A Mansion for All Time

The Tan Chin Tuan Mansion on Cairnhill Road, Singapore, built in the early 1930s is described as an outstanding conservation effort and engineering marvel. Trees obliterate much of the view of this beautiful mansion and this was all I could see to do my sketch.

Originally built for another well-known entrepreneur, it was bought by the late banker and philanthropist Tan Chin Tuan and for almost 60 years was used as his private residence. Since 2006, the renovated mansion has been used as a hub for business and social events held by the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation. It also houses a collection of memorabilia chronicling the life of this well known Singapore personality. The building, a fusion of colonial architecture and Straits Chinese influences has been restored and fronts a new 20 storey residential tower which has been interestingly built over and behind it. The new 20 storey tower is occupied by the extended family of Tan Chin Tuan with only a few apartments up for lease.

Tan Chin Tuan became Chairman of the Overseas Banking Corporation (OCBC) and it was under his stewardship that the OCBC became one of the world's top banks. He died in 2005 at the age of 97.

I gleaned a better understanding of the architectural aspects of this renovation on the World Buildings Directory. 

People on the Train

It's only lately that I have been game to sketch people in the train. So far so good. I choose those occupied with their own activities or a little further away. Sure helps to pass the time. 

This was on a Friday evening after work, some people were obviously *very* tired.

On another occasion, a cute 6 year old boy sitting next to me took an interest in my sketching so I invited him to share my page. What a pleasant way to fill the half hour trip. Thank you Aiden! 

My Old Hairdresser

When I was in my teens I used to have my hair cut by a hairdresser who was a family friend. She had her business in a terrace house on the corner of Cairnhill and Bideford Roads. That row of terrace houses has mostly been demolished leaving four. One has been painted in an interesting colour scheme and houses a restaurant. Perhaps one should never go looking for places that belong in the past?

The Marina Bay Sands

The Marina Bay Sands (the unusual building on the right) has become the iconic landmark of the Singapore skyline. It is an integrated resort of hotel rooms, shops, museums, theatres, restaurants, a skating rink and the world's largest atrium casino. The complex is topped by a 340m-long SkyPark and infinity swimming pool set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform. Phew!

I sketched this from a hotel room in the Fullerton Hotel opposite. 

The second sketch was done on another day from the same hotel room. It shows a dredger (?) which seemed to be dredging mud from the Singapore River below.