24/50: "The Queen"

There are many things that make “The Queen” (now Ascott Raffles Place, formerly Asia Insurance Building) one of the most special buildings in the country. For one, the Art Deco styled, L-shaped building was designed by Ng Keng Siang, a prominent local architect who was one of the first from Singapore to be a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Plus, when it was completed in 1955, it stood as the tallest building in SEA at 82m. To top it off (quite literally), during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, a stainless steel crown was erected at the top of the building (while it was still undergoing construction!) to mark the occasion. And thus, The Queen was born.