Tanjong Katong Complex to fully reopen in 2029 with a rooftop community deck, food garden, and cultural programmes
Leading the mall refresh is Jun Jie Development Pte Ltd, which was awarded the tender by the Singapore Land Authority on June 28. As with any makeover, the concern is always about losing the building's original charm. However, Jun Jie Development won the bid based on its "strong, community-centric proposal," which also prioritises the sensitive preservation of Tanjong Katong Complex's heritage. What that hopefully means for us: spiffy new features that will attract fresh crowds while retaining the complex's kampung spirit.
Based on SLA's statement and new artist impressions, the refurbished Tanjong Katong Complex will feature a "community spine" that connects retail, communal, and green spaces. One of the key features will be a multi-purpose rooftop community deck, where we anticipate planned activations such as creative markets, wellness activities, and cultural showcases can take place. There will also be a food garden and art and heritage installations telling the story of Geylang Serai's heritage.
Bookworms have something to look forward to as well. The Geylang East Public Library, now a standalone building located a 15-minute walk away from Paya Lebar MRT, will be relocated to the refurbished Tanjong Katong Complex. A whopping 2,400 square metres of space has been set aside for this.
Recognising the complex's significance to the Malay community, 3,600 square metres has also been set aside for Yayasan Mendai headquarters and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. An additional 1,500 square metres will be allocated for Malay cultural trades and entrepreneurial incubation spaces, the latter of which aims to promote young Malay entrepreneurs.
All welcome changes, but one important thing will remain the same: Tanjong Katong Complex's iconic façade. While the artist's impressions show a fresh paint job – featuring warm brown and cream hues and Malay cultural motifs – the complex will retain its distinctive features, including its slanted columns and cylindrical towers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Out
03-07-2025
- Time Out
Tanjong Katong Complex to fully reopen in 2029 with a rooftop community deck, food garden, and cultural programmes
Tanjong Katong Complex is getting a makeover. The old mall in Geylang Serai has long held a special place in the hearts of the Malay community, serving as a one-stop shop for traditional Malay textiles, spices, and homewares, especially during the festive season. Now closed for refurbishment, it will reopen progressively from 2026, with a full reopening slated for 2029. Leading the mall refresh is Jun Jie Development Pte Ltd, which was awarded the tender by the Singapore Land Authority on June 28. As with any makeover, the concern is always about losing the building's original charm. However, Jun Jie Development won the bid based on its "strong, community-centric proposal," which also prioritises the sensitive preservation of Tanjong Katong Complex's heritage. What that hopefully means for us: spiffy new features that will attract fresh crowds while retaining the complex's kampung spirit. Based on SLA's statement and new artist impressions, the refurbished Tanjong Katong Complex will feature a "community spine" that connects retail, communal, and green spaces. One of the key features will be a multi-purpose rooftop community deck, where we anticipate planned activations such as creative markets, wellness activities, and cultural showcases can take place. There will also be a food garden and art and heritage installations telling the story of Geylang Serai's heritage. Bookworms have something to look forward to as well. The Geylang East Public Library, now a standalone building located a 15-minute walk away from Paya Lebar MRT, will be relocated to the refurbished Tanjong Katong Complex. A whopping 2,400 square metres of space has been set aside for this. Recognising the complex's significance to the Malay community, 3,600 square metres has also been set aside for Yayasan Mendai headquarters and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. An additional 1,500 square metres will be allocated for Malay cultural trades and entrepreneurial incubation spaces, the latter of which aims to promote young Malay entrepreneurs. All welcome changes, but one important thing will remain the same: Tanjong Katong Complex's iconic façade. While the artist's impressions show a fresh paint job – featuring warm brown and cream hues and Malay cultural motifs – the complex will retain its distinctive features, including its slanted columns and cylindrical towers.
Time Out
06-05-2025
- Time Out
Good news: Arts hub 195 Pearl's Hill Terrace's lease will be extended until March 2028
It looks like indie arts cluster 195 Pearl's Hill Terrace will live to see another day. In positive news for local creatives and arts enthusiasts alike, the old building at Chinatown will not be having its tenant lease terminated by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) just yet, so it's business as usual for now – at least until March 2028. The arts enclave – a former barracks site for Singapore's police force harking back to the 1920s – was initially set to shut its doors in March 2025 to make way for the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) housing plan. After this news was met with much despair from its tenants, landlord, and the public, the ending of the lease was postponed to March 2026, giving the 100-odd businesses within the heritage building another year to cling onto. But perhaps our voices have more power than we think, because this lease has since been extended even further till 2028. This gives us three more years to enjoy Pearl's Hill Terrace's hodgepodge of ink parlous, ceramic workshops, thrift stores, independent jewellery stores, and tarot reading studios. Among its occupants are the al fresco bar Kult Yard; Japanese-inspired café Paaru; ceramic and glasswork gallery Round and Round; and tattoo studio State of Shiok which hosts tattoo art jamming workshops where you get to use real ink guns on faux skin.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Inside the affordable hole in the wall restaurant chef Kylie Kwong can't get enough of - and the 'legendary' dish everyone should try
Celebrity chef Kylie Kwong has revealed the Sydney restaurant that she's visited repeatedly - and it has a surprisingly affordable menu. The Australian food icon recently spoke to Gourmet Traveller about the top ten restaurant dining gems located around the Western Sydney area. And one of the chef's stand out picks was Parramatta restaurant, Temasek. Kwong, 55, told the Australian food publication that she's been a repeat-customer at the authentic Singaporean-Malay institution for many years. Her go-do dishes at Temasek are their signature Singapura Laksas along with their Haianaese Chicken Rice, which Kwong described as 'legendary'. Both of Kwong's top pick menu choices are surprisingly well-priced. Temasek's Singapura Laksas start at $25.80 and are available in six different varieties. Diners can choose the laksa with either chicken, prawns, fishcake, vegetables, seafood, or a chicken and prawn combo. Meanwhile, the Hainanese Chicken Rice is even more affordable at $23 for a generous serve. The dish is described on the menu as 'a succulent tender boneless chicken served with flavoured rice, soup, chilli & soy sauce'. Bigger groups of diners could also consider ordering the Hainanese chicken in a half or full size. A whole Hainaese chicken, which can be served steamed or fried, is $62, while a half chicken is $32. Temasek has been a renowned Western Sydney dining spot for decades after being originally founded in 1992. The restaurant has changed location at points over the years, but Kwong explained in her recent interview that the feel of the restaurant remains unchanged. The Aussie chef, who is currently working as an associate for Sydney's Powerhouse museum, said she recently re-visited the dining venue after its most recent relocation. Temasek is now located on George Street in the heart of Parramatta. '[T]hey managed to maintain the essence and flavour of the Temasek we all love, which is an enormous achievement,' commended Kwong. Temasek was previously praised by revered SMH Good Food critique Terry Durack, who described it as one of the rare restaurants in Sydney to offer 'value with a capital V'. In his 2024 review, the food critic noted that many of the restaurant's most popular dishes, including Kwong's picks in the Singapura Laksa and Hainanese chicken rice along with other stalwarts like Nasi Goreng haven't 'changed much since it opened in 1992'. Kwong's other top dining picks around the Western Sydney area also included the likes of Gebran Lebanese Cuisine in Mount Lewis and Sri Lankan restaurant Chef Ceylon in Toongabbie. Much to the disappointment of fans, Kwong announced the closure of her own restaurant, Lucky Kwong, in June 2024 after being open for 24 years. 'At the end of June, I'm hanging up my restauranteur hat in order to make space for that which has become closest to my heart,' she began in a sombre Instagram post. 'I'd like to step into the next phase of my practice. Through the lens of food and interconnectedness, I wish to place my energy into helping share other people's stories.' Her famed restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Everleigh was renowned for its diverse menu, featuring many delicacies such as crispy skin duck and saltbush cakes. Kwong rose to fame in 2003 with her ABC TV series Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul, a show that thrust her restaurant into the national spotlight and had customers queuing around the block. She also made a guest appearance on MasterChef in 2012, appearing in the show's fourth season.
