Religious Diversity and Unique Architecture: 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Hougang

SINGAPORE: A new heritage trail has been launched in Hougang, showing its transformation from a rural area to a modern heartland estate.

There will be 20 from the National Heritage Board (NHB)^th heritage and part of ongoing efforts to “document and promote the district’s histories and social memories of the different areas where Singaporeans live, work and play,” NHB said in a press release on Thursday (October 29).

The Hougang Heritage Trail will also be the first to feature two national monuments: the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Hougang Tou Mu Kung.

“Through our new Hougang Heritage Trail and our other trails, we hope to encourage Singaporeans to explore their own backyards during this period of travel restrictions and rediscover the delights of local heritage,” said Deputy Executive Director (Policy and Community ) from NHB, Alvin Tan.

“In doing so, we hope Singaporeans come away with a renewed appreciation of what Singapore has to offer in terms of unique heritage experiences with strong local appeal.”

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Here are some things you might not know about Hougang:

Why is it pronounced “Au Kang”?

The first documented use of “Au Kang”, which means “back of the river” in both Teochew and Hokkien, was in 1856. “Hougang” is the Mandarin version, which was introduced in 1980 for the new residential city to be was building at the time.

The name is a reference to Sungei Serangoon at the end of Upper Serangoon Road, where many Teochew-speaking inhabitants settled.

“While the old pronunciation of Teochew has endured and the Teochew community continues to have a strong presence, a lot has changed,” NHB said.

“A strong and diverse mix of other communities and cultures has also developed and continues to accentuate the colorful character of one of Singapore’s oldest cities.”

It has several places of faith for different religions.

Many of the places of faith in Hougang date back to the early days of Kampung.

The arrival of Teochew Catholic immigrants from China for missionary work in the 19th century led to the establishment of religious institutions in the area, NHB said.

This includes the Church of the Nativity of the Holy Mary, the oldest place of worship in the area and a national monument included in the heritage tour. Currently, he continues to provide religious services in Teochew.

Hougang Tou Mu Kung, Singapore’s oldest temple dedicated to the Nine God Emperors, also shows up along the way. It started as a shrine in Lim Loh village in 1902 and is still well known for its grand celebrations during the annual Nine God Emperor festival, NHB said.

Also included are St. Paul’s Church, Masjid Haji Yusoff, and Taoist and Buddhist temples, which were established to serve the devotees of different clans and dialect groups.

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Hougang is home to several community institutions

Hougang is also home to several institutions that were established to serve the community. They helped provide health care, education, and social support, as well as promote community ties.

Among these institutions is the Ramakrishna Mission, which bought the land on Bartley Road in 1941 and built a children’s home for those affected by the war, as well as a temple in 1954 for devotees of Sri Ramakrishna.

Another institution, Phoh Kiu Siang T’ng, started in 1929 on Upper Circular Road, then a Teochew enclave, and moved to Simon Lane in 1953.

It began by providing funeral services to members and dispensing medicine to the poor, NHB said, adding that today it operates a free clinic.

Also in the area is the Serangoon Khiung Jai Co-Villagers Association, which represented and served the Hainanese living in Lorong Ah Soo.

He continues to be active in fostering ties between Hainanese in Singapore.

Look for unique architectural features

Hougang is home to a number of Housing Development Board (HDB) buildings and blocks with unique architectural features such as curved columns and buildings with stepped sloping roofs.

The first city center on Hougang Street 21 was designed with elements of colonial architecture referencing Singapore’s pre-war bungalows, including low-rise buildings with rounded arches, multi-pane windows and shutters.

The second city center, located in Hougang Central, can be distinguished by a pair of blocks with stepped gabled roof buildings, a throwback to Hougang’s rural past.

In the 1980s, HDB began to create a distinctive identity for different developments.

In Hougang, they introduced curvatures in their buildings with rounded balconies and curved columns. Some blocks were decorated with murals, including the iconic Block 316, which has a rainbow mural, and Block 25, which features a mural of the sky.

While Block 316 has been repainted multiple times and each iteration resulted in a new design, it has always been adorned with a rainbow mural.

Crocodile farms and Singapore’s first fast food establishment in a housing estate

Hougang was the first farm in Singapore to have a fast food outlet when McDonald’s opened one in the city center in 1984. Today it remains in its original location.

The farm was also home to several crocodile farms.

This includes the Singapore Crocodile Farm, which was established in 1945 and had around 600 crocodiles in the 1980s. Other smaller farms were also in the area.

Hougang Plaza, which opened in 1993, was touted as the first “entertainment complex on an HDB estate.” It provided recreational facilities such as a bowling alley, billiard room, and cineplex for residents until it was demolished in 2013.