shophouses

Shophouse refers to a narrow, multi-storey commercial-residential building common in parts of Asia, especially Southeast Asia. Typically, the ground floor houses a shop or workshop facing the street, while the upper floors provide living quarters for the proprietor and family. Shophouses are frequently arranged in continuous rows along urban streets.

Architectural features vary by region, but common elements include a narrow frontage with a tall, deep plan, a covered first-floor veranda or porch known as a shopfront, and a decorative facade often with tiled or stucco finishes and timber shutters. Upper floors are accessed by an interior stair, with rooms arranged around a central corridor or light well. The structures are usually attached to neighbors, sharing party walls.

Shophouses developed in port and commercial districts during the late 18th to early 20th centuries, in response to dense urban growth and the need for small merchants to combine retail with residence. In Singapore and Malaya, colonial-era styles blended European, Chinese, and Malay influences, yielding variations such as the Straits Eclectic and the so-called Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya motifs. Similar forms appear in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, adapted to local climates and building materials.

Today, shophouses remain a defining element of historic cityscapes. Many are maintained as heritage buildings, though some have been renovated for offices, boutiques, or guesthouses. Preservation efforts focus on structural safety, façade restoration, and adaptation that preserves historical character while meeting modern codes.

Shophouses contribute to pedestrian-friendly streets, economic activity, and urban identity, offering a compact, mixed-use model common to traditional Southeast Asian cities.