Developed by entrepreneur and philanthropist Lee Kong Chian in the 1950s, this 142-household estate was designed to provide affordable modern housing at a time when many in Singapore lived in overcrowded dwellings in town or in rural kampongs.
Fuyong Estate, named after Lee's hometown village of Fu Rong in Fujian, China, sat next to the neighbouring kampongs of Lorong Chamar and Chia Eng Say Road. The latter kampongs have been cleared, although the building foundations of some former kampong houses can still be seen behind Fuyong Estate today.
The streets in Fuyong Estate are named in Malay and express an ethos of progress and development that are reflective of Singapore's aspirations for self-governance in the 1950s. Street names include Jalan Asas (“foundation”), Jalan Tumpu (“focus”), Jalan Siap (“readiness”), Jalan Tekad (“willpower”) and Jalan Uji (“challenge”).
There were also a number of prominent residents who resided in Fuyong through the years, including former Singapore President S. R. Nathan, as well as Malay rock music icon Ramli Sarip who lived in the nearby Kampong Lorong Chamar.
