The Covid-19 outbreak has not stopped Singaporeans from sprucing up their housing estates for National Day, with decorations already prevalent a week before the country celebrates its 55th birthday.
These include three structures made up of light-emitting diodes near Block 187A Bedok North Street 4, which light up daily from 7pm to 10pm.
The structures are meant to "lift up the residents' spirits", said Mr Kee Sek Soon, 49, who is the vice-chairman of the Fengshan Community Club Management Committee.
Mr Kee, who spearheaded the decoration effort, said that various Fengshan grassroots organisations were involved in the planning and creation of these structures.
At Yew Tee, residents competed in decorating their neighbourhoods.
Yew Tee Zone 10 Residents' Committee (RC) was declared the winner yesterday with a display near Block 631 Choa Chu Kang North 6 that included heart-shaped cardboard placards and a cardboard lion with lights attached to it.
Ms Lim Geok Kheng, the chair of the RC, said that recycled materials were used in the display.
Yew Tee Zone 8 RC, whose decorations near Block 673 Choa Chu Kang Crescent included a Merlion made from recycled badminton shuttlecocks, came in second. The shuttlecocks were donated by residents, said RC chair Jenny Chen, 60.
Six RCs and three neighbourhood committees in all took part in the competition in Yew Tee.
PAssionArts, a division of the People's Association, is also involved in National Day decorations through the "HeARTs in Unity" project.
A collaboration between PAssionArts, the various community arts and culture clubs (CACCs) and the NDP2020 executive committee, the project features photographs of residents on artwork hung from the facade of Housing Board blocks across Singapore.
A total of 11 HDB blocks, situated in housing estates such as Jurong East, Nee Soon and Tampines, will be displaying the artwork, all of which have been designed by local artists, by Sunday.
So far, nine art installations have been set up, including at Block 319 Clementi Avenue 4 and Block 365 Woodlands Avenue 5.
Project coordinator Jolene Wong, 27, said that the purpose of the project is to engage residents and boost their morale.
The blocks displaying the artwork were selected because they were at prominent locations with high traffic flow, she said.
Ms Mindy Ding, 52, the chair of Woodgrove CACC, which is involved in the Woodlands installation, said that the piece is very "close to the heart".
"It is about families and groups of friends coming together," she said.
Local artist Amalina Ahmad, 30, who designed the art installations at Clementi and Tampines, said that the project was a good opportunity for her to bring the community closer through art.
"It serves as a reminder that we are all in this difficult phase together," said the creative director of Hikari Art Studio.
Correction note: One photo caption has been edited for accuracy.