This chapter explains some of the architectural styles mentioned in the book, as well as the traditional methods of house-building in pre-colonial Singapore. It also includes brief notes on an important new development in tropical architecture called ‘bioclimatics’, as well as descriptions of some of the better known Western imports, such as the neoclassical and gothic styles. The different forms of various places of worship are explained, for example Muslim mosques, Chinese and Indian temples, as well as Christian churches. There is also a brief description of typical local building typologies such as the shophouse and the bungalow.