Sharing my photography and thoughts here. Editor and Product Manager of Data.gov.sg
Photo Essay: Dakota Crescent
One of Singapore’s oldest housing estates will be vacated by end of this year. I take a walk with the Sigma dp3 Quattro camera.
SCENIC ROUTE: Many joggers (and cyclists) along the river in the evenings.
Built in 1958 during the British colonial days, Dakota Crescent (map) comprises 17 blocks with 648 two- and three-room units. Most of the flats are occupied by elderly residents and low-income families under the Housing Board’s public rental scheme.
The estate was named after the American transport aircraft Dakota DC-3, which landed at Kallang Airport.
Many of the blocks have a distinctive semi-hexagonal shape, with lifts that go only to the 3rd and 6th storeys. The most famous landmark here is the playground with its iconic Dove-shaped structure — the only one of its kind in Singapore.
HOLE IN THE WALL: There is no such thing as a lift lobby on these blocks!
OLD SCHOOL: All black except the button for “Door Open”. Also notice that there is no “Door Close” button — no one is leaving in a hurry!
The corridors are very narrow in some of the blocks, which can be cozy or claustrophobia-inducing.
TAKE THE STAIRS: Lovely patterns on the steps.
MAXIMISING SPACE: Airing the laundry with some improvisation.
RUBBISH CHUTE: Somebody has a germophobe for a neighbour on this floor.
Same block, different styles.
MAILBOX: You’ve got junk mail.
FREE PARKING: One of the empty units. Now a bicycle parking point.
BALCONIES FOR EVERYONE: All the units at Dakota seem to have balconies.
SHOPHOUSES: Block 12 is the only building here with commercial space.
CONVERTED: In Singapore, there’s a hipster cafe in every interesting corner now. No different at Dakota Crescent. The signboard is from the provision shop that used to occupy the space here.
CALL FOR APPOINTMENT: A Traditional Chinese Medicine hall next to the cafe.
ON STUDY BREAK: There is another Traditional Chinese Medicine hall along the same row of shops. But the doctor for this hall is on a study break until Sept 1.
HIGH ON GOODNESS: One of the Sunshine Bread racks, probably from the former provision shop at Block 12, now reinvented as gardening storage at another block.
ALL SMILES: A friendly old lady who lives on a ground floor unit. When I asked for a photo, she tidied her hair before posing for the camera. She was having dinner when I was walking past.
WELL-FED: There are quite a few stray cats in the estate.
NO MORE KIDS: The famous “dove” playground.
PRESPECTIVES: These are part of the installations put up by theatre group Dramabox for their IgnorLAND production at Dakota over the weekend.
PEOPLE WATCHING: There are many benches in the common spaces in the estate.
BALCONY BUDDIES: The introduction segment of Dramabox’s IgnorLAND production at Dakota. As it was too late to register, I left after this segment.
