Developing Days
As a result of challenges faced so far, the Singapore Government had to create a stronger foundation for us to move forward and overcome new challenges.
Housing
With a rapidly growing population, severe housing shortage spurred the government to set up the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) in 1927 to solve the housing problems under the Singapore Improvement Ordinance.
Queenstown Estate
Singapore Improvement Trust Flats. 1950s-1960s. Object Size: 8.9 x 12.9 cm. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum Singapore.
Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) was established by the British during the 1920s. They are responsible for developing homes. It is now known as today’s Housing and Development Board (HDB).
Former Rayman School and Estate. 1940s. Photograph. Item from collection of National Archives Singapore.
These single-storey buildings are the only surviving legacy of Rayman Estate. It was built by the Singapore Improvement Trust and about 300 of these housed former residents of urban slums.
The Former Forfar House. 1956. Photograph. Item from collection of National Archives of Singapore.
The former Forfar House, a streamlined 14-storey block of 106 flats located at Queenstown that was built by the SIT as Queenstown is Singapore’s first Satellite town.
Stirling Road Blocks. 1960. Photograph. Item from collection of National Archives of Singapore.
Housing and Development Board’s first few completed blocks of flats at Stirling Road in October 1960, just months after HDB was formed in February 1960.
Their initial task was to build homes for those displaced because of the various development and improvement schemes implemented by the government. SIT embarked on public housing projects in 1932 to address the acute housing shortage problem and the first batch of modern flats constructed in Tiong Bahru.
Tan Choon Kuan. Rebuilding Bukit Ho Swee. 1962. 26.4 x 37.5 cm. Pencil on paper. Item from Roots.sg collection of National Heritage Board. Gift of Ms Tan Teng Teng.
A drawing by Tan Choon Kuan depicting the urban development after the Bukit Ho Swee fire incident as part of the public housing initiative.
Tan Choon Kuan. Rebuilding Bukit Ho Swee. 1962. 36.9 x 26.8 cm. Ink on paper. Item from Roots.sg collection of National Heritage Board. Gift of Ms Tan Teng Teng.
The drawing by Tan Choon Kuan depicts the resilience of urban development in Singapore; like nature, Singapore will continue to grow and regenerate to provide homes to resettle the homeless.
Official Opening of Taman Bukit Ho Swee. 1961. Photograph. Item from collection of National Archives of Singapore.
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew officiated the opening of the 1 room “emergency flats” with the guests and victims of the Bukit Ho Swee fire.
An Urbanised Kampong. Photograph. Item from Blog to Express.
Overcrowded and filled with activities, the 5 blocks of “emergency flats” felt like an “urbanised kampong” despite the change in physical environment.
First HDB Flats in Queenstown.1962. Photograph. Item from collection of National Archives of Singapore.
These were the first HDB flats in the Queenstown estate. This photograph was taken when the flats were still in the construction process.
Official Opening of Queenstown Combined Clinic. 1963. Photograph. Item from collection of National Archives of Singapore.
In hopes of creating a complete heartland, amenities for things such as health were introduced. Many people attended this official opening by Lee Kuan Yew of our country's first polyclinic.
‘Home Ownership for the People’ Poster. 1966. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
This scheme enables low income citizens to purchase flats at an affordable price. The government believed a high homeownership rate will aid in the country’s social and political stability.
Coming out from Challenging Days
The need for public housing became a pressing issue in the post-war years. Hence, the SIT developed and implemented plans to build the first satellite town in Queenstown. The SIT was replaced by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) 1960.
HDB set a five-year target to build about 50,000 units so as to alleviate the overcrowding in the city centre quickly. They also took over the subsequent development of the Queenstown estate While they were still in the progress of this project, the Bukit Ho Swee Fire caused the government to devise their plans to house the homeless such as having ‘emergency flats’ to house the affected residents.
Toa Payoh
Kampong Dwellers Moving Out in Toa Payoh. 1966. Photograph. Item from Roots.sg collection of National Heritage Board.
Kampong dwellers in lorries as they move out their kampong making their way to their new home in the form of HDB Flats in Toa Payoh.
Lion Dance Performance at HDB’s new estate in Toa Payoh. 1966. Photograph. Item from The Straits Times.
Lion Dance Performance in Toa Payoh draws in residents from all walks of life as they watch from void decks to staircases.
The Bukit Ho Swee Fire played a vital role in the development of modern Singapore. The fire caused a boom in the construction of public high rise buildings as the government highlighted the dangers living in the urban slums.
HDB managed to build 21,000 flats in less than 3 years; 54,000 2 years later. After 10 years, they resolved the housing crisis as they built a sufficient number of flats for Singaporeans.
Toa Payoh. 1967. Photograph. Item from collection of National Archives of Singapore.
An aerial view of Toa Payoh in 1967. The setting of Singapore’s unprecedented achievements in Housing Development.
With all these rapid developments, there were mixed feelings among the residents and it took some time for them to adapt to the changes. Despite the changes in the living conditions, the sense of kampong spirit was still prevalent in the community as everyone walked out of the ‘Challenging Days’ and into the ‘Development Days’ together.