Tan Teng Niah

"The former house of Tan Teng Niah, built in 1900, stands as the last surviving Chinese villa in Little India, Singapore, encapsulating a significant yet often overlooked chapter of the area's history. This heritage site reflects a time when small Chinese industries thrived alongside the bustling cattle and rattan trades. Tan Teng Niah, a prominent towkay known for his successful sweet-making factories along Serangoon Road, played a key role in the local economy, utilizing sugarcane to produce various confections. Notably, he also operated a rubber smoke-house behind the villa, where he dried rubber using sugarcane by-products as fuel. The architectural design of the villa features eight rooms, with the second storey overhanging the first to create a covered pedestrian walkway, known as a five-foot way. This design was typical in traditional Peranakan architecture, providing shelter for pedestrians from the tropical sun and rain. The house originally included carriage gates on either side, leading to a courtyard, enhancing its grandeur. A striking element of the villa is the pintu pagar, or swinging wooden half doors, which are richly carved, alongside the front room adorned with elegant wall scrolls. Above the entrance, a gilded nameplate inscribed with "Siew Song" (meaning "elegant pine" in Mandarin) signifies endurance and aspiration—a sentiment believed to be a tribute to Tan's wife. The house underwent restoration and conservation in the 1980s for commercial use, earning recognition from the Singapore Institute of Architects with an Honourable Mention in 1991, ensuring that this piece of Singapore's heritage is preserved for future generations to appreciate."

"Fun fact: the former house of Tan Teng Niah used to be all white – hard to believe when you look at its colourful facade today. Said to be the last Chinese villa of its kind in Little India, it was built by businessman Tan Teng Niah for his beloved wife, and was only given a makeover when the house was restored for commercial use in the 1980s. "

"Built in 1900, the former house of Tan Teng Niah is the last surviving Chinese villa in Little India. It embodies an often overlooked story when small Chinese businessmen operated in this area. Now it mainly serves as a landmark. "