Woonhuis van de directeur van de trammaatschappij van Tanjong Pagar in Singapore before 1905

This photograph by G.R. Lambert & Co. captures the residence of the tramway director in Tanjong Pagar, Singapore. Note the architectural style; the two-story structure with its surrounding verandahs speaks to a visual language of colonial power. We observe echoes of plantation homes in the Americas, symbolizing control and order imposed upon a new landscape. These houses are physical manifestations of authority, projecting an image of dominance. Consider how this design is not merely functional, but a symbolic assertion of identity and control. Such architectural symbols evolve, their meanings shifting through time and culture. The verandah, for example, transcends its practical function as a shaded space, becoming a stage for the performance of power, deeply influencing our perception and imprinting the director's house in our collective memory.