Swing door : close-up | PictureSG

Swing door : close-up

This is a photograph of a swing door of a restored house in the Joo Chiat area. The distinctive swing door or 'pintu pagar' in Malay is a unique feature in these restored houses. The swing doors provide privacy in the front hall of the house, from the five-foot way outside. Title devised by Library staff.

Credit Line

All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2008.

Subjects

Suggested Pictures

Suggested Pictures from National Archives of Singapore

SWINGING DOOR AT HAIRDRESSING SALON IN CHINATOWN, C.1980S
DOOR WAY WITH SWING DOORS IN GEYLANG. NAME BOARD WITH A WHITE STRIP ACROSS THE CHINESE CHARACTER TO SIGNIFY A RECENT DEATH IN THE FAMILY.
Elderly man, likely to be from the tailor shop behind him, working by a drain along five-foot-way outside the shop
SEWING ON THE FIVE-FOOT WAY
WOODEN SWING DOORS AT GEYLANG SHOPHOUSE
FIVE FOOT WAY BARBERSHOP IN GEYLANG
FIVE FOOT WAY BARBERSHOP IN GEYLANG
View of five-foot way outside coffeeshop in Chinatown, with an elderly lady having her hair done by a "hairdresser" and another sitting at marble-top table commonly found in coffeeshops and Chinese households. An unique feature of Malaya's shophouses, "five-foot way" was introduced by the town planners when Sir Stamford Raffles stipulated that shophouses must have a covered walkway of about five feet along its street front. These walkways were meant to protect pedestrians from the hot tropical sun and rain. Business could be conducted along these five-foot ways and thus the phrase "five-foot-way traders", an example of which is the "hairdresser" in this photo.
WOMAN FEEDS CHILD AT FIVE FOOT WAY OUTSIDE A ROW OF PERANAKAN HOUSES WITH COLOURFUL TILES ON THE WALLS AND FLOORING
COBBLER AT WORK ALONG THE FIVE-FOOT WAY
SINGAPORE - FIVE-FOOT WAY IN CHINATOWN
PERANAKAN SWING DOOR ON HOUSE, VICTORIA STREET
SINGAPORE - PALM READING WITH PARROT, ALONG FIVE-FOOT WAY
Playing cards along the five foot way, Serangoon Road
PERANAKAN STYLE CARVED WOODEN SWING DOORS AT GEYLANG
KIDS PLAYING ALONG A FIVE-FOOT WAY OUTSIDE THE LAU CHIT KEE HIANG HUAY KUAN AT KIM YAM ROAD
Playing draughts along the five foot way
KIDS PLAYING ALONG A FIVE FOOT WAY OUTSIDE LAU CHIT KEE HIANG HUAY KUAN AT KIM YAM ROAD
SINGAPORE - PALM READING WITH PARROT, ALONG FIVE-FOOT WAY
View of five-foot way with rattan baskets and sieves, iron woks and earthen stoves, and other wares hanging outside shops in Chinatown. An unique feature of Malaya's shophouses, "five-foot way" was introduced by the town planners when Sir Stamford Raffles stipulated that shophouses must have a covered walkway of about five feet along its street front. These walkways were meant to protect pedestrians from the hot tropical sun and rain. Business could be conducted along these five-foot ways and thus the phrase "five-foot-way traders".
A BARBER SHOP ALONG THE FIVE-FOOT WAY
TABLET PLACED ALONG A FIVE-FOOT WAY TO WELCOME THE GOD OF WEALTH
ALTARS IN FIVE FOOT WAY, GEYLANG