Refreshed heritage trail showcases Civic District’s lesser-known past

On the fourth floor of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI), an impressive 60cm-by-45cm, three-dimensional model of the building sits proudly within a glass case display.

- Koh Ming Lun

It may look like the work of a professional, but the model was actually built and hand-painted by a 14-year-old boy back in 1964. Despite having no prior experience in model-making, he completed the project in two years with just his imagination and no architectural drawings.

Now 75, Mr Teo Peng Hoe said he was inspired to create the model as he was fascinated by the reconstruction that SCCCI was undergoing at that time.

“I would observe the construction of the building every day. It was very unusual... the fusion of Western and Chinese elements was fascinating,” said Mr Teo, who used to live in Hill Street opposite SCCCI.

Mr Teo’s is one of several human stories featured in the companion guide to the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) latest reboot of its Civic District Heritage Trail.

The trail is Singapore's first established heritage trail, introduced in 1999. This is the second update of the trail, after it was reintroduced as the Jubilee Walk in 2015 to commemorate Singapore’s 50th year of independence.

The new trail builds on its previous iterations, which focused on the history of the district from a national development and governance perspective, to instead highlight the stories of the diverse communities that lived here.