Over the years, I've had the chance to interact with several shophouse owners, and some of the most heated discussions I've had with some of them revolve around the architectural significance of some of the shophouse properties they own. I've held the view that, in some cases, the individual shophouse isn't the architectural masterpiece. Instead, it is the street along which they are located, and the cityscape that it generates, which is the highlight. It's a challenging position to explain to some shophouse owners, especially those who buy it based on its historic value. Sometimes I even get the evil eye from realtors when I share my…
