REVIVING THE KAMPONG SPIRIT - ONE LEVEL AT A TIME

Abstract

This dissertation is an exploratory research into the feasibility of introducing a dedicated common space on every floor of a HDB development. It is aimed at enhancing neighbourly relations, in serving as a platform to revive the kampong spirit in public housing developments. This dissertation explores this initiative from a social, institutional and costs perspective. Through interviews with government figures, planning authorities as well as members of the public, it seeks to push this design feature as an initiative to bring community bonding efforts in Singapore’s public housing estates to another level.

In seeking to establish more micro communities in Singapore’s heartlands, this dissertation explores the differing views, opinions and suggestions on how this common area can be implemented to enhance neighbourly relations among residents on the same floor of a public housing development.

It is proposed that this common space be included as a design feature in upcoming HDB developments. Through the inculcation of a citizen participation mechanism into this initiative, it seeks to build on the government’s engagement efforts from the Hello Neighbours project and further its citizen participation mechanisms in decision making. This common space has the potential to herald in a new culture of interaction among neighbours on the same floor and be a design feature that can help to revive this kampong spirit in Singapore’s public housing estates, one floor at a time.