Pearl Bank Apartments by Darren Soh
Inauguration: 1976
Architect: Tan Cheng Siong of Archynamics Architects
The ingenious form of a “broken cylinder” not only elongates the block’s mass visually but also captures breeze and mitigates the heat and glare from the afternoon sun. The gap in the cylindrical form creates a monumental 38-storey window. Gazing out from it into the courtyard, and over the open cantilevered stairs to dramatically framed city vistas, is among Singapore’s most sublime architectural experiences.
Although neglected by indifferent management, the innovative high-rise communal deck prefigures the sky gardens of today by three decades. Structurally, massive shear walls brace the building against wind and tremors and provide sound insulation. They support 38 floors of interlocking, split-level maisonettes. Despite several attempts to push for its conservation, as well as numerous failures to its en bloc sale, Pearl Bank was eventually sold in 2018 and demolished a year after.
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Size: 59.4 cm x 42 cm. Unframed.
Print on Sihl Masterclass Lustre Photo Paper 300 - made with Epson Pigment Inks.
Signed by Darren Soh. No certificate of authentication.
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About Darren Soh
Darren Soh’s photographic practice explores architecture, urban landscape and space. An established photographer who is most recognised for his documentation of vernacular architecture. Darren has been placed in several international photography awards over the years, including the Commonwealth Photographic Awards, the Prix de la Photographie, Paris, the International Photography Awards, PDN and ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu. His works have been shown widely, and has published several monographs including While You Were Sleeping (2004), For My Son (2015) and In the Still of the Night (2016).
Darren was one of the co-founders of Platform.sg, an initiative to showcase photography of Singapore or by Singaporean photographers.