Journal of the Korean Housing Association ISSN:2234-3571(Print) 2234-2257(Online) 한국주거학회논문집

This study aims to understand how western housing typology has been adapted in the unit plans of apartments in Singapore, which have evolved according to changes in period. This project has collected 58 Housing and Development Board (HDB) apartment unit plans, built from the 1960s to the 2010s, and applied the “space grammar” methodology, adapted from the graph-theoretical approach of Seo (2007). The major findings are as follows. First, in their earlier period, HDB apartment units were designed to respond to the hot and humid climate and to maximize ventilation; therefore, the space grammar of this early period was found to be a reversed form of other countries’ unit plans. Second, traditional spatial configuration principles continue to govern the site planning and layout of primary spaces, hiding the kitchen from the entrance and facade. Third, the separation of the kitchen from the other spaces and the decreased importance of the dining space can be explained as a reflection of the unique socio-cultural phenomena and lifestyle of Singapore. Fourth, a clear separation between public and private spaces was found, as in the units of other countries, and the unit plans tended to be modified according to global design principles, such as open-plan spaces and wide front layouts. In conclusion, the unit plans of Singapore’s HDB apartments have been largely developed in response to Singapore’s climatic conditions and traditional customs, but they have evolved to adapt to new lifestyles and global design trends. Many of which have also been adapted in the apartments of other Southeast Asian countries.