In the early 1960s, Singapore faced the twin pressures of a rising population and a housing crisis. During this period, the Housing & Development Board (HDB)’s focus was on building and supplying flats of mainly standard linear, slab-block designs quickly to meet the housing demand.
Toa Payoh was constructed under HDB’s second five-year Building Programme and by this time, a sizable proportion of Singaporeans had been supplied with flats. As such, HDB architects were able to experiment with various block styles in Toa Payoh, creating unique designs such as the bat-shaped Block 116 at Lorong 2.
Explore the Suggested Short Trail Routes:
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Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces, 1.5 hours on foot (4.5 km)
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Of Faiths & Beliefs, 2 hours with public transport (6 km)
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Of Community Institutions & Common Spaces, 0.5 hours on foot (1.5 km)