What if I told you that Simei means “Four Beauties” in Mandarin? This unassuming estate has a story that might surprise you. Simei is one of the five subzones in Tampines. It occupies 11 percent of Tampines New Town. The area is largely residential. Public housing began here in 1984. The first residents moved in 1986.
Simei’s history is intertwined with a fascinating blend of culture and practicality. Originally, its four main streets paid homage to the four great beauties of ancient China. They were Xishi Diaochan Guifei and Zhaojun. Residents found these names hard to pronounce. In 1987 the Housing and Development Board renamed them. They became Simei Streets 1 2 3 and 4. Murals depicting each beauty still adorn void decks along these streets. These murals cost S$800 each in 1987.
Some say Simei was originally named Soo Bee. This dialect term was after Jalan Soo Bee. The estate was renamed Simei in the 1980s. This happened during the Speak Mandarin Campaign. This campaign converted dialect place names to Mandarin ones.
Before urbanisation Simei was a rural area. It was sparsely populated. Simei was among the first estates to use the Design and Build Scheme. This scheme encouraged mechanised building technology. It aimed for quick and efficient construction. In 1984 Lee Kim Tah won a contract to build 2300 flats in Simei. A year later Société Générale d’Enterprises won a contract too. They constructed 2436 pre-fabricated flats. Construction started in December 1984. The first 16 blocks were completed in 1986. Pre-fabricated flats cut construction time by 30 percent.
In 2009 Parc Lumiere was launched. It was a condominium-style estate. Unlike other projects it did not require balloting. Interested buyers secured a flat on the spot. Despite condominium-style fittings it retained public housing aspects. Public housing rules still applied.
Eastpoint Mall opened in 1997. It was next to the Simei MRT station. It was the first to house a wading pool on the top floor. The mall has a carnival-like atmosphere. It integrates natural lighting with glass and steel. The mall underwent renovation in 2013. It reopened in 2014 with more eateries.
St Andrew’s Community Hospital relocated to Simei in 2005. It is next to Changi General Hospital. This provides seamless rehabilitative care. Changi General Hospital opened in 1998. It was Singapore’s first modern regional hospital. It serves 750000 residents east of the Kallang Basin.
Simei is home to several educational institutions. These include Changkat Primary School and ITE College East. ITE College East opened in 2005. It was the first of three regional campuses. The campus has an Olympic-size swimming pool. It also has centres for arts performances.
The bus interchange in Simei Avenue opened in 1982. The Simei MRT station opened in 1989. It forms part of the MRT’s eastern line.
Changi-Simei was part of the National Cycling Plan. About 2.3 km of cycling paths were added. The new route intersects with the Simei Park Connector.
So next time you pass through Simei remember its “Four Beauties”. The estate seamlessly blends history with modern living. It started as a rural kampung and transformed into a modern residential hub.