From natural light and air-conditioning needs to future resale potential and children, here are some things to consider before opting for HDB's new “White Flat” layout, says finance blogger and parent-of-two Dawn Cher.
With flats generally becoming smaller since the 1980s, an open-concept design can allow home owners to use space more efficiently. It could potentially visually expand a 66 sqm 3-room HDB flat to feel larger than a boxed-in 90 sqm 4-room flat. Fewer barriers would let in more natural light and allow clearer lines of sight for a more modern feel.
Even if couples welcome children in the future, they can always build internal walls later and reconfigure the space again to adapt to their changing life stages and needs.Such open-concept and highly customised flats have their own downsides and challenges. Another important consideration in hot and humid Singapore would be about cooling individual spaces without walls. Larger spaces require more powerful air conditioning systems. This will translate into a higher energy consumption and more expensive electricity bills.