TA I P I N G - L I F E A N D S O U L
Gridiron
D
uring the early British era, the Old Town was left undisturbed until the
great ďŹ re of 1880 that caused it to be rebuilt. After the ďŹ re, the need for better housing and shops for a town growing in importance led to the implementation of a planned rectangular gridiron layout based on ten shophouse-sized blocks with roads wide enough for the planting of raintrees along its main roads and major crossroads. 55