60 winners picked from 12,600 photo competition entries showcasing HDB heartland
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Taking the top prize in the category for participants aged 18 and above was Mr Calvin Chan’s submission titled Heartland Leap Of Joy.
PHOTO: CALVIN CHAN
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SINGAPORE – Sixty prizes were given out to the winners of a photography competition aimed at capturing the charm of the HDB heartland.
The SG60 Heartland Stories Photography Competition was organised by HDB and the Photographic Society of Singapore, and it received over 12,600 photos from June to August.
Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah, who presented the top five prizes to winners in the two categories at the Selegie Arts Centre on Sept 29, said the winning entries show the rich and diverse social fabric in Singapore.
For instance, 14-year-old Chen Tian Yang’s submission in the junior category shows two students helping a senior cross the road.
The entry, titled Community Supported By Pillars Of Kind Hearts, took the second prize in that category, which received more than 1,800 entries from participants aged 12 to 17.
Community Supported By Pillars Of Kind Hearts by 14-year-old Chen Tian Yang. “No structure or community can stand tall in virtue without the pillars of kind hearts as its foundation,” he explained.
PHOTO: CHEN TIAN YANG
“Through his lens, we see how such acts of kindness reflect our shared values and community spirit,” Ms Indranee said.
A photo of a group of seniors gathered around a chess game at an HDB void deck, taken by Mr Ahmad Iskandar Abdullah, clinched third place in the category for participants aged 18 and above.
Checkmate! by Mr Ahmad Iskandar Abdullah, who described it thus: “Beneath the HDB void deck, two players face off while others watch in silence. Weathered hands hover over plastic pieces, each waiting for the perfect move. With one final click, the game ends. Checkmate.”
PHOTO: AHMAD ISKANDAR ABDULLAH
Taking the top prize in the same category was Mr Calvin Chan’s submission, which captured a group of children jumping against the backdrop of a playground and HDB flats.
Another 50 submissions won honourable mentions.
Ms Indranee said HDB living is an important part of the lived experiences of many generations of Singaporeans.
“Over the years, our HDB estates have not only provided homes for Singaporeans but also strong communities, creating common spaces for residents to forge friendships, connections and the kampung spirit that makes our neighbourhoods feel like home,” she said.
“This competition shines a spotlight on these stories that have shaped and defined our HDB heartlands.”
The photographs will be exhibited at the Photographic Society of Singapore at 30 Selegie Road till Oct 12.
It will then move to other locations, including the atrium at HDB Hub in Toa Payoh, Plantation Plaza in Tengah, Kampung Admiralty, Woodleigh Mall, Tampines Mall and Westgate, until February 2026.
