SINGAPORE: First built in the 1960s, the Dawson estate in Queenstown is one of the oldest public housing projects in Singapore. Over the last 10 years, the estate has undergone a face-lift under the Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2007.
Dawson, along with Punggol and Yishun, were the first estates to be selected under the first phase of the programme, which aims to preserve the heritage of these estates while breathing new life into them. The latest batch of estates, comprising Woodlands, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris, were earmarked for upgrading last Sunday.
SkyVille @ Dawson. (Photo: Wendy Wong)
WITNESSING DAWSON ESTATE’S TRANSFORMATION
Having studied and lived in Queenstown for almost 30 years, long-time resident Ng Tze Tze has witnessed the transformation of the estate, which was home to Singapore’s first flats as well as its first branch library.
“I’ve frequented this area since I was a teenager,” the 50-year-old told Channel NewsAsia. “I always go to the Margaret Drive bowling alley; the theatre (to watch) midnight shows.”
The history of the area is captured on murals around the estate, as well as on storyboards lining the Alexandra Canal Linear Park, where Mdm Ng and her husband exercise at. They feature stories behind selected heritage items that were collected in 2008 after the public was invited to contribute items related to the estate.
Today, Mdm Ng lives at SkyVille @ Dawson, one of the seven housing projects announced under the Dawson Landscape Masterplan, which outlines the urban design guidelines for the estate.
(Photo: Wendy Wong)
“I decided to apply for a flat here in SkyVille because I’ve been living in this area for the last 30 years,” said the housewife, who moved into her 4-room flat with her husband and 10-year-old daughter last year.
“The new flats that have been coming out in the last 10 years really don’t resemble much of the old HDB flats,” she added. “In fact, a lot of my friends … say: ‘Are you sure this is a HDB flat?’ I say: ‘Yes, it looks very much like a condo or private walk-up apartment but yup, it’s HDB.'”
The housing project includes amenities such as a supermarket and eating house to serve the daily needs of residents.
Apart from SkyVille and SkyTerrace, the other five projects are slated for completion by 2020.
The five upcoming precincts will have facilities such as eateries, childcare centres and a two-storey hawker centre, according to HDB.
REALISING THE “HOUSING-IN-A-PARK” VISION
As part of the estate’s “housing-in-a-park” vision, housing projects within the estate are designed with green spaces for residents to interact and relax in a park-like environment, such as rooftop gardens and “sky gardens”, which replace traditional void decks.
“For Dawson itself, we have seen (its) existing condition and decided from the onset that we wanted to have abundant greenery over here, trying to bring in the new planning with the old. So that’s how ‘housing in a park’ was born,” HDB landscape and design director Brian Low said, referring to the vision for Dawson estate.
(Photo: Wendy Wong)
To enhance the greenery in the estate, 4,700 new trees were planted and 60 mature trees conserved. These include several shade trees which used to line a road that made way for a park.
A 200-metre-long Dawson community eco-corridor is also in the works, which will feature environmentally friendly rain gardens when completed by 2020.
(Photo: Wendy Wong)
“For all the lessons we’ve learnt here – whether it’s saving the old trees, whether it’s … trying to use the correct plants to attract butterflies to this place, flora and fauna and so on – we try to distill them and try to apply them to new housing districts in the upcoming years,” Mr Low said.
According to HDB, Dawson Landscape Masterplan is on track, with its upcoming five projects to provide 3,700 new homes when completed by 2020.
