The contrast

Along the corridor of 'old', with the 'new' located at the other side

The density level is striking, at least to me. 'New' flats I see these days can reach a high of 40 storeys, depending on the area where they are built. As for those 'old' ones, built before the 1990s, the highest they typically go is 25 storeys.

Those 25 storeys blocks typically belongs to the 'point block' design of 5-room flats, whereby an estate only have a few of such blocks. The rest of the housing blocks within the estate typically stands between 10 to anything below 25 storeys. These blocks are spaced out, with open spaces between them for amenities such as ground level car parks and playground. Also, low rise buildings of 1, 2 or 3 storeys could be found too, housing amenities such as a market, a community club and a library. All these roughly outline an 'old' estate built by the HDB before 1990s.

As for SIT's planning and designs, some of their blocks could go even lower. Taking the Tiong Bahru estate for example, one could see the blocks there that were built by them being around 3, 4 or 5 storeys high.

As the country continues to develop, more sites will go into the hands of SERS and more new flats will be built. I'm starting to feel squeezed by tall buildings around me. Saying I cannot breath because of these 40 storeys blocks is an over exaggerated comment. But one cannot deny about the difference that can be felt between the 'old' and 'new'.

Looking up and around, what you see back then in a housing estate are mostly blocks between 10 to 25 storeys high around you, and the sky feels near. Compare this to 40 storeys blocks around you, obviously the former makes an environment more breathable and looking up a block of 40 storeys flat makes the sky feels so much further.

The contrast between both in terms of planning and building are also very different. New and innovative ideas are being used in new developments. Despite the density being increased by folds, the environment could be proven to be equally liveable or even more liveable comparing to the 'old'. Some of these new developments even won awards. Such recognition is a testimony of how wonderful these creations are.

As the country continues to move on, I'm sure more and more of the 'old' estates will slowing be replaced with the 'new' tall ones. That's frightening, given the thought that they might be towering about 2.5 or 3 times taller than the 'old'. I don't want that to happen. Nevertheless, we cannot escape the fact of the need to go taller (and deep, if possible) when land is scare and the need to house people is present.

Low rise or high rise? If I can have my choice, I would want low rise.



Sunlight shining through the gap. A design created by nature and from the design of the staircase.



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Month taken: September 2013
Time taken: Afternoon
Photo size above: 640 pixels - Longer side