Singapore Chinatown Shophouse (Residential)

[Erik Zwaan]

Thanks for your responses .

Regarding the number of aircon units, bear in mind that Singapore is 1° north of the equator and in this tropical climate temperatures are usually well above 30°C all year round, with high humidity.
Shophouses are remnants from the past and in those pre-aircon days air wells were used to provide ventilation. Shophouses are relatively narrow and deep buildings and the air well was a to provide draft. In the model the center housing unit has such an air well

Nowadays we have split aircon units and in Singapore's climate a unit per room is almost an absolute requirement, which explains the outside units along the walls.
Nevertheless, it is quite remarkable that seemingly such a high number of aircon units is used per house. In normal homes (so-called HDB flats) you won't find this many per apartment. Perhaps it can be explained from the fact that most of today's Chinatown shophouses are used as offices, bars and restaurants rather than residential homes, with higher number of people and consequently higher cooling demand?

Erik

[Erik Zwaan]

Well, the build's almost finished. Added the roof parts, the model support frame and final ornaments, some paint/marker touch-ups and a glossy spray paint (the model sheets also have a glossy look). The street sign is a nod to the past and is the name of the street where my in-laws used to live. Google Earth street view comes in very handy to get the right image, even the one-way street sign .

Next time I will post pictures of the finished model, and also along with the other model in the series of Singapore Shophouses.

Erik

[Michael Mash]

Lovely photos. There is a lot of nice detail.
This kind of area would make great material for a diorama.

[Yu Gyokubun]

Erik san

Nicely built your model reminds me of days I have been traveling around South East Asian countries. In Bangkok, where climate is similar to Singapore, they have 3 seasons. Hot, hotter, hottest. In the hottest season I always brought a cardigan to wear it in an office building and in a hotel room because setting temperature there are far below comfortable one that is controlled by central air conditioning system and cannot change individually.
On the other hand, the heat outside was scorching and unbearable. Just a 10-minute walk made me break out in a sweat so I had no other choice but to take taxi wherever I go. As global warming is getting worth temperature in July and August in Tokyo nowadays is almost same as those days hottest season in Bangkok.

By the way, I miss taste of tropical fruits such as mango, durian and so on I would have there.