Halal Food in Chinatown

At 195 Pearl's Hill Terrace stands a building complex steeped in Singapore's law enforcement history. Completed in 1934 by the Public Works Department in simplified Neo-Classical style, the Upper Barracks on Pearl's Hill originally housed the Sikh Contingent of the Straits Settlements Police. The strategic hilltop position offered commanding views over Chinatown below, allowing authorities to monitor and control an area once plagued by crime syndicates and violence. This surveillance capability proved crucial during Singapore's turbulent post-war decades. The complex later served as headquarters for the Ministry of Interior and Defence until its 1970 split into separate Home Affairs and Defence ministries. Dr. Goh Keng Swee maintained his ministerial office here during this transformative period. Hidden within the buildings lay a bomb-proof bunker that functioned as the nerve centre for police communications, coordinating responses during crises including the 1956 Chinese Middle Schools riots. This Combined Operations Headquarters facilitated seamless cooperation between police and armed forces when public order hung in the balance. Recognizing its historical significance, the Urban Redevelopment Authority gazetted the barracks for conservation in 2008, with the National Heritage Board designating it a Historic Site in 2012. The buildings have since transformed into an independent arts enclave tucked behind People's Park Complex in Chinatown. Today, 195 Pearl's Hill Terrace thrives as a creative hub where art studios and cultural enterprises occupy spaces once dedicated to maintaining Singapore's security, offering a striking example of adaptive reuse that honours heritage while embracing contemporary creative expression.