At Kim Keat Beacon in Toa Payoh, residents across the development’s three housing blocks can relax at the end of the day, enjoy the breeze while taking in panoramic views of the city skyline and chat with their neighbours at communal verandahs located at every upper floor’s lift lobbies. According to Mr Lau Chee Meng, managing director and co-founder of Kyoob Architects, which designed the Housing Board (HDB) Build-To-Order project, the inspiration for these communal spaces was drawn from Toa Payoh’s Neighbourhood Principle. First implemented in the 1960s, the Neighbourhood Principle is a concept where several neighbourhoods are grouped around a town centre that acts as a focal point for the entertainment and shopping needs of residents.
“As one of the oldest HDB towns, Toa Payoh greatly influenced the generations that came after it. One of its key features is the wide common corridors leading to every flat. These corridors became community spaces where residents bonded and children played.
We wanted to re-imagine this community spirit in our design for this project,” he explains. Such thoughtful design elements in this project earned Kyoob a Design Award for Housing for Kim Keat Beacon at the HDB Awards 2024. The Award pays homage to architectural consultants for their excellent design of HDB projects in various categories, including Housing, Mixed Development and Rejuvenation.
Besides sky terraces located at the 26 th storey of every block, residents at Kim Keat B.
