Yesterday, Mr. Liew Mun Leong, CapitaLand’s chief executive, urged the Singapore Government to intervene the building of shoebox apartments, on the reasons that these developers are wasting Singapore’s limited land and homes less than 50 sq m are ‘almost inhuman’.
“It’s almost inhuman. It’s not good for the welfare of the family to feel that constrained.”
The article says that Mr. Liew himself “grew up in a one-bedroom apartment with nine people and often slept along the corridor”.
I grew up in a family of six and we stayed in a less than 50 sq m home without any bedroom for more than 20 years.
When I finally moved out, and was the first in the family to do so, I wish I could tell my mother that what I did was “good for the welfare of the family” because the place was “constrained”.
How could I say so? All my childhood memories are there. It will always have a special place in my heart.
Then I moved to a unit less than 35 sq m for longer than a year. Sharing the tiny space with a sister, we enjoyed the new found freedom and never felt anything “inhuman”.
For almost five years in Singapore, I shared a 1,700 sq ft apartment with two flatmates. Till this day, I missed the fun we had when we stayed together … though I often found it a chore when it’s my turn to mop the floor!
My current residence is a terrace house with a floor area of 3,700 sq ft. For a long time, there are only three of us staying here. Honestly, there are many corners of the house that we seldom visit.
I often take photos of my daughter having fun in the house. When she grows up, the photos will remind her of the happy moments we shared here.
In the Chinatown Heritage Centre, it shows how the whole family slept in a tiny bed in a rented room and called the bed their home.
Not long ago in Singapore, it’s not uncommon for an extended family staying altogether in the same small kampong hut.
Likewise, the whole family took shelter in the same cave during the Stone Age.
I am not suggesting our next generation to go back to the old times and feel the space we used to have. I am also not in favor of shoebox apartments.
But I just want to tell Mr. Liew that
It’s not the space, but the people staying there and their relationship that define their welfare.
I hope you agree with me.
Everything else being equal, we would of cos prefer a larger place to stay in. I believe Mr Liew was referring to comfort level, rather than emotional attachment.
Everything else being equal, we would of cos prefer a larger place to stay in. I believe Mr Liew was referring to comfort level, rather than emotional attachment.
I believe Mr. Liew meant to “move” the government to do something about shoebox units … so he doesn’t have to “move” a finger to knock out competitors.
I believe Mr. Liew meant to “move” the government to do something about shoebox units … so he doesn’t have to “move” a finger to knock out competitors.
That could be true, although Mr Liew could also be building shoebox units himself in that case..
That could be true, although Mr Liew could also be building shoebox units himself in that case..
50sqm….abt 500 sq ft.,,,,In Mumbai it would be a 1BHK or even 2BHK.As an engineer I’d say its OK for a nuclear family with school going children.Its harder for extended families or grown up children to live in such a place but given property rates a lot of families manage with less.
Maybe with better designs that allows in more air and sunlight and movable walls that allow the change in the use of space,more could be achieved with less.
50sqm….abt 500 sq ft.,,,,In Mumbai it would be a 1BHK or even 2BHK.As an engineer I’d say its OK for a nuclear family with school going children.Its harder for extended families or grown up children to live in such a place but given property rates a lot of families manage with less.
Maybe with better designs that allows in more air and sunlight and movable walls that allow the change in the use of space,more could be achieved with less.
Unlike Tokyo and Hong Kong, the majority of Singaporeans are living in flats two times bigger than 500 sq ft.
Once the prices of properties fall to an affordable level, why would anyone squeeze the whole family into a shoebox unit?
Unlike Tokyo and Hong Kong, the majority of Singaporeans are living in flats two times bigger than 500 sq ft.
Once the prices of properties fall to an affordable level, why would anyone squeeze the whole family into a shoebox unit?