The Last Mansion Standing: Uncovering the House of Tan Yeok Nee

Behind an unassuming facade on Clemenceau Avenue stands the last of Singapore’s four great Teochew mansions. Known as the House of Tan Yeok Nee, this historic residence brought together highly skilled craftsmen in its construction, and bears witness to the mansion’s original functions and uses, as well as to the legendary life of the wealthy businessman who funded it.

Inspired by architectural historian Yeo Kang Shua’s Honourable Mansion (Pagesetters, 2025), which chronicles the champions behind the mansion, this walk conducted by Kang Shua himself takes participants through the mansion’s journey from its 19th-century heyday, through decades of neglected transformation, to its recent painstaking restoration, revealing a century of change. Over the course of the walk, Kang Shua uncovers the people behind the scenes – architects, craftsmen, caretakers – who have kept this historical building standing to this day, and reflect on what it truly takes for a building and the stories it holds to endure across the tides of history.

At the end of the walk, we’ll gather for a conversation at Jing Studio, the heritage salon nestled within the mansion itself.

This programme is supported by the Karim Family Foundation. Ticket price includes a drink at Jing Studio.

The programme is recommended for ages 13 and above, with one session conducted in Mandarin and one session conducted in English.