WALL TILES

AR5958F

ZH AN G ZEQ I NG ZEN
Research Findings
The trend through colonial period (1819 – 1942)
Few articles were written about tiles and there is a lack of interest in wall tiles by the general public. (Articles)

Wall tiles are considered luxurious goods and some people consider it as a symbol of wealth and affluence. (Advertisements)

Wall tiles are purchased by specific groups of people in very limited quantities, such as shophouses and temples for decorative purposes (Advertisements)

Wall tiles are sold as individual components. They were hardly incorporated into infrastructure sales. (Advertisements)

Large scale of advertising of wall tiles leads to conclusion that wall tiles are forcing entry into market at that time period. (Advertisements)

The trend through post colonial period (1942 – 1970)

Many articles written about various tiles and its usage in general. Level of interest is high (Articles)

More local/regional companies were set up to keep up with demand of tiles. (Articles)

Wall tiles became more popular among general public as the market becomes more competitive and tiles get cheaper. (Articles)

Wall tiles were being utilised in the buildings by the developer. Mainly in toilets. (Advertisements)
Koon Seng Road Shophouse Cluster
The shophouse cluster found along Koon Seng
Road was built in the 1920s and 1930s.
This was a Peranakan community and all the
shophouses belonged to Peranakan owners.
The houses here are decorated with the
Peranakan tiles. These fancy decorative tiles
known as majolica tiles mainly came from UK,
Germany, Belgium and Japan and that time which
found favour in the Peranakan community as
they regarded these tiles as a symbol of wealth
and affluence.
These shophouses are gazetted for conservation
in 1991.
Koon Seng Road Shophouse Cluster

Shophouses showing its floral façade

Close up on floral tiles used

Petain Road Shophouse Cluster
18 Chinese-Baroque styled
shophouse cluster that was built in
1928 can be found along Petain Road.
A mixture of various culture. Chinese
Stucco panels, Malay influenced
eaves, Peranakan influenced floral
wall tiles to name a few.
These tiles are shipped in from
Belgium, UK and Japan.

Shophouses showing its floral façade

Petain Road Shophouse Cluster

Close-up of the floral tiles used

Front elevation of the shophouse, showing its floral façade

Cundhi Gong Temple ( 準提宫 )
Cundi Gong Temple is a small 400sqm
temple located at 13 Keong Saik Road.
It was built in 1928 in the Nanyang
Style, a hybrid of Hokkien-Chinese and
shophouse architecture.
The façade has original floral tiles
produced by Belgian manufacturer
Gillot & Cie.
Gazetted for conservation in 1989.

Front elevation of the temple, showing its floral façade

Cundhi Gong Temple ( 準提宫 )
Interior mosaic tiles
were added in 1960s
when interior wall
tiling became
affordable and
popular.
The rational was that
it makes it easier to
clean the wall as
compared to paint.
Floral Façade Tiles Mosaic Tiled Column Mosaic Tiled Interior
Thian Hock Keng Temple ( 天福宫 )
Front elevation of the temple
Thian Hock Keng Temple is one of Singapore’s
oldest Hokkien Temple.
Located at 158 Telok Ayer Street.
Construction period 1839 – 1842.
All building materials were imported from China,
and all the carvings and decorations were
crafted by artisans from Fujian Province.
Interior has colourful ceramics being
meticulously cut into smaller pieces and pasted
onto the walls to create beautiful mosaic figures.
Gazetted for conservation in 1973.
Thian Hock Keng Temple ( 天福宫 )

Interior view of walls with wall tiles cladding Colourful wall tiles crafted by Fujian artisan
Bukit Brown Cemetery
Bukit Brown Cemetery along Lornie Highway is
home to about 100,000 tombs in a land size of
about 0.86sq km.
To meet the need for growing demand in burial
ground for growing Chinese communities,
colonial authorities worked with the Municipal
Council and founded Bukit Brown Cemetery.
Some of the tombstones there are adorned
with beautiful wall tiles. These tiles mainly
came from the UK, Belgium and Japan.
Possibly as a sign of respect and remembrance
for their loved once.
Bukit Brown Cemetery

H&R Johnson, England, Circa 1910-1920 Saji Tile Co, Japan, Circa 1920-1930 Top: H&R Johnson, England, Circa 1910-1920
Bottom: Helman Le Glaive, Belgium, Circa 1900-1910
References
Research data from NewspaperSG

https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/home-design/small-temple-big-on-details

https://www.homeanddecor.com.sg/design/news/heritage-building-cundhi-gong-temple-small-in-size-but-big-on-design-features/

http://shgis.nus.edu.sg/shgis_webapps/SSA1208_2016/Reports1/123_Zhun%20Ti%20Gong.pdf

https://www.roots.sg/Content/Places/national-monuments/thian-hock-keng

https://worldtoptop.com/thian-hock-keng-temple/

https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_375_2004-12-27.html

https://blog.chooyilin.com/blog/5-colourful-facts-about-peranakan-tiles-you-never-knew

http://thianhockkeng.com.sg/

https://jenniferlimart.com/blog/2016/5/2/where-to-see-peranakan-tiles-in-singapore

https://lionraw.com/2014/06/26/petain-road-beauty-vice-and-controversy/#:~:text=First%2C%20the%20beauty%20of%20Petain,Baroque%20style%20back%20in%201930.&text=Built%
20in%201930%20by%20E.V,all%20forms%20of%20shophouse%20architecture
References
https://www.roots.sg/learn/stories/singapore-shophouses/story

https://theclaritycompass.wordpress.com/2017/08/26/petainroad/

https://blog.chooyilin.com/blog/3-places-to-see-peranakan-tiles-in-singapore

http://bukitbrown.com/main/?p=4626

https://jenniferlimart.com/blog/2017/8/10/bukit-brown-cemetery-national-day-tour-17

https://remembersingapore.org/bukit-brown-cemetery/
Thank
You