Art Nouveau, at the same time white/motley

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Vibrant Peranakan Facade: Colonial Architectural Heritage

#5860. Vibrant Peranakan Facade: Colonial Architectural Heritage

The photograph captures a beautiful example of Southeast Asian colonial architecture, representing a characteristic shophouse (store-house). The central part of the composition stands out with its richly decorated facade featuring traditional Peranakan elements. The building's expressiveness is enhanced by turquoise wooden louvered shutters on the second-floor windows, framed by ornamental paintings with floral motifs.

The facade features a symmetrical composition with four window openings on the second floor. Between and below the windows, there is decorative plasterwork with colorful plant elements characteristic of Chinese and Malay cultures. Vertical columns on the sides of the facade emphasize the building's structure. The ground floor is designed more modestly, with a central double door in the same turquoise shade and side windows.

The building's roof has a traditional overhang with a protective canopy. Notable is the preservation of decorative elements compared to neighboring structures, which appear more modest and less well-maintained. This type of architecture is typical for historic districts in cities such as Penang (Malaysia), Singapore, or other colonial trading centers in the region.

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