Our Story

My maternal side of the family has been in Singapore for more than five generations. They have rented, lived and worked in many shophouses over that time. 

My mother herself grew up in a number of conserved shophouses and had a deep love of the heritage and local vernacular architecture they embodied. Over time, her love for them was directed into a hobby of buying run down unloved shophouses and to restoring them as places that others would enjoy. Over many decades, she managed them just by herself. 

Indeed, in the 1980s and 1990s, no one could imagine that these conserved shophouses would someday become such treasured parts of the national identity of Singapore. No one then wanted to buy or rent them. Today, they are highly sought after icons. 

Kampong Kollective was set up to so as to ensure that our stewardship of these shophouses is done professionally and thoughtfully. We believe that these heritage buildings deserve to be cared for over generations and not simply managed as assets.

We see shophouses as more than buildings. They are places where businesses take root, people come together and neighbourhoods develop. They and the people who live, work and play in them are part of the unfolding fabric and history of Singapore. 

We recognise that managing shophouses takes a lot of time and resources. We know that there is a steep learning curve to comply with the regulations, maintain the buildings in an unforgiving tropical climate and to curate the tenant mix in an ever evolving economy. As such, we are happy to share our expertise and experience with other owners as well. 

We care about the spaces and just as importantly, the people who bring them to life. We work closely with our tenants and fellow owners - taking a hands-on approach to keeping our properties useful, welcoming and relevant for the long term.

As our collection grows, we hope to work with more owners who share this belief — that good shophouses are worth looking after, and that with the right care, they can continue to have a special place in the neighbourhoods (kampongs) and communities of Singapore for many generations to come. 

Michael
Founder, Kampong Kollective