'Million-dollar view': Sengkang resident shares her experience living in award-winning HDB estate

When Farah Charles was selecting a flat in 2017, one of her main considerations was being able to live near her mother and sister, who both have homes in Punggol. 

She decided to buy a four-room Build-to-Order (BTO) flat for $317,000 at Sengkang's Rivervale Shores, an estate which was completed in 2023. 

Farah and her husband are currently staying in their new flat over the weekends with their five-year-old daughter. The family plan to officially move into their new home when the school holidays begin next month. 

Rivervale Shores comprises 2,500 two-room Flexi, three-, four- and five- room flats across 16 residential blocks on 10-hectares of land, making it HDB's biggest BTO project to date. 

Speaking to AsiaOne, the 32-year-old homemaker shared that she was drawn to the estate.

Farah said that her flat on the 11th floor faces Sungei Serangoon, giving her a "million-dollar view". 

"Our flat also faces Paya Lebar Air Base, which allows us to see the military planes take off. The noise might be bothersome to some but we enjoy it," she said. 

Rivervale Shores was designed by Surbana Jurong to seamlessly integrate with Sungei Serangoon's waterfront, said HDB. 

In order to maximise residents' views of the river and landscaped spaces, the residential blocks were strategically oriented and staggered. Sky terraces and sky gardens were also built into the residential blocks as vantage points for scenic views. 

About 45 per cent of Rivervale Shores' surface area is made up of green spaces, which help to soften the urban environment and reduce the heat island effect, HDB said.

Another highlight of the project is the elevated environmental deck (e-deck) connecting all 16 blocks.

The estate's car park also lies beneath the e-deck, which allows better spacing between residential blocks. 

"We like the fact that the car park is below us, and that there's a vehicle-free space for residents on the second floor," said Farah. 

Her family also enjoys the halal food court as well as the various playgrounds within the premises. 

"My daughter is in absolute awe of the playgrounds our estate has, she has three playgrounds to choose from, and even one with an actual sand pit!" 

While she's excited and pleased about the design and amenities in her estate, Farah hopes to see an ATM and a 24-hour convenience store in the future. 

Award-winning estate

For its design and innovation, Rivervale Shores bagged both the Construction and Design Awards at the HDB Awards on Oct 20. 

The annual awards recognises the work of architects, engineering consultants and building contractors in public housing projects. 

This year, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee presented a total of 26 Design, Construction and Engineering awards to various industry members. 

Addressing the attendees during the ceremony, he reiterated the need to maintain a stable supply of homes to help more Singaporeans fulfil their homeownership aspirations. 

He also announced plans to build another 14,000 homes in Sembawang North and Woodlands North.

"There is a lot of work ahead of us. To all our industry partners here tonight, I seek your continued support so we can deliver more quality homes for Singaporeans in the coming years," said Lee. 

HDB's CEO Tan Meng Dui also noted: "This year’s HDB Awards is especially significant, as it takes place at a time where HDB is close to completing all the pandemic-delayed BTO projects in the next five months." 

To recognise the efforts of three construction companies which overcame challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, HDB also presented them with the inaugural Construction Resilience Recognition. 

"This recognition demonstrates both the strength and depth of the BTO construction ecosystem, as well as the ingenuity and resilience of our contractors in overcoming adversity and emerging stronger.

HDB is proud of the exceptional standard of excellence demonstrated by our building partners and humbled by their strong commitment to our mission of delivering quality homes to Singaporeans," Tan said. 

READ ALSO: HDB unveils development plans for Sembawang North and Woodlands North Coast, including 12,000 flats

claudiatan@asiaone.com