The People's Park Complex was completed in 1973 and was regarded as an emblem of Asian Modernism. The building featured Singapore's first atrium in a shopping centre, a concept pioneered by the Metabolist Movement of Japan in the 1960s.
The development challenged the idea of single-use zoning and was the first mixed-use building of its kind in Southeast Asia. The complex comprises a twenty-five storey residential block above a six-storey podium of shops and offices. It was also the largest shopping complex in Singapore in the 1970s.
Its location in the shopping and commercial district of Chinatown made it a popular venue for public events, exhibitions, fund-raising shows and trade fairs. The open-air area enclosed by the complex and the adjacent buildings such as Pearl's Hill Market, Majestic Theatre and OG Building often played host to street vendors, performers, and fun fairs even up till today.
Buildings and sites featured on Roots.SG are part of our efforts to raise awareness of our heritage; a listing on Roots.SG does not imply any form of preservation or conservation status, unless it is mentioned in the article. The information in this article is valid as of July 2016 and is not intended to be an exhaustive history of the site/building.
