Historic Shophouses Of Singapore

SINGAPORE - APRIL 02: Aircons are installed behind shophouses along Boat Quay on April 2, 2013 in Singapore. A shophouse is a vernacular architectural building type that is commonly seen in areas such as urban Southeast Asia. Shophouses are mostly two or three stories high, with a shop on the ground floor for mercantile activity and a residence above the shop. This pre-industrial form of urban units, prevalent in 19th and early 20th century Southeast Asian towns, cities and commercial centres, literally housed everything from work to home. Today, these buildings are recognised for their significance not only as an architectural heritage but more importantly as a reflection of the island's societal history and development. (Photo by Nicky Loh/Getty Images)