Einstein was here

Albert Einstein visited Frankel Estate in 1923 and was impressed by the beauty of the coconut palms. This estate got its name from The Frankels, who were Jewish entrepreneurs in the textile and furniture industries. They also developed the neighbouring Opera Estate, which was home to Singapore's first President, the late Mr Yusof Ishak.

Bedoh, Bedoh!

With a population of about 290,000, Bedok is Singapore’s largest planning area. It got its name from the Malay word ‘Bedoh’, meaning large drum, as there used to be a mosque in the area that would sound its drums daily to inform people of prayer times.

HIGHLANDS

These hills, once cultivated as fruit and vegetable farms by Chinese residents, were used during land reclamation to fill the sea, forming East Coast Park and Marine Parade.

Kampong Life

Also known as Bedok Corner, Kampong Bedok had rubber plantations, farms as well as upscale restaurants and beachside homes. Before land reclamation in the 1960s, the area was popular for many food stalls that lined the shore, which is now the Bedok Food Centre.

Green Giant

A large deciduous tree with aerial roots and a vast crown, the sea fig grows mostly on coastal areas. Native to Singapore and endangered in the wild, a prominent sea fig stands at the Bedok Food Centre Car Park at the end of Upper East Coast Road.

Once upon a costal seawall

The old seawalls along Marine Parade Road serve as markrs of the original coastline. A well-preserved section of seawall before Nallur Road features iron gates wrought with seaside motifs.

The 30-year-old reservoir

Completed in 1986, the reservoir was created as a result of the deep excavation works to provide earth for the sea reclamation work. It is now a popular place for water sports and other recreational activities.

Bedok Is...

my home where I live. Historical and rich values of cultures and religions, all you can find in the estate.

Bedok Is...

#therealestatessg

There are plenty of places in our living environment where colour and stories can inspire us to create art. In the search for the essence of a neighborhood, we choose to pay homage to the little things.

THE REAL ESTATES is a participatory art project under the National Arts Council’s Arts in Your Neighbourhood programme that playfully combines photography and design to create a series of topographic art maps, drawing on the quirks, patterns and vignettes of life unique to a neighborhood.

After kickstarting the project in Toa Payoh, our second installment brings us here to Bedok, once an idyllic coastal town dotted with fishing villages and coconut plantations. Discover different vignettes of life and add your own visual impressions here.

Catch us at Bedok Town Square (between Bedok Mall and Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre) from November 15 - 30 where you can pen your thoughts on the art map!

On 19 and 26 Nov from 330pm - 630pm, we'll also be hosting two free photo walks in Chai Chee led by a team of young artists and residents.

Logue is a content creation studio led by Jean Loo and Huiwen Yang. Rooted in the principles of journalism, we create social dialogue across the mediums of community art, film and photography and focus on crafting media content with a spirit of discovery. Our photographers for The Real Estates include Marvin Tang, Gaby Jeyaseelan and Donn Tan.

The National Arts Council Arts in Your Neighbourhood programme provides an enriching arts experience at one’s doorstep. It is a series comprising interactive arts programmes by established artists and arts groups, held at various spaces across the island.