1,800 flats to go on sale at Dawson estate next year

July 31, 2008
1,800 flats to go on sale at Dawson estate next year
Two 40-storey towers to be constructed under build-to-order system by
2014
By Joyce Teo

A NEW generation of Housing Board flats is set to go on sale in about
a year's time at now-sleepy Dawson estate.

The 50-year-old Queenstown estate is set to be transformed with the
construction of two striking 40-storey towers, designed by award-
winning architects, SCDA Architects and WOHA Architects.

The towers, to boast about 1,800 flats, are being built under the
HDB's build-to-order (BTO) system - now the board's main means of
providing new housing stock.

HDB rarely builds new flats within a mature estate due to the lack of
space. The new towers in Dawson will be nestled among gardens
designed by landscape architects - a first for an HDB estate.

News that the flats will be on sale in a year's time was unveiled by
Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development, at
the HDB awards dinner yesterday.

She later told reporters that she expects very strong demand for the
new flats.

Sales will start in the third quarter of next year. Construction
could start six months after that and be completed in 2014, Ms Fu
said.

At Dawson - Singapore's first Housing Board estate - the SCDA-
designed tower block is on a 2.2ha site and could feature about 800
flats. The other block, on a 2.7ha site, will have about 1,000 units.

The towers will have special features such as lofts, flexible flat
designs, and sky villages or common high-rise space shared by every
10 floors.

But potential buyers can still influence the final design. Feedback
is invited at an exhibition on Dawson estate before the consultants
finalise their designs. The show at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh runs
from today until Aug 10.

Home-hunter Lauren Shen, 27, a graphic designer, said: 'The flats are
exciting because they can be customised. I have applied for a flat in
Punggol. If I don't get it, I will wait for these new ones.

'But it will depend on the prices. My chances may be limited because
I think they will be very popular.'

A third new-generation development will be added later at Dawson by
Surbana International Consultants. It will be launched when the site
for it is cleared by 2011.

To tie the three developments together, HDB has asked award-winning
local landscape architects Cicada to draw up a landscape plan.

The plans will rejuvenate Dawson estate, which has about 3,000 flats.
Dawson eventually could boast about 10,000 new homes, most of which
are expected to be public flats.

HDB is keen to preserve Dawson's heritage and is seeking
contributions of old photos, postcards, books and other items for use
in a display.