Forum: HDB flat dwellers not subjects in a design experiment
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The piece by arts correspondent Arthur Sim, “Furore over red Tampines HDB blocks exposes an unimaginative Singapore” (March 2), perhaps reveals a worrying attitude towards HDB dwellers, who make up the majority of Singaporeans.
The idea that public housing needs to be given “a little more character” is misguided at best and a form of elitism at worst. One might ask why public housing has to be given “character” while private housing usually features a muted palette of neutral colours widely recognised as desirable.
Most importantly, HDB dwellers should not be regarded as subjects in an experiment in which architects and designers get to try out new designs that might not pass muster in private housing. These are their homes. Let’s not scold them for wanting what everyone else wants.
Johann Loh
