District 15 · Rest of Central Region
Landed Homes in Katong · Joo Chiat · Marine Parade
Peranakan heritage by the sea... pastel shophouses, celebrated food and East Coast living, now an MRT ride from town.
Image: Koon Seng Road shophouses · Sharon Hahn Darlin · CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
The History
The Peranakan coast of old Singapore.
From the mid-19th century, Katong and Joo Chiat became home to Singapore's wealthy Peranakan community, who built the ornate terrace houses that still define the area — pastel facades, carved timber and ceramic tiles, most famously along Koon Seng Road. The seafront here drew weekend villas and bungalows before reclamation reshaped the coast entirely.
The shophouse streets of Joo Chiat and Katong were later gazetted for conservation, protecting one of Singapore's most distinctive streetscapes, while the cuisine born here — Katong laksa, kueh and Peranakan cooking — became part of the national table. Marine Parade, built on reclaimed land in the 1970s, added one of Singapore's first seaside HDB estates, pairing heritage streets with modern coastal living.
What's Changing
The MRT finally reaches the East Coast.
The transformative change came in 2024, when Stage 4 of the Thomson-East Coast Line opened on 23 June, bringing MRT to a part of Singapore that had gone without it for decades. New stations — Tanjong Katong, Marine Parade, Marine Terrace and Siglap among them — put Katong, Joo Chiat and the East Coast within a quick, direct ride of the city and Marina Bay, a long-awaited upgrade that has reshaped how the district connects.
Alongside the rail, conservation of the Joo Chiat and Katong shophouses continues to protect the area's character, while East Coast Park and the coastline remain a defining draw. The result is a district that keeps its heritage soul while finally gaining the connectivity of a central address.
Why Live Here
Four reasons District 15 is so loved.
Heritage and character
The Peranakan shophouses of Koon Seng Road, Joo Chiat and East Coast Road give the district a charm found nowhere else.
A food destination
Katong laksa, Peranakan kitchens and a deep cafe scene make this one of Singapore's best-loved eating neighbourhoods.
Coastal living
East Coast Park, the beach and the seafront are minutes away for cycling, dining and weekends by the water.
New connectivity
The Thomson-East Coast Line finally links Katong and Marine Parade directly to the city and Marina Bay.
Showcase: Featured Landed Properties in District 15
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