Originally designed to promote “better way-finding”, the Tampines GreenVines BTO project has raised a few eyebrows no thanks to its striking colour scheme. Its original appearance was dubbed as “creepy” and went viral for its horror movie-worthiness, and residents of the blocks urged for a change.
The blocks were swiftly partially repainted. As a result, the Tampines GreenVines BTO became the subject of attention once again, with some netizens bemoaning the loss of the all-red lift lobbies that captured the imaginations of Singaporeans.
Tampines GreenVines BTO project
Consisting of 11 residential blocks, the Tampines GreenVines BTO project created a huge online buzz earlier in the month because of its bold colour scheme. In particular, the crimson lift lobbies and letterbox areas were a source of contention.
@zelia2702
Video credit: @zelia2702
Opinions were split between netizens. In the comments section of a Tiktok video by user @zelia2702, many expressed their fear of the all-red colour scheme. They said the block looked “scary” and reminded them of a “horror movie”.
On the other hand, bolder folks commented that the unique colour scheme was “quite a vibe”, “cool”, and “like an art exhibition”.
Other blocks in the project had blue and yellow as their primary colour scheme, which seemed cheerier and more boutique hotel-esque than its crimson counterparts.
Take a look at the all-yellow block here:
@uchify.sg And it was all yellow ~ 📍Blk 641E Tampines Street 62 #tiktoksg #fyp #fypシ #hdb #sghomes #yellowhdb #hdbsg #insingapore #tampines
Changes to the blocks
Mr Baey Yam Keng, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tampines Group Representation Constituency (GRC), soon conducted a poll to receive feedback on the block’s appearance after it went viral.
Image adapted from: Baey Yam Keng 马炎庆
The common areas at Tampines GreenVines were eventually partially repainted, as updated by Mr Baey on Facebook. The ceilings and non-tiled walls – even for the yellow and blue blocks – have all been painted white.
This is what the red blocks look like now:
@uchify.sg Exploring the iconic red HDBs in the day because I am too scared to go at night🥲 #fyp #fypシ #hdb #sghome #voiddeck #hdbsg #insingapore #tiktoksg #redhdb
Netizens’ reactions and thoughts
Image adapted from: Baey Yam Keng 马炎庆
After Mr Baey took to social media to update netizens on the repainting, positive comments flooded his post, and some netizens commented that the upgrade made the blocks look much better than before.
Image adapted from: Baey Yam Keng 马炎庆
Image adapted from: Baey Yam Keng 马炎庆
However, some commented that the previous appearance of the blocks was better and that there seems to be a lack of innovation. Others highlighted the fact that Singaporeans seem afraid to explore new concepts and “push the boundaries”.
@jdenation A super spontaneous night out with #cinestill400d featuring @Glenn Goh & @rui 😎😎 Thanks @terryterribleee for the BTS 😘 #640B #tampinesgreenvines
Video credit: @jdenation
These commenters on Facebook weren’t the only supporters of Tampines GreenVines’s original look – some creative Singaporeans have used the BTO’s unique aesthetic as a backdrop for their photoshoots.
Even homeowners of Tampines GreenVines have a similarly cheerful outlook:
Image adapted from: @gaiaroyaroy
Despite the mixed reactions, we cannot deny that the Tampines GreenVines BTO is unique and striking. Additionally, this could pave the way for more creative BTOs by architects and designers. Would you like to live in such a BTO in the future?
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Cover image adapted from: Baey Yam Keng 马炎庆
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