Hidden in Plain Sight
Discovering singapore's vibrant street art scene by Jennifer Williams and Isabelle Tadmoury
Reminiscing Old Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio
Way-Finding Project
After taking you to public art in the central neighborhoods of Singapore, we thought it was time to go into the heartlands. Known for their enormous housing projects, the heartlands are home to 80% of Singapore’s population. They are completely self-sufficient as they come with Hawker centers, schools, medical clinics, shops, parks and basically everything you need to live a comfortable life.
In Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, we found public art that also serves the "well-being" of the community. This wayfinding project launched by the Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA), paints objects on buildings to aid the elderly with dementia in finding their way home. Traditional items identify each building. A tiffin box denotes block 102 while a teacup, satay or a rice bowl denote other buildings in the area. Even the size of the murals (big) and their location (above building entrances), help residents find their way.
Kopi Cup and Rooster Bowl in Way-Finding Project HDB in Kebun Baru
While housing projects have a negative image in many countries, in Singapore the concept of public housing from the Housing Development Board (HDB) equates to quality, reliability and livability. A key part of Singapore’s original 1950’s urban renewal development was to move residents from kampongs (villages) to modern buildings with improved facilities such as electricity, individual bathrooms and kitchens. Today, there are HDB high-rise apartments with million-dollar price tags and stunning views. 18
AWA Magazine Jan/Feb 2022
Mary-Ann Khoo, Consultant at ADA comments: “The murals serve as unique identifiers of the blocks in Kebun Baru. The elderly and persons with dementia, as they get older or as their cognition deteriorates, may not recognize their way around the blocks, which all tend to look the same.” * Often, groups of HDB buildings look very similar and we can easily imagine how difficult the blocks are to navigate for people with dementia. This project certainly seems like a good way to address this issue.
