NOV 6 — Some years ago, I unintentionally offended someone by referring to her property as a “flat.” She snapped at me with “It’s a CON-DO!” as if living in a “flat” was a form of social degradation.
For the wider world, a flat refers to a self-contained unit located among many others in a residential building. This term, however, takes on a different connotation in Singaporean lingo. To them, it refers specifically to the HDBs (Housing Development Board flats).
Ah yes, the infamous HDBs mooted by Lee Kuan Yew to resolve the housing crisis. It resulted in a generation of hastily-constructed flats to house displaced squatters and folks from the kampungs. These pioneering blocks were ergonomic structures that were reflective of the needs of the times. The elevators stopped at half levels every four storeys and the floors were of polished cement.
The units were typically one-, two- and three-room flats with sizes that ranged from 23sq-m to 60sq-m. It was not uncommon to see a family with five or six children living in a two-room unit. These blocks were akin to a Noah’s Ark of human specimens.
As the country prospered and the demands of the people changed along with educational levels, these HDBs altered in tandem. The authorities were now building them bigger and better. They were now constructing four- and five-room flats and maisonettes, each with three bedrooms and measuring between 90sq-m and 172sq-m. Elevators stopped on every floor. In order to cater for every age group, there were facilities such as bird-watching corners and basketball courts.
Furthermore, family sizes shrank with many couples having no more than two children. Thanks to government incentives, most children were no longer sleeping in the living room but in their own bedrooms. In tandem with rising prosperity, many owners were also decorating their abodes with walk-in wardrobes and open concept kitchens.
High-rise private residential buildings are synonymous with the term “condominium.” The first generation condominiums were true to the expectations of an improved lifestyle. They were built on sprawling grounds with vast amounts of open spaces and a full range of recreational facilities (e.g. swimming pool and tennis courts). The floor area of each unit was vast. A three-bedroom unit with an area of 220sq-m and lifts stopping on every floor was a drastic improvement from an HDB flat.
While the country prospered, these private residences shrank. The vast open spaces became planter boxes and the Olympic-sized pools shrank into lap pools. Along with that, the tennis and squash courts vanished. The same three-bedroom unit now measures 1,170sq-ft (approximately 108sq-m). This story of the diminishing home is a trend set to continue with developers being more interested in profit margins than selling based on need. The latest example being several one-bedroom shoeboxes measuring 28sq-m marketed for a costly S$500,000 (RM1.2 million). Their primary concern is not the quality of life offered by the space but to squeeze as many units as possible into smaller land plots.
Compare that to the latest resale price of S$162,000 for a 31sq-m HDB flat and the parity of offerings between private and public housing becomes obvious. Even the amount of space to each unit between private and public is of little difference now.
Yet the hardcore fans of those chasing the condominium ownership dream would argue that the living environment has better facilities. In truth, regardless of how exclusive the project is, the facilities are always shared. This is particularly relevant when viewed in the light of disappearing facilities and increasing numbers of users in a private estate.
Which brings me to this: putting aside the initial disparity, I have failed to understand why many Singaporeans (like the woman I offended) still feel a difference between condominium and flat ownership.
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