To photography enthusiast Jonathan Tan, a void deck is anything but void.
Serving as the “living room” of Singapore’s public housing, the shared communal space on the ground level is designed to facilitate interaction, recreation and bonding among residents.
It is a uniquely Singaporean space in which to meet and mingle.
His Lepak Downstairs photo series uses the bird’s-eye view to bring out the interesting shapes and colours of these communal spaces.
“I feel that these public spaces are very representative of Singaporean culture. They’re often overlooked and not being talked about enough. Yes, they are not places that tourists would care about. But many Singaporeans care for them because of the nostalgia factor,” says the 36-year-old.
Mr Tan got hooked on photography as a university student during an exchange programme overseas. He travelled with a camera, capturing memories of that time. These days, he posts his photos on social media.
Having lived solely in HDB flats, he still remembers waiting for the school bus at the void deck as a child.
In 2020, inspired by these memories, he armed himself with a 3m-long selfie stick, a remote trigger and his iPhone.
Then he toured Singapore’s heartland, from Bedok to Jurong East, amassing 54 images that capture the essence of void decks over the years.
Lepak Downstairs was exhibited at The Playground in Bugis Street in 2023, although he concluded the project in February 2025. His complete works can be seen on his Instagram account @jontannn
NEW VIEWPOINTS
“I’ve always tried to see whether I can capture typical Singaporean sites from different perspectives. The older designs of void deck furnishings are quaint and charming,” says Mr Tan.
“Unfortunately, they are starting to disappear as HDB estates are refurbished and upgraded, with new and more modern designs replacing the old,” he adds.
One of his favourite designs – an inverted S-shaped table at Block 450G Tampines Street 42 that he photographed in 2020 – is no longer at the block.
Another one, located at Block 114 Bukit Purmei Road, was completely changed, its dark green marble giving way to a more modern look in beige and black.
Mr Tan calls this passion project a “treasure hunt” for unique designs around the island. He says discovering “gems” as he goes about the different neighbourhoods gives him immense satisfaction.
Since starting the project and sharing his photos online, his work has resonated with many. He says people leave touching comments about “their moments at all these different tables”.
His latest – and ongoing – project is Waiting For The Lift. It explores another familiar yet overlooked space, the lift lobby, using cinemagraphs – looping visuals that seamlessly blend still imagery with motion. He uploads them on his Instagram page.
“I enjoy the challenge of highlighting things that are often underappreciated in our daily lives,” he says.