Void deck
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Void decks refer to the open areas on the ground level of Housing and Development Board (HDB) public housing buildings in Singapore, which are commonly known as HDB blocks.<ref name=":03">Template:Cite book</ref> They are one of the most used public spaces in housing estates.<ref name=":28">Ooi, Giok Ling, and Thomas T.W. Tan. "The Social Significance of Public Spaces in Public Housing Estates." In Public Space: Design, Use, and Management, edited by Beng Huat Chua and Norman Edwards, 69–81. Singapore: Singapore University Press, National University of Singapore, 1992.</ref> The first void deck was implemented in 1963 at Block 26 Jalan Klinik.<ref name=":15">Tan, Alvin. The Story of Void Decks, Singapore: National Heritage Board, 2013. 3-9. Archived 9 May 2016. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref> The void deck is used for a range of casual community activities such as playing board games, exercising, and socialising.<ref name=":28" /><ref name=":15" /> It is often booked for Malay weddings, Chinese funerals, and birthday parties.<ref name=":28" /><ref name=":15" /><ref name=":0">Koh, Jaime. "Void Deck | Infopedia." National Library Board. 27 January 2015. Archived 5 December 2023. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref><ref>Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. "Use of Common Area & Open Space." AHTC. Archived 22 January 2016. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref> Void decks today are occasionally populated with convenience stores, early education centres, community clubs, senior citizen clubs, and coffee shops.<ref name=":03" />
In contemporary Singapore, Malay wedding receptions are typically conducted at the void deck as it serves as an equivalent to the courtyards of the family's house at which Malay wedding receptions are traditionally held.<ref name=":9">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":10">Wong, Julian. "Understanding the Void Deck Wedding." Rice Media, 21 October 2017. Archived 26 May 2024. Accessed 21 September 2024.</ref> These receptions take place throughout the day and typically invite over 1,000 guests, who are not required to stay for the entire duration, in line with Malay customs.<ref name=":9" /> However, there is a misconception that Malay void deck weddings are inexpensive.<ref name=":9" /> In reality, these weddings are often heavily decorated and accompanied by a feast, with each reception costing the average couple around S$40,000 to S$50,000.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" />
Chinese funerals are also common at the void deck for Buddhist and Taoist traditions. Christian and Hindu funerals are also held in void decks.<ref>Liotta, Edoardo. "From Void Deck to Livestream: The Changing Face of Funerals in Singapore." Rice Media, 28 August 2021. Archived 22 June 2024. Accessed 21 September 2024.</ref><ref name=":11">Template:Cite book</ref> They often take place over few days and family members and relatives take turns looking over the venue overnight, typically playing games such as mahjong to keep themselves awake.<ref name=":11" /> It is a misconception that void deck funerals are merely convenient and superstitious.<ref name=":11" /> Writer and photographer Tan Dingwei stated that "The heritage surrounding death practices in Taoist belief systems are abundant and sophisticated."<ref name=":11" /> Tan published a photo-essay "A Chinese Funeral in a Void Deck" in the book Death and the Afterlife edited by Kit Ying Lye and Terence Heng which shows that Chinese funerals vary across beliefs in Singapore.<ref name=":11" />
Etymology
The earliest record of the term "void deck" dates back to a 1967 Straits Times newspaper article, where it was used to describe the in-between floors of mixed-use buildings that separated the shopping levels from the residential blocks above them.<ref name=":0" /><ref>The Straits Times, "Multi-use Buildings: First Goes up in Chinatown," 21 April 1967. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref> In 1973, HDB referred to the open ground level as a 'void area' in the government panel in the newspaper.<ref name=":0" /><ref>The Straits Times, "Untitled," 28 September 1973, 10. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref> However, HDB did not utilise the term "void deck" in their annual reports until 1977–1978.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Housing and Development Board. Annual Report, 1977/78. Singapore: Housing and Development Board, 1978. p. 45.</ref> Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim Former Minister for Ministry of Communications and Information stated that the term "void deck" is a uniquely Singaporean one.<ref name=":15" />
Design
Architecture
Despite the name, void decks are not completely empty.<ref name=":03" /> The void deck is a largely open space with structural columns that support the residential blocks above it.<ref name=":03" /> Smooth white walls coat the verticals, and matte grey covers the base, with some walkways textured to prevent slippage.<ref name=":03" /> Although there is some variation, the center of the void deck houses its iconic elevators lobbies and dedicated letterbox area.<ref name=":03" /> Residents can collect mail before or after using the elevator.<ref name=":03" />
The lift lobby at void decks can be treated as the main entrance or "lobby lounges" to HDB blocks.<ref name=":12" /> In newer void decks, they are even marked with a different wall and floor design and kept open for the community to furnish and decorate.<ref name=":12">Wong, Aline K., and Stephen H. K. Yeh, eds. Housing a Nation: 25 Years of Public Housing in Singapore. Singapore: Maruzen Asia, 1985. 76, 370-371.</ref> The void deck's large open spaces allow for a variety of temporary functions, acting as "a space that can serve community needs."<ref name=":12" /> The void deck's abundance of uses allows residents to establish a niche experience with other residents.<ref name=":28" /> However, scholars such as the late Ooi Giok Ling and Thomas Tan have stated that the void deck can become a place for frequent yet superficial social interactions, especially when limited to passing greetings.<ref name=":28" />
In their book chapter The Social Significance of Public Spaces in Public Housing Estates, Ooi and Tan noted that the space is a "radical embrace of functional indeterminacy," meaning that the void deck is intentionally designed to have no fixed or predetermined purpose.<ref name=":28" /> Hence, Ooi and Tan described the institution of void decks as a 'gamble' because of this uncertainty of its usage.<ref name=":28" /> In the book chapter "Void Deck" in Public Space in Urban Asia by William S. W. Lim, Cairns, et al. dedicated one section called "The Void Deck Gamble", stating that the void deck was meant to be an open space with no particular function, but the hope was for it to promote "community and identity formation" as mentioned explicitly in government documents.<ref name=":03" />
Origins
There are various theories behind the implementation of the void deck.<ref name=":3">Tan, Martino. "The Story Behind When the 'Void Deck' Was Introduced and How It Was Invented." Mothership.sg, 27 December 2016. Archived 28 December 2016.</ref> According to the biography of late SNOC president and law minister E.W. Barker, edited by Susan Sim, the initial idea of the void deck originated from a 1973 conversation Barker had with former Secretary General S.S. Dhillon while driving at Kim Keat Road towards Toa Payoh.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2">Yang, Joyce. "The Secret Life of Void Decks." Dear SG, 10 March 2020. Archived 9 November 2022. Accessed 18 September 2024.</ref><ref name=":5">Sim, Susan. E. W. Barker: The People's Minister. Singapore: Straits Times Press, 2016. 313.</ref> Barker commented on children being drenched in the rain, suggesting, "If only we could raise buildings one level up."<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5" /> Susan Sim and Dhillon suggested that this was how "the idea of a void deck at the foot of each HDB block came about."<ref name=":5" /> In 2024, TODAY online posted an article which claimed that HDB "initially built void decks for ventilation and flood prevention in dense urban areas", citing urban planners.<ref name=":6">Loh, Renald. "The Big Read in Short: HDB Void Decks — Social Bonding Spaces or Pain Points for Residents?" Today, 12 January 2024. Archived 13 September 2024. Accessed 18 September 2024.</ref>
However, Scholars like Louisa-May Khoo and Stephen Cairns echoed the official view that the void deck exists to mix people up, to promote social interaction between people in Singapore's ethnically diverse, multicultural, and multi-religious society.<ref name=":03" /><ref name=":14">Khoo, Louisa-May. Living with Diversity the Singapore Way. Singapore: Centre for Liveable Cities, 2017. Archived 12 December 2018. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref> In 1989, the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) was introduced, which kept the percentage of each racial group in HDB blocks in line the national CMIO racial composition.<ref name=":4">Tan, Ern Ser, and Paveena Seah. "More Than Just a Roof over One’s Head: Lifestyle Diversity and Dynamics in Singapore Public Housing." In Planning Singapore: The Experimental City, edited by Stephen Hamnett and Belinda Yuen, 70–90. London: Routledge, 2019.</ref> It is suggested that the presence of void decks below HDB blocks would promote social interaction and contribute to fostering racial harmony.<ref name=":4" />
The NHB's e-book titled Void Deck from their Community Heritage Series III (2013) stated that the intention of the void deck was to provide "a sense of relief" in a highly urbanised environment and create opportunities for community bonding.<ref name=":15" /> It also suggested that "[the] introduction of void decks has undeniably improved the lives of HDB flat dwellers as they provide shelter from the rain and sun, promote good airflow and natural light, and allow passers-by easy passage through the estates," mentioning the other possible reasons stated by Sim, Khoo, Cairns, and Tan.<ref name=":03" /><ref name=":15" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":14" />
History
The 1960s
When HDB blocks were first constructed in the 1960s, they did not include void decks.<ref name=":15" /> It was only in the 1970s that HDB began building its flats starting from the second level, creating open space on the ground level.<ref name=":28" /><ref name=":15" /> However, exceptions to some new HDB blocks were made to allow for greater convenience for the elderly.<ref name=":12" />
At the start, void decks featured only basic amenities such as bicycle racks, letterboxes, elevators, and telephone booths.<ref name=":15" /> In around every four blocks, early void decks had kiosks that sold household necessities and groceries near the lift lobby.<ref name=":12" /> After the creation of the precinct, the kiosks were replaced by precinct facilities such as nearby convenience stores.<ref name=":12" />
1970s to 1980s
From the 1970s to 1980s, Singapore began moving kampong residents into HDB estates, otherwise known as New Towns.<ref name=":15" /> During this process, New Town HDB void decks served as the functional equivalent of communal kampong spaces for gathering.<ref name=":15" />
In the 1980s, HDB began incorporating entertainment facilities like chess and checker tables, vending machines, and advertisement corners, along with safety and security features such as CCTV surveillance and defibrillators.<ref name=":15" /> In 1980, HDB announced that every new HDB block and older estates will have electrical and water facilities for usage at the void deck.<ref>The Straits Times. "HDB Will Add Facilities to Void Decks." 24 July 1980. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref><ref name=":15" /> Until the 1990s, void decks followed similar rectangular designs, which only changed when HDB began encouraging teams of private firms to 'design-and-build' HDB flats in 1991.<ref>The Straits Times, "HDB Seeks Private Sector Design Bids," 31 May 1991. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref><ref name=":15" />
Since 1982, HDB blocks have been built in a way that links void decks and playgrounds into territories known as precincts.<ref name=":28" /> A precinct constitutes up to 750 flats and joins roughly 4 hectares of flats, creating a common space with which residents can identify.<ref name=":28" /> In a precinct, a playground becomes the focal point around which void deck facilities have been built and concentrated.<ref name=":28" /> Residents are also within walking distance to conveniences such as small shops, eateries, and grocery stores.<ref name=":28" /> Precinct pavilions have been added to newer void decks.<ref>Low, Brian Lip Chee. "Use of Void Decks Changes in Tandem with Community's Needs." Housing and Development Board. Archived 27 January 2018. Accessed 17 January 2018.</ref>
1990s to 2000s
In the 1990s, seeing that certain void deck spaces were regularly populated by senior citizens, "Senior Citizens' Corners" were created.<ref name=":123">Chong, Keng Hua, et al. "Dense and Ageing: Social Sustainability of Public Places Amidst High-Density Development." In Growing Compact: Urban Form, Density and Sustainability, edited by Joo Hwa P. Bay and Steffen Lehmann, 143–158. London: Routledge, 2017.</ref> When the first void deck community garden was established in Tampines in 1999, there was an increasing demand from seniors to convert more open spaces into gardening areas.<ref name=":123" /> In 2005, National Parks Board created the "Community in Bloom" programme which provided a platform for seniors to initiate their own community gardens.<ref>National Parks Board. "Get Involved: Community Gardens" Gardening Singapore. Archived 4 November 2023. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref> In 2006, The Committee on Ageing Issues (CAI) called for more void decks to be utilised for senior activities.<ref name=":123" />
In newer HDB blocks such as SkyVille@Dawson and Pinnacle@Duxton, void decks are not located on the ground floor but rather integrated with sky gardens.<ref>Housing and Development Board. "Sky Gardens Are Intended to Be Open and Accessible." Letters to the Media, 23 December 2021. Archived 22 March 2023. Accessed 18 September 2024.</ref> Newer void decks are also smaller in size.<ref name=":1">Koh, Jaime. "Void Deck | Infopedia." National Library Board. 27 January 2015. Archived 5 December 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2024.</ref> Residents have also been allowed a greater say in how the void deck is decorated. Artists may decorate the void deck, but they must first apply for permission from the relevant authorities before displaying their works, as the space belongs to the Town Council of the area where the void deck is located.<ref>Ng, Jun Seng. "New Public Wall Art Put Up at Yishun Void Deck." The Straits Times, 6 November 2017. Archived 23 November. 2023, Accessed 17 January 2018.</ref>
2000s to 2010s
By the 2010s, the void deck had become normalised as a point of departure and rendezvous for people going for work, school, or the market on the weekdays.<ref name=":12" /> People heading to and returning from work or school normally cut across void decks heading the MRT or bus station with very little social interaction with other residents.<ref name=":12" /> However, the void deck is still an important meeting point for the senior citizens who spend their days doing light housework and socialising with other seniors.<ref name=":12" />
COVID-19 pandemic
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, void decks facilities were cordoned off and restricted from public use. Void deck facilities were an everyday leisure spot for many Singaporeans.<ref>Janice Loo and Lee Meiyu. "Contemporary Collecting at the National Library." BiblioAsia 20, no. 1 (April–June 2024): 52. Archived 8 May 2024. Accessed 19 September 2024.</ref> The COVID-19 restrictions saw frequent and public cases of residents flouting rules which were recorded and shared through social media along with misinformation.<ref>Government of Singapore. "COVID-19 Clarifications." gov.sg. Archived 21 May 2024. Accessed 17 September 2024.</ref>
Void deck issues
Depending on its users, the void deck can either be a space for wholesome community bonding or a site for inconsiderate behaviour.<ref name=":03" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":13" /><ref name=":7" /> For some residents, the void deck has developed a negative association due to occasional instances of loitering, playing of loud music, gambling, drinking, drug-taking, etc.<ref name=":03" /> In his chapter on the Void Deck, Cairns quoted the concerns of Tan Szue Hann, then Principal Designer of Architecture at Jurong International, stating that:
“School students have always been advised to stay away from void decks, as it’s where smokers hang out, or card-playing happens. Smoking and card-playing is then associated with loitering/antisocial behaviour/gang-related activity, for some reason. And as such, students are indoctrinated to avoid these spaces, and will tend to do so 'til even later on in life."<ref name=":03" />
It is common for noise complaints to arise regarding the use of the void decks.<ref name=":13">Loh, Renald. "The Big Read: Are HDB Void Decks Still the Community Spaces We Know Them to Be?" Channel News Asia, 15 January 2024. Archived 27 January 2024. Accessed 21 September 2024.</ref> When there are complaints regarding void deck use, the government often urges communication between residents.<ref name=":13" /> Meanwhile, the Singapore-based website Stomp encourages users to publicise and report cases of residents who misuse the void deck.<ref name=":03" />
On 3 November 2023, an area of the Block 638 Woodlands Ring Road void deck was taped off by the town council due to noise complaints regarding children playing ball games at the void deck.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7">TODAY. "Woodlands Void Deck Blocked off to Prevent Football Games; Residents Divided." Archived 19 September 2024. Accessed 20 September 2024.</ref> On 23 November 2023, a netizen contacted TMSG and commented that the decision was 'ridiculous.'<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" />
In popular culture
In a 1995 Singapore Literature Prize Competition, a Commendation Prize was awarded for a collection of poems called Void Decks and Other Empty Places by Colin Cheong.<ref name=":8">Cheong, Colin. Void Decks: And Other Empty Places. Singapore: EPB Publishers, 1996.</ref> The first section consisted 20 poems about life in Singapore revolving the void deck. The first one goes as follows:
Long after the birdsong ends
spirits gather that never left
drawn by the memory of a well-loved face
drawn by the life of an empty place<ref name=":8" />
An exhibition titled Void & Void Decks by Singaporean artists Chow Chee Yong and Tang Ling Nah was held at the Private Museum from August to September 2012.<ref name=":16" /> The interior design of the exhibition room was modelled after a void deck, featuring iconic smooth grey concrete floors, white walls, and rectangular pillars, creating the impression of being at home whilst inside the art gallery.<ref name=":16">Void and Void Decks. Singapore: The Private Museum Ltd, 2012.</ref> The artist statement on the website is as follows:
Chow juxtaposes different locations with a single shot, creating an ambiguous “Void” that exists only within the photograph. On the other hand, Tang suggests the extension of space through her charcoal drawings of the city’s transitory spaces such as “Void Decks”, corridors and underground passageways.<ref>The Private Museum. "Void & Void Decks: Chow Chee Yong and Tang Ling Nah." Archived November 29, 2023. Accessed September 20, 2024.</ref>
On 22 August 2023, an HDB estate-themed cafe called Lou Shang by Mama Diam opened on Prinsep Street.<ref name=":17" /> The cafe's entrance and interior mimics the void deck staircase landings and common area. It also serves Singapore-inspired dishes and is furnished with blue-tiled, rounded tables and benches reminiscent of a void deck.<ref name=":17">HungryGoWhere. "Lou Shang by Mama Diam: A New HDB Estate-Themed Café on Prinsep Street." Archived 17 April 2024. Accessed 20 September 2024.</ref>