HDB: Homes of Singapore

by Tomohisa Miyauchi, Keyakismos

The culmination of a three-year-long project by three Japanese art and architecture professionals living in Singapore, Homes of Singapore showcases how Singapore's diverse population lives and celebrates their varied cultures through photographs of the interiors of their HDBs ― flats purchased from Singapore's Housing and Development Board, which are affordable, popular housing option for most Singaporeans. In addition to a behind-the-door look into people's households, the book provides insight not just into the lives of Singaporeans, but also into the reality of living in a distinctive HDB flat and how real people have put their personal marks on them and turned them into homes, providing inspiration for anyone looking for home decor and storage solutions.

680 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2017

Reviews

[dar · Rating 5 out of 5]

been reading this mammoth of a book for over a year now and finally finished it amidst the back pain i got from reading this beast in unnatural positions.

feeling bittersweet about this; really happy that i came across such a book that intersected with my interests; being nosy and photography. love how the project encapsulated the personal lives of the owners and tenants and also how unique everyone’s space was. hdbs can feel small sometimes but that doesn’t mean it can’t be homely.

i thought the commentary was apt and funny, although it felt subjective at times.

i’m really heartbroken that this book is almost nowhere to be found in the marketplace, and the ones that i did find are marked at ridiculously high prices. the authors and publishers have left singapore for japan so begging them to give me a copy of this masterpiece is impossible now sigh

i did ask the owner of basheer graphic if he has this and he said that he tried contacting the author/publisher for a reprint but they didn’t agree to it sadly

if you or someone who you know has a copy of this please let me know before i turn to a life of crime. (jk)

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's massive massive book that has changed the way I look at HDBs. The photos give a great snap shot of how the HDB space is personalised, sometimes extraordinarily. However, it is such a difficult book to negotiate because of its size, which is about the dimensions of a vinyl record cover, but 7cm thick. It's heavy, unwieldy, not suited to coffee table or shelf, but needing to be read at a table. Some of the photo commentary is also a little inane, and at times too subjective. More objective photo notes, and a more manageable format, would increase this book's audience, and thus its historical value and the value of its insightfulness.