Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Gangsta rapper breeding project


DSC00417.JPG
Originally uploaded by sangsara.

This is one of the scariest buildings ever. I'll get a better shot someday when I'm not in a cab. It's opposite the Singapore General Hospital, if you're wondering.

It's like a cylinder with a quadrant cut out, and it looks at least 50 years older than it is. I see it as a nightmarish hong-kongesque urban housing project fallen into disrepair, where people are squeezed too close to each other, everything smells, and you can see 20 neighbors by looking out your kitchen window.

at 11:19 AM

10 comments:

  1. i know, i've been staring at it for years.
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  2. my hdb flat is like that too. its a u-shape so i can stare into my neighbours kitchen/bedroom/living room all the time. i never open my windows.
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  3. is that very common? sounds like the apartment building in kungfu hustle. well actually, in most cities, especially in high-rise areas, looking into other people's apartments is common, and i quite like the idea. rear window is my favorite movie, by the way. i'll be the guy with the night vision cctv screens sitting in his dark living room everynight watching the dramas unfold.

    but this building is just different. they look too close together, and i think being in the center staring down that huge well would be too vertigonous.
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  4. it's called pearl bank apartments, gives me the creeps too. amazing views tho!

    p.s.: happy birthday in advance! (just in case i get trapped in a jungle and have no access to the internet)
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  5. here in my room in manhattan i can look into at least twelve different windows from each window... and i have two... so that makes it 24 windows, and approx 10 households!
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  6. AH yes! this building! I've always thought it looked like a high rise shanty town. Something about the way the floors aren't really very distinct, and how there seems to be laundry everywhere.

    Is this a HDB flat or some sort of old "condo"?
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  7. it can't be HDB. it's too... unpastel.
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  8. My sister (did architecture at uni) says that this building is supposed to have some significance. She apparently read in lecture notes that it is environmentally sustainable because it catches the wind... or something.

    Woe betide us if this is being used as an example...
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  9. Ah ok I've got the full story now.

    Firstly, the architect tried to go against building convention (obviously).

    Secondly, the structure is such that everyone gets a view of the park around it.

    Thirdly, it is to "foster community spirit" (presumably by making everyone stay as close to each other as possible).

    Regardless, it's a complete eyesore in my opinion...
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  10. wow. thanks for the info.
    i googled pearl bank apartments and found some more photos and info.

    http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=106548

    An ad for some units (http://www.findthis.com.sg/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26339) describes it as having "panoramic views", but also "complete freedom and privacy".
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