New Bahru: Old School Vibes Meet Modern Creative Culture

From the brutalist-style structural lines to the laid-back, creative energy of the people hanging out, these frames skip the usual tourist trail to give you a definitive look at Singapore's evolving urban culture.

My afternoon photowalk at New Bahru Singapore is exactly that. I brought my Leica Q3 43 down to this newly revitalized creative hub to capture how the raw, mid-century architecture plays with the blazing afternoon sun.

Close-up of an abstract architectural interior with orange and white walls, a light strip, and red pipes.
Close-up of steps with a textured surface, featuring orange safety strips along the edges.
A mirror displaying a quote on a red wall, with two women visible in the mirror's reflection.
Interior view of a minimalist staircase with white steps, red handrails, a small corridor beneath the staircase, and a red wall on the left side.
View of a shopping mall interior through an open pink balcony door. The mall features clothing stores with mannequins displaying clothes, and large glass windows showing indoor plants and displays.
A pinkish-orange yoga mat rolled up on a brick sidewalk next to a pink wall with a pipe running along the base of the wall.
Outdoor stairway with orange railing and white steps, adjacent to a building with a sign displaying produce such as strawberries, kiwi, and eggs.
Brick steps with a red railing and a tiled floor with some leaves.
Outdoor staircase with terracotta-colored tiles and red metal railings, casting shadows on the steps.
View of a rooftop with curved beige roofing tiles, a large green tree, and the exterior of a modern building with dark panels and metal railings in the background.
Close-up of the curved, vented top of a metallic air conditioning or ventilation unit with grid-like patterns in a parking lot.
A view of a pink building with several windows, trees, a parking lot with cars, and a sign that reads 'LITTLE ITI' on a balcony railing. There are people walking on the balcony of the building.
A pink commercial building with retail shops and people walking on the sidewalk, bordered by trees and parked cars, with a city skyline in the background.
A beige building with multiple windows and two vertical banners hanging from the balconies. One banner has the text "Global Call" and the other "All Day – Casual EATS".
Urban scene with a building featuring large black and white advertising posters, a yellow smiley face balloon, and red umbrellas at the bottom.
View from a building showing a parking lot with cars, a green tree, and an exterior of a pinkish beige building with many windows in an urban area with tall buildings in the background.
Close-up of the shadow of red metal bars on beige and reddish-brown textured concrete ground.
Empty pink picnic table with a white umbrella pole in a shopping plaza outdoor seating area. Some customers visible inside the building in the background, with a few outdoor traffic cones and parking spaces outside.
A playground in an urban park with pink umbrellas, a swing set, and children playing in the sun. People are sitting at picnic tables, and high-rise buildings are visible in the background. A large yellow smiley face balloon is floating in the air.
Empty playground with swings and a slide, a woman standing in the background, and parked cars and trees beyond the playground.
Sunlit sidewalk with potted green plants casting shadows, with fallen leaves scattered on the ground.
A hallway with orange walls and ceiling, illuminated by a yellowish light near the ceiling. There is a fire extinguisher mounted on the wall near the lower right corner. A door is visible at the end of the hallway, and a window can be seen at the far
A round wall clock with a white frame, showing the time as approximately 3:20, is mounted on a wall illuminated with a yellow-orange light. There is a small label or plaque below the clock.
A convex traffic mirror reflects multistory apartment buildings and trees in an urban environment.
Several wanted posters on a wall behind a black metal gate. The posters feature a person and state 'Public Urination' along with a police report number.
A blue bike with a front basket parked against a beige wall with two windows and some branch leaves in the upper right corner. The bike is on the sidewalk, facing right, with a street curb in front.
A gray building with several windows, one of which has a plant inside behind bars. There is a blue bicycle parked on the sidewalk and a trash bin nearby. A red stop sign is visible in the background.
View through a circular opening in a white wall, showing a colorful poster with illustrations and text, outdoors with grass and trees in the background.