The serenity of Redhill Close, a 1950s Singaporean housing project.
Till I closed my graphic design agency in Dec 2017, I regularly pass by Redhill estate, one of my key clients being at the adjacent Leng Kee Road industrial stretch.
Throughout these walk-bys, my impression was that the estate was “newly” rebuilt; I see only the new blocks towering over Tiong Bahru Road. I completely forgot that many older blocks, some over half a century old, still exist within the heart of the estate.
Many of these older public housing blocks have now been marked for redevelopment – or SERS as it’s known in HDB terminology. Strolling through these in the late afternoon, well, it’s a strange experience. Though old, though officially repossessed, the blocks are still well-maintained and clean. The surrounding grounds are spick-and-span too.
There being barely anyone around as I passed through also filled the area with a certain tranquillity. This silence could be a little disquieting at times, but mostly it was just peaceful and quiet. Personally, I’m surprised the estate is not yet an Instagram #nostagia hotspot.
Redhill Close
At Redhill Road. (I came from Redhill MRT). The blocks here are still inhabited, and as you can see, decorated primary in shades of red to befit the area name.
Redhill Block 72. Vibrant is the word for its exterior!
This towering new edifice, just steps away from the (much) older Block 72, stands in stark contrast to the blocks surrounding it.
One of the above-mentioned SERS blocks. At a glance, you wouldn’t know that this is over 50 years old. Look closer and you will also see a little of the unique trapezoid roofs over these blocks. This feature was highlighted in write-ups such as this.Redhill Close Block 15. Interesting landscaping surrounding it, isn’t it? There’s a vague, very vague, neo-classical feel.An unused playground at the heart of the estate. This is either new or recently repainted.
Ground floor corridor of a vacated block. Up-close, the wear and tear become more obvious.
I’m not sure what plans HDB has for the area. But if revitalised as a new living estate, I wouldn’t mind staying here.
The lack of anyone around made this shot possible. Symmetrically perfect, isn’t it?
My final shot, taken at the fringe of the estate along busy Jalan Bukit Merah. All vacated blocks have such gates at staircases, which prevented me from heading up any for an aerial shot. The solemn grilles also finalise Redhill Close’s current spot in Singaporean history.
Geek, gamer, writer, movie lover, photographer, and occasional graphic artist. I like to consider myself a one-stop content creator of sorts. But the truth is, I obsess over too many hobbies.
