It’s a colourful sight, and if you’re driving down East Coast Road you would probably miss it because it’s almost hidden away in a side lane. yg draws our attention to a row of houses in Katong that are one-and-a-half storeys high:

The reason that the living spaces are raised about a metre above the ground is quite simple. Back before Marine Parade (which you can just see in the background) existed, this row of houses stood very close to the sea shore. The houses are raised so prevent water seeping into the house during high tide. The raised floor, a feature also found in traditional Malay houses, also provides an extra layer of ventilation – but I don’t think it helps much today since the floor seems to be made of concrete rather than wood.

These houses are some of the sights you can see by taking a walk through Katong. Read more about them, and their designs on the walls in yg’s posts here and here.