Everyone shoots Chinatown for heritage architecture. Joo Chiat Road in Katong has the most spectacular preserved Peranakan shophouses I've studied - intricate ceramic tiles, ornate facades, that famous pastel colour palette that defines Straits Chinese design.

Start at Koon Seng Road (the rainbow houses everyone photographs) then walk east along Joo Chiat Road toward the sea. The two-storey shophouses show classic Peranakan elements: ceramic shard inlays, timber shutters, decorative air vents. Many are now cafes and boutiques but the original architectural integrity remains intact. Golden hour (5-6pm) creates perfect light on those detailed facades.