Disappearance of the traditional wet markets, not only loss of a social gathering place, but also an important fresh food supply place.
In continuation to previous article on disappearance of traditional wet markets and the challenges it faced, more thoughts will be shared in this article. Disappearances of traditional wet markets not only mean loss of an important social gathering point, a community shared space where interactions could be initiated easily and effortlessly. Closing of wet...
Reflections on the Roof Garden in Punggol West
On a weekday morning, at a roof garden in some HDB Estates in Punggol West, what would one expect to see? Will we see (like in the HDB Websites) elderly playing taichi, or family enjoying some family time there? Architect for the estate had envisioned the roof garden to be a intimate communal gathering space,...
Connecting with Our Community
The HDB Community Building Seminar has spark off many participants’ passion to serve and connect with the community and at the same time left many provoking thoughts as the seminar came to an end. The entire seminar focused on using the concept of ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) to build strong relationships in a community....
Communal Work for a Community
In more ways than one, the void deck has come to be seen as a symbol representing community life in public housing in Singapore. However, this symbol has varied interpretations amongst a different demographic, where it means play space to kids, it is also a place of celebration and mourning to others. For some, it...
North Bridge
A recent walk at North Bridge road offered up some interesting questions and perspectives. Comprising of a higher than usual concentration of early HDB rental flats, of which a large majority are one-room studio apartments, this area is home to a large concentration of elderly, many of whom have lived here their whole lives. And...
Rethinking Community Spaces: A Community Walk through Toa Payoh
As part of the HDB Community Week 2013, My peers and I participated in the Community Building Seminar organised by the Housing Development Board of Singapore (HDB). This two day seminar allowed us to learn from various participants who are from different walks of life, and one interesting part was the opportunity to be part of...
Tiong Bahru Wet Market, A Successful Case.
Tiong Bahru Wet Market, used to be a single-storey market called Seng Poh Market. In 2004 to 2006, the market underwent extensive upgrading works at the cost of S$16.8 million. Despite its modern design and the addition of better facilities, the re-opened market blended well with its surroundings comprising mainly of two to five storey...
A Vertical Vernacular
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) was established in 1960 in response to Singapore’s housing shortage problem. During the early formative years of the HDB in the 1960s, its role was to provide basic shelter to help solve the housing shortage problem at that time. It was during a time of much uncertainty, with massive...
Our Kampong Spirit
The housing situation in Singapore has progressed since its early days of vernacular low-rise villages to the modernist high-rise housing blocks of today. To date, over 85% of Singapore’s residents live in HDB high-rise housing estates, and the remaining in private high-rise condominiums and private landed property. With more than half the population having spent...
Rediscovering Elevated Green Space @ Bras Basah Complex
80% of Singapore residents are in favour for more roof gardens to be implemented for a better Communal Living Environment (Wong, Wong, Ong & Sia, 2003). However, elevated Green Spaces in Singapore (like Roof Gardens) have always been thought to be a concept of recent years. In fact, many would be surprised to find out that...
Void Deck Community in Transition
In Singapore, blocks of Housing Development Board(HDB) flats make up much of the urban grain of the city. Community spaces are designed for; nothing is left to the imagination or to spontaneity. Context The speed at which urbanization and development has taken place in Singapore has had largely positive impact on the economy and quality...
Mobility and Community
The direction of Singapore’s public housing under the Housing Development Board has shifted multiple times to address the concerns at their respective times, from the 1960 flats centered around congenial living environments, 1970s “uniqueness and exclusivity” in imageability, and in 1978, planning was aimed towards social interaction. With a social and communal-centric mode...