KAMPUNG SPIRIT: ENGAGING HDB COMMUNITIES

Abstract

Hailing from humble origins, Singapore has come a long way from the tiny fishing village we used to be. With the advancement of technology and progression of society, the needs and preferences of the residents also change with the times, so do the communities and the built form of housing. With increasing sense of privacy and reduced communal bustle, the Kampung spirit, a nebulous yet much-loved term, exalted by many appear to fade with time. Together with the increasing isolation is a decrease and overall lack of initiative and participation by residents within a HDB community. This dissertation seeks to investigate the phenomenon of Kampung Spirit, and how it reinforces the Singapore public housing infrastructure and policies. Both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies gain insights of the existing HDB residents. This study has found that HDB residents generally still find Kampung Spirit to be of relevance and is a desirable aspect of their everyday life. There has also been an overall increase in media exposure with regards to idea of Kampung Spirit. However existing facilities, infrastructure may prove to be lacking in certain areas, and existing residents are inert to government outreach planning initiatives and community related programs. Findings and recommendations in this survey aims to allow planners and policymakers to safeguard the HDB community and further the interest of Singapore as a more gracious society and united nation.