About People's Park Complex
People's Park Complex is a 31-storey mixed-use building at 1 Park Road, Singapore 059108, in Chinatown, District 1. A six-storey podium of shops and offices was finished in October 1970, and the 25-storey apartment slab above it followed in June 1973. It was designed by Design Partnership, now DP Architects, with a team led by William Lim together with Tay Kheng Soon and Koh Seow Chuan. The building stands 102.7 metres tall on a site of about one hectare and is held on a 99-year lease that began in March 1968.
The yellow-and-green block is a Chinatown landmark. The podium is known for money changers, travel agents, massage shops and Chinese food. The building is still standing and in use. Owners tried collective sales in 2018 and 2023, and in late 2023 URA said it was studying the building for conservation. No sale has been completed.
Interesting facts
The site was once an open public park at the foot of Pearl's Hill, later the People's Park Market of outdoor stalls, which was destroyed by fire on 24 December 1966.
According to NLB Infopedia, it was the largest shopping complex in Singapore when completed and the first with an atrium.
The original finish was raw exposed concrete in the Brutalist manner. Repainting came later, with an orange-and-green scheme in 1998 and the current yellow and green in 2009.
Both collective sale attempts, in 2018 and March 2023, carried a $1.3 billion asking price. The first did not reach the 80 per cent consent needed, and the second stalled after the conservation study was announced.
Nearby
Chinatown MRT (North East and Downtown lines) is about two minutes away on foot, and Outram Park MRT (East-West, North East and Thomson-East Coast lines) is around ten minutes. Neighbours include People's Park Centre, People's Park Food Centre, the Majestic and Yue Hwa Building. Chinatown Complex Food Centre, Pagoda Street, Sri Mariamman Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple are a short walk across Eu Tong Sen Street. Pearl's Hill City Park lies directly behind the building.
Key facts
Address: 1 Park Road, Singapore 059108
District: 1 (Chinatown)
Property type: Mixed-use (retail, office, apartments)
Completed: 1970 (podium), 1973 (residential tower)
Architect: Design Partnership (now DP Architects)
Tenure: 99-year leasehold from 25 March 1968
Storeys / floor area: 31 storeys; site about 1 hectare; built area about 57,900 sq m
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (NE4/DT19)
MCST: 0473