The Pearl of Chinatown: a visual journey through Pearl's Hill Terrace

Initially earmarked for closure next year, Singapore's most iconic arts enclave just had its lease renewed. How do we make the case to ensure its longevity beyond that?

Mural in the inside court at Pearl’s Hill Terrace. All photos credit: Robin Vochelet

On the last night of April, back in 2022, I first stepped foot into the ethereal space of Pearl’s Hill Terrace. I had been invited there by Wei, a friend I met online a few months prior, to attend a rave in a space called The Glass Hut, nestled in the independent arts enclave at 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace.

Walking into the decades-old building almost felt like traveling through time and space; there was little left of the “new Singapore,” where the stairs are straight, the pavement flat, and the walls covered in ads and ‘don’t’ injunctions. The nightly atmosphere undoubtedly added to the experience, seeing lines of Buddha, samurai, and Greek statues basking in ominous purple lighting.

That night became the first of many more nights spent at The Glass Hut, and many more days spent exploring the surrounding space at Pearl’s Hill Terrace. Nights at the Hut provided a glimpse into a subset of Singapore I had been so eager to explore: the fringes of society, where the ‘what ifs’ became more than just fiction, powered by people who dare to dream that life in the Little Red Dot can extend beyond a 9-6 job, a Built-to-Order (BTO) flat, and a Saturday shopping trip to Orchard Rd.

Outside wall of The Glass Hut, designed by the Hut’s crew.