We refer to the letters "Time to build larger HDB flats" (March 16) and "Typical HDB flat size a squeeze for families" (March 19), and thank both writers for their feedback.
As the provider of public housing in Singapore, HDB continually reviews the designs and layouts of HDB flats to keep pace with changing demographics, social trends and lifestyle needs.
Through our Build-to-Order (BTO) exercises, HDB offers a wide variety of flats to cater to the diverse needs and preferences of flat buyers, from two-room Flexi flats to three-generation (3-Gen) flats.
As four-room flats are the most popular with young families, this flat type makes up the majority of the BTO flats offered for sale.
In addition, we offer two-room and three-room flats for flat buyers who may prefer a more compact and affordable living space, while five-room flats and 3-Gen flats offer more space for larger households, including multi-generation families.
Since 1997, the sizes of HDB flats have remained unchanged, even though the average household size has declined over the years.
Our flats are designed to be functional and comfortable.
We have also improved our flat designs over the years to better optimise the space and cater to flat buyers' evolving lifestyle needs.
For instance, columns in flats are pushed to the sides wherever possible so that residents can have more flexibility in reconfiguring the layout of their flat according to their needs.
Newer flats are also designed with the dining area now incorporated into the living area to provide a more spacious common living area, giving residents greater flexibility in using this space.
Flat fittings and finishes have also been constantly improved over the years to keep up with the times, while ensuring quality and ease of maintenance.
Beyond the home, we have also introduced community work spaces and work booths within our HDB towns to support the needs of residents who need a quiet space for remote working. For example, HDB has piloted work booths in six HDB commercial complexes, including Canberra Plaza and Oasis Terraces.
We will continue to explore ways to improve the design of our flats to ensure that they keep pace with the evolving needs of our residents.
Cheong Kin Man
Director (Design Development)
Housing & Development Board
