We ♥ Bedok

Our Neighbourhoods

Urban Sketchers Singapore

ISBN: 978-981-075433-4
First Edition, October 2020
© 2020 Epigram Books

Cover design by Tzuen
Front cover illustration by Tia Boon Sim
Editors: Jocelyn Lau and Dan Koh
Sketchwalk organisers: Urban Sketchers Singapore

Published in Singapore by Epigram
www.epigrambooks.sg

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Table of Contents

Our New and Old Home

Map

Credit : Sketch by Vince Pang

Our New and Old Home

My wife and I are relatively new residents of Bedok but it has always been familiar to us. The initial impression of Bedok for non-residents probably revolves around the delectable fare at Bedok Town Centre and Simpang Bedok. That, and the convenience of amenities like banks, markets and neighbourhood shops where you can get anything and everything, rank high as a few of the many things we love about Bedok.

It may come as a surprise that Bedok’s name actually predates Raffles’ arrival in Singapore. On a 1604 map, published in Manuel Godinho de Erédia’s 1882 book, are Sune Bodo and nearby Tana Mera, variant names for Sungei Bedok and Tanah Merah, or Red Cliff. These were likely significant navigational points for seafaring Orang Laut and perhaps the earliest known records of the area. Presumably, settlements would have existed since then but physical and cultural landscapes evolve over time. At Bedok, the majority of changes occurred in the 1960s, when the area was part of the East Coast Reclamation Scheme and Bedok New Town was developed.

Even now, Bedok continues to transform but the largely residential area still retains its convivial atmosphere. This beautifully executed collection of sketches by Urban Sketchers Singapore has captured the spirit and history of Bedok. It is truly a collection of timeless snapshots filled with memories of the place my wife and I now call home.

Dr Yeo Kang Shua
Assistant Professor of Architectural History, Theory and Criticism,
Singapore University of Technology and Design

Credit : Sketch by Chanel Hu

“I’ve lived in Bedok for more than 30 years, but the only place I feel connected with is the Bedok Corner Food Centre. My camp mates and I from the 3rd Battalion Infantry Regiment opposite had countless dining sessions here during the early 1980s. I have fond memories of the good food, great smells, endless laughter and, of course, the world’s best cheng tng. Best of all, the stall owner still recognises me-after 25 years!”

Moses Liew, fine art photographer

Located at Bedok Corner Food Centre, three generations of the Lim family have been dishing out Ye Lai Xiang’s famed cheng tng dessert since it was by the beach. Credit : Sketch by Wang Jiaying

In the lead-up to Chinese New Year, Mdm Lian’s wet market stall at Bedok South Block 16 overflows with festive pussy willows, azaleas and pomelos. Credit : Sketch by Francis Theo

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