Shophouses of Singapore Launches in July 2026
Together with Man Mo Media, co-authors Hong Xinying and Kissa Castañeda embarked on a July 2026 publicity tour to promote the new coffee table book, Shophouses of Singapore: Beyond the Facade
Kissa Castañeda and Hong Xinying, co-authors of Shophouses of Singapore: Beyond the Facade, with publisher Adele Wong of Man Mo Media
The official launch of Shophouses of Singapore: Beyond the Facade welcomed over 150 guests, over the course of three events held in Singapore on 2 and 4 July, 2026.
A panel talk at Mandala Club on 2 July kicked off the festivities, offering insights into the city nation’s built heritage. Moderated by Marc Braydon, Head of Marketing and Programming at Mandala Club, the participating panelists included book co-author Kissa Castañeda, RT+Q Architects co-founder Rene Tan and heritage educator Ho Ming Yong of The Urbanist Singapore.
Photography by Brett Gallagher and Cresta Castañeda
The following event on 4 July adopted a cosierformat at the Lo & Behold Group office in New Bahru, with 30 guests in attendance. Co-author Hong Xinying moderated a panel discussion between Goy Zhenru of Goy Architects, illustrator Lee Xin Li, and Lo & Behold Group founder Wee Teng Wen.
Photography by Cresta Castañeda and Lau Quan Han
The book publicity tour in Singapore completed on a high note at the Vagabond Club, a venue featured in the shophouse tome.
About the Book
Published by Man Mo Media, this coffee table book is a love letter to the Singapore shophouse: the narrow, mixed-use terrace building that beautifully marries multicultural details. Through 30 projects featured across 156 pages, it pays tribute to the city-state’s most enduring and evocative architectural archetype. The book guides readers on a journey from popular neighborhoods to lesser-known enclaves, through the bustling streets of Chinatown, the colorful Katong-Joo Chiat stretches, and more. Highlights include never-before-seen private homes, as well as landmark projects like Temasek Shophouse, a series of shophouses converted into social spaces, and boutique hotels such as 21 Carpenter, Kesa House, and Duxton Reserve.
Complementing the photography are exclusive interviews with the tastemakers, architects, and designers who helped shape the second life of these distinctive structures, exploring how heritage architecture can become a canvas for contemporary living, work, and creativity. Conveniently sized as a portable hardcover, Shophouses of Singapore: Beyond the Facade is designed to be the perfect travel companion for design enthusiasts and visitors to Singapore, while serving as a beautiful and substantive coffee table book for collectors.
The book is available for sale in shops and bookstores in Singapore, Malaysia and other Southeast Asian markets in July 2026, the United Kingdom and North America from January 2027.
Book Details:
Title: Shophouses of Singapore: Beyond the Facade
Authors: Kissa Castaneda and Hong Xinying
Main Photography: Franz Navarrete
ISBN: 978-988-77560-9-5
Price: SG$25 + 9% GST / HK$165
Specs: 125mm x 176mm x 18mm | 156pp hardcover
First Print: June 2026 (1st Edition)
Published by: Man Mo Media
