parkland in Singapore, located along Beach Road in the Downtown Core of Singapore's Central Region. The Civilian War Memorial is located at the center of the park as a memorial to civilians who died in Singapore during World War II... - Raffles CityRaffles CityRaffles City is a large complex located in the Civic District within the Downtown Core of the city-state of Singapore. Occupying an entire city block bounded by Stamford Road, Beach Road, Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road, it houses two hotels and an office tower over a podium which contains a...
with Swissôtel The StamfordSwissôtel The StamfordSwissôtel The Stamford , is a luxury hotel in Singapore managed by Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts. Designed by architect I.M. Pei, Swissôtel The Stamford, at a height of is one of Southeast Asia’s tallest hotels...
and Fairmont Singapore