Situated at the junction of Wilkie Road and Niven Road, Sophia Flats, a three-storey condominium comprised of 19 residential units stands out ironically in its diminutiveness against the glitzy shopping malls of Dhoby Ghaut.
From above, the Sophia Flats resembles an L-shape that curves gently along its bounding roads. Consequently, the ground floor is recessed, resulting in a continuous five-foot pedestrian walkway within its sheltered columns.
Completed in the 1930s, it is a well-preserved symbol of understated elegance. On its surface, classical embellishments decorate its symmetrical architectural form.
Though inspired by colonial buildings, the structure was designed with Singapore’s tropical weather in mind. Made of modern reinforced concrete with infill brick and plaster walls, the building is fitted with large overhangs for shelter against the sun and rain. Tall ceilings, as well as ventilators built above the windows, allows its interiors to stay cool and airy.
Interestingly, Frank Benjamin (founder of FJ Benjamin Holdings) lived here after World War II. He also opened his first office here in 1959.
This is a conserved building(s) by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), please visit URA’s Conservation Portal for more details.
Buildings and sites featured on Roots.SG are part of our efforts to raise awareness of our heritage; a listing on Roots.SG does not imply any form of preservation or conservation status, unless it is mentioned in the article. The information in this article is valid as of October 2019 and is not intended to be an exhaustive history of the site/building.
