DIGNIFIED LIVING FOR ALL. ESTABLISHING A RESILIENT MIXED INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING FOR THE FUTURE

Abstract

This thesis aims to redesign the rental housing situation in Singapore with the approach of a mixed income housing development model. The alternative solution will be proposed through the lenses of purposeful social mixing and building of social capital among the rental and owner-occupied residents to address the issue of inequality and stigmatisation. Over the past 4 decades, little seems to have changed despite the constant fight for improvement by various members of the parliament regarding Singapore’s rental housing condition. The refusal to enhance the housing design has deprived many of dignity and a dignified living environment. Poverty to some is not by choice but by their living circumstances and one should not be further dehumanised by the poor living condition. This project is hence a fervent attempt to prevent the low-income community from suffering alone, trying to make ends meet in their own account. Thereby, through the approach of an inter-reliant community structure, localism and co-creation, this project hopes to achieve a resilient community and one that invokes a sense of identity, ownership and friendship among its residents. As such, this thesis posits the following questions: • How can mixed income housing can take an active approach to create a stronger and more resilient community among the mixed income community? • How can mixed housing do more to support the blue collar/ low-income workers? • Should social mobility necessarily have to result in locational mobility? Considering the steps taken by the government to integrate rental and owner-occupied residents together in one block to tackle growing inequality and stratification, the next step of improving living conditions and a greater emphasis on social mixing seem to be the right move.