Voids in the Deck
Once, where the void deck stood as one of the primary requirements and characteristics of public housing blocks in Singapore, and part of the pillars of community bonding, today, new typologies experiment with creating a community, without the void deck. One such example is the Treelodge @ Punggol. Comprising of several blocks with 15 storeys...
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...
Relevance of Traditional Wet Markets, as a Communal Space that Promotes Community Bonding, in Singapore’s Public Housing Estates.
Introduction In recent years, there has been much hype over keeping the traditional wet markets by bringing in more activities and function to make it a less time dictated communal space. Rapid process of urban redevelopment is transforming the way people are interacting with the spaces around them, particular in the up and coming high-density...
Capitalism & Spatial Justice: The Reality of Design & Planning of Communal Spaces in Singapore Public Housing Estates
Introduction Design & planning of communal spaces in public housing estates are getting more attention in recent years. This is especially so in Singapore, where strong community bonds among residents of various races and nationalities are important in maintaining social security in our metropolitan city with high influx of global citizens. Furthermore, 80% of...
Sustainable Living Kampung – Changing Singapore’s landscape from the Ground Up
In recent years the rising power of community action and engagement in shaping the environment has become increasingly evident in Singapore. Many bottom-up initiatives have sprung up to encourage alternative approaches that seek to restore the connection between city dwellers and the land for the many universal values. Ground-Up Initiative (GUI)’s Sustainable Living Kampung in...
Neighbourhood #8 : Serangoon Gardens – The Ingredients of a Community
“After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relatives.” ― Oscar Wilde With its rustic charm and interesting character, Serangoon Gardens is home to a large cluster of private homes. However, what sets it apart from many other estates is what lies in the heart of it. Lining the Serangoon Gardens...
Neighbourhood #3 : Chinatown (牛车水), Streets and People
Chinatown（牛车水） in Singapore is perhaps one of the most familiar and popular place to visit. Chinatown is located within the larger district of Outram and some parts of it have been claimed as national heritage sites designated for conservation. The different streets of Chinatown: Mosque Street that is name after Jamae Mosque, Pagoda Street that...