Lessons From Stirling Road: What the Residents of Singapore’s First HDB Flats Know About Contentment

My first photo essay for RICE Media, co-written with a friend, began with my father’s memories of moving from a kampung house into an HDB flat. His stories lingered with me, and I became curious about the very first HDBs in Singapore. That curiosity led me to Stirling Road, specifically blocks 45, 48 and 49, the earliest HDB flats ever built, now part of the My Queenstown Heritage Trail.

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Initially, I wanted to explore the contrast between these ageing blocks and the new BTOs rising nearby, and to understand how long-time residents felt watching their surroundings change so quickly. I also wondered whether living in a “historical” building meant anything to them. But as I spoke with the residents, I realised something unexpected: despite their historical significance, these flats had seen little real preservation.

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What I discovered instead were quiet stories of resilience and contentment. Residents spoke of leaking ceilings, occasional floods, and long waits for repairs, yet they also spoke of neighbours, routines, and the comfort of knowing a place so well that even its flaws felt familiar. In the cracks and corners of these ageing blocks, I found a different kind of heritage - one built not of plaques or polished walls, but of the everyday dignity, patience, and persistence of the people who continue to call Stirling Road home.