It's all there in Black and White!  There was nothing negative about the tour organized by the Swiss Association on March 10.

The architecture of the black and white houses of Singapore is unique, and as the city develops and buildings grow ever skywards, these stand as a tribute to Singapore's Colonial past and are well worth a visit.  Look carefully and you can see these houses hidden away in all parts of the city, but those of Nassim Road and Goodwood Road were those we visited in our mini bus, though a walking tour of this area is perfectly possible. (Discover Singapore on Foot; Dominique Grele & Lydie Rainbault).  However, the excellent and informative descriptions by our Tour Guide, Geraldine  Lowe, detailing many of the finer points of construction, was not to be missed.

Built in the 1920s for high ranking officials, these houses are a clever mixture, built using the many skills and cultural influences that still define modern day Singapore. In the time of Sir Stamford Raffles, a law was passed that all buildings in this smart new city of his should be constructed of brick or stone, up to the first floor, in order to make them safer from fire. The bricks were made from local red clay, 'tanah mirah', then coated with a white mixture of coconut milk and fibre before being polished with crystal stones to make them smooth. Labour intensive indeed.

The ceilings in all the houses continued the monochrome theme. They were high, with black beams coated in creosote to protect them from ants and other termites. A 'punkah wallah' may also have been employed to waft ceiling fans to and fro.  In an age where air conditioning was a far-away dream, the homes made the best of existing breezes, and all were originally an open plan, allowing air to circulate through doors and windows. Most of these homes have now inserted glass panes and a/c or ceiling fans and the previously open balcony has, in some cases, been enclosed to protect computers and other hi-tech, high maintenance equipment. 

It was also thought sensible to have the two kitchens (one for western style food, one eastern style food) away from the main house, and so the residents of these elegant houses with their colonnades and pillars, banished their servants and their cooking smells to the rear. The buildings can still be seen from the roadway, but have in many instances been converted for twenty first century garaging needs.

The fascination with monochrome was an ex-pat thing. Not only were the bamboo blinds painted in white horizontal stripes, but it also affected their choice of plants in the garden. We saw Frangipani and other white blossoming plants in their lush gardens, and learned that no superstitious Asian would tolerate this.

Our guide was very informative about the plants in Singapore: and pointed out the lemon grass and tapioca plants as well as the many varieties of trees along our route.  We learned of the pepper plantations and that white pepper is stronger than black and that many early entrepreneurs made their money by importing and exporting spices. The ballast of the ships coming from Europe often consisted of ceramic tiles to enhance the homes with cool flooring.

The final visit was to the small transit homes in Alexandra Road, where the British military was billeted en route from various operations in Asia. A smaller simple design, but nevertheless worth a heritage consideration.

The tour covered so many aspects of Singapore life in the early days of colonisation. We learned that to the locals, a 'black and white' did not refer to the homes we had visited, but to the Amah or maid, employed to look after these early settlers. The Amah, we learned, wore a white shirt and black trousers and her hair in a long plait.

Our thanks to the residents of these wonderful buildings for their kind hospitality, and for their continued guardianship of a precious heritage, and to Geraldine, whose love of her city might even make her lie down in front of a bulldozer!

Sue Mason
Swiss Association member