FANCY NEIGHBOURS
Singapore may be the only country in the world where Public Housing nestles next to star architects' creations
Block 8 Empress Road and D'Leedon
D’Leedon by Zaha Hadid Architects is a stone’s throw away from Block 8 Empress Road Housing Board flats. Typical of this type of Housing Board project sundry shops, clinics, hawker centre and wet market nestle on the ground floor below the 3-room residential units.
What to eat in the neighbourhood: kong bak pau (braised belly pork with steamed buns) at Westlake restaurant, 4 Queens Road #02-139; you tiao (crullers) at #01-99 Empress Road Market and Food Centre, 7 Empress Road; Penang char kway teow at Penang Kitchen,1 Coronation Road; nasi lemak at Selera Rasa, Adam Road Food Centre, 2 Adam Road.
Block 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza and OASIA Downtown
Housing Board (HDB) flat Block 1 at Tanjong Pagar Plaza with its colourful laundry hanging out on poles, sits across the road of OASIA Downtown, an award winning hotel designed by WOHA with interiors by Patricia Uruquiola. OASIA Downtown won Building Of The Year 2017 at the annual Singapore Institute of Architects Architectural Design Awards.
What to eat in the neighbourhood: buttery croissants at Brasserie Gavroche, 66 Tras Street; bagels at Two Men Bagel House,16 Enggor Street, #01-12 Icon Village Altez; good, elegant Italian at OSO Ristorante, 27th floor, OASIA Downtown, 100 Peck Seah Street; homestyle mee siam at Dor’s Nonya Place, International Plaza,10 Anson Road; Teochew Satay Bee Hoon, #02-47 Tanjong Pagar Food Centre.
Ghim Moh HDB Block and The Star
Housing Board (HDB) flat at Ghim Moh Road has the background of The Star by American architect Andrew Bromberg of Aedas. A series of outdoor spaces that enhance natural air movement has been created to protect visitors against Singapore’s tropical weather while at the same time providing outdoor visitors some cooling relief.
What to eat in the neighbourhood – Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, Block 20 Ghim Moh Road, Singapore 270020: Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck #01-04; Jiu Jiang Shao La Cantonese Roast Meats #01-17; Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh Since 1959 #01-54; Heavens #01-26 – apom, dosai, putu mayam delights; Thye Hong Handmade Fishball Noodle #01-36 – Old school mee pok at its simplicity best; The Star Vista: Boon Tong Kee Happynest #B1-07 – Chicken rice and other dishes such as fried eggplant topped with minced pork, deepfried prawn with salted egg yoke