A year after public sector executive Jersha, 30, moved into her Tampines North Build-to-Order (BTO) unit with her husband, life in the estate isn’t quite as sweet as the couple had hoped it would be.
This is down to the perplexing layout of the block, which has led to confused guests, irritated private-hire drivers, and multiple cancelled rides.
With “extremely limited” access points — there is only one point of entry and exit for vehicles — Jersha told Stomp that it can take up to five minutes to drive to the couple’s block after turning in. This is coupled with multiple entrances, as well as “misleading” pathways and signs.
“When (walking) through the blocks, you can’t see the outside, so you would have to blindly walk till you can find a sign,” said Jersha, who declined to give her surname.
Jersha’s frustrations echo those of Uzen Tan, a 30-year-old assistant marketing manager who will soon move into his flat at Tampines GreenOpal.
In a TikTok video uploaded in November, Mr Tan criticised the layout of his void deck, calling it the “worst” design he’s seen. The post had received 116,000 views and 3,321 likes at press time.
When Stomp visited the area recently, it took around 15 minutes to navigate from the adjacent Tampines GreenEmerald to Block 963A in GreenOpal. The team ran into several dead ends and paths that seemed to loop in circles before finding the right block.
Boon for privacy, bane for community and elderly
Another pressing issue: both Mr Tan and Jersha say that the way Housing Development Board (HDB) blocks are designed affects neighbourly interaction.
Mr Tan told Stomp that there are limited open spaces at his void deck for residents to sit and interact, unlike older blocks with tables and chairs near the lift lobby, and “a big open area where kids can play block catching or soccer”.
While acknowledging that some newer estates have rooftop gardens, he noted that residents need to “actively” go to these spaces.
Noting the lack of open spaces and the presence of pillars that obstruct views at her block, Jersha added: “If the block is meant to foster a sense of community, it has not succeeded.”
In addition, “service yards (face) directly onto the entrances of other units, or (are) enclosed in a way that limits sunlight” – which both “forces” interactions and makes the area feel more cramped.
