You’ve probably been to Bras Basah Complex for assessment books or art supplies, but look up and you’ll realise the old building is hiding a lot more than bookshops. There are actually 240 HDB flats above you, and their hidden void deck is on the podium roof.
We take you through Bras Basah Complex’s HDB block, its historic podium structure, and the void deck at the top that most Singaporeans have no idea exists.
Yes, people actually live at Bras Basah Complex
Bras Basah Complex features 5 storeys of commercial businesses, and a further 20 floors of HDB flats. Completed in 1980, it comprises Blocks 232 and 233, totalling 240 4-room units as part of HDB’s early downtown housing push.
Balloting began in January 1980, with prices starting from $28,000. Since then, the area has come a long way, and in May 2026, a 4-room unit in Block 233 resold for a whopping $980,000.
Image credit: Jolene Fong via Facebook
Why does Bras Basah Complex have a void deck on the 5th floor?
The HDB podium structure
In a country with so little space, early developers had to get creative.
First designed in the 1960s, the podium block structure aimed to make the most of scarce land in the city centre by combining commercial and residential spaces. The commercial block formed a podium foundation upon which taller blocks of flats stood.
The result was a void deck on the roof of the commercial block, giving residents their own shared community space well away from the shopping crowd below.
The first void deck
When someone says “void deck”, we tend to think of those ground-floor spaces, home to weddings and wakes, a staple of HDB living. But technically, these elevated areas atop commercial blocks were the first iteration of the void deck.
In 1960s newspapers, the term “void deck” originally referred to the transitional floor between a shopping podium’s roof and a residential block. At the time, “void area” was used to describe the ground-floor of a standard HDB block. It wasn’t until 1976 that “void deck” was adopted for ground-floor shared spaces.
Podium HDB blocks like Bras Basah Complex had the OG void deck.
One of the last of its kind
In the 1980s, HDB shifted its focus from renewing the city centre to building and expanding upon new residential estates like Tampines and Bishan. Bras Basah Complex marked the final developmental push in the central area, along with Rochor Centre, Waterloo Centre and Cheng Yan Court.
Image credit: HDB
What can you find at the Bras Basah Complex void deck?
Head up to level 5 and you’ll find a well-equipped playground with slides and climbing areas, an exercise zone, and plenty of colourful murals for a photo op with your shopping haul. It’s also a solid vantage point for views over the complex atrium and the surrounding buildings.
Image credit: pizzachruust via Lemon8
How to find it
Bras Basah Complex is located at 231 Bain Street, Singapore 180231, with its nearest MRTs being Bras Basah MRT Station, Bencoolen MRT Station, and Bugis MRT Station. To get to the void deck, simply make your way to level 4, then take the stairs adjacent to Basheer Graphic Books up to level 5.
Keep in mind that while this podium HDB void deck is a relic from developing Singapore, it is still an active void deck belonging to real residents. If you’re planning on making a visit, be sure to keep noise to a minimum and respect the residents’ privacy.
Image credit: Kitty Q. via Google Maps
Bonus: fun facts about Bras Basah Complex
Bras Basah Complex was originally built in 1980 as a book centre. Nicknamed the “city of books”, early tenants had to sell books and educational materials, and traders were only allowed to expand their inventory in mid-1986.
It still maintains its legacy as an educational hub today, but it has also grown its offerings to include collectibles and trinkets, vintage watches, signage services, and more.
In 1989, an $80,000 fibreglass roof was installed over the atrium after rain repeatedly disrupted planned events. This can be seen from the 5th floor void deck.
Image credit: pizzachruust via Lemon8
Bras Basah Complex’s secret HDB void deck
Bras Basah Complex is more than a place to stock up on exam prep materials; it’s a quiet monument of how Singapore grew. Next time you’re there, take a detour past the shops and see the void deck for yourself.
For more HDB nostalgia, check out these articles:
- 7 nostalgic HDB features worth reviving
- Growing up in an old 3-room HDB flat
- Quirky features of old resale flats
Cover image credit: Jolene Fong via Facebook and pizzachruust via Lemon8
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