this is our official project text for the punggol housing competition, written by our design collaborator ling hao:

THIS IS /NOT PUNGGOL

Everywhere used

If the present housing conditions favour pockets of isolated occupation amongst fields of voids and transportation, we present 100% occupation. The intention is to allow for a different sense of interaction and liveliness between things.

Smallness

To encourage this total relationship to the environment, we make the distance between things smaller and the small things more. The distance between apartment to street is closer and more intimate.

Lively

We envisage a lively and active place where different groups of people feel free to gather and do things. So it can be noisy and messy but perhaps they will be aware enough to care for their bigger environment. On the streets, there will be play, food, rest, reading, gardening, parties, funerals, business deals and various kinds of activities.

Horizon

The apartments are generally eight storeys. While the buildings are close to you, the sky spreads everywhere. To celebrate this, all the roofs are decked over. Here, you can soak in the setting sun drinking cheap beer. And on another roof there may be a family grilling satay sticks on charcoal listening to the boombox.

River

In the middle of this all, runs a river. There is a gentle 1:20 gradient slope that is introduced down towards the river. From all streets you will always sense this river and likewise from the apartments. It provides a shimmering constantly changing scenery and is filled with natural sounds. Other times, there will be paddling and fishing. During Loy Krathong, there may be candles floating along the river.

Inside everywhere

Here you are inside different parts of the environment. The apartments are adjusted here and there to make specific kinds of in between spaces. Sometimes it is to form a more intimate square on the first storey, sometimes it is to allow a view towards the river. In the apartments, life takes over like everywhere else. So it will be filled with everyday activities or unusual occasions. The curtains to the windows may be drawn or the clothes may be hung on the mesh screens to the balconies. At certain times of the day, you will hear the sound of the piano being played and gradually you learn to judge to quality of the playing.