Window changes mar beauty of Punggol 21

March 10, 2007

Window changes mar beauty of Punggol 21

I WOULD like to highlight a situation that is occurring at Punggol 21.

Each cluster of flats in Punggol has its unique look and identity. For instance, some flats have azure blue full-height windows.

However, many flats in the estate have crossed the five-year mark and have been put on the market. Then comes the renovation. Unfortunately, this often involves a change of windows which are invariably different from the original ones.

Aesthetically, these window changes just do not work and end up marring the facade of the blocks.

Punggol 21 was featured in The Straits Times last year as the HDB town that most resembled a condominium in terms of its facade.

Sadly, the windows that new owners put in result in

a hotchpotch design that is far from any condominium look.

I propose that HDB puts on the market window frames and panels that match the original ones so that new owners who wish to refurbish their windows can do so without marring the external aesthetics of the flat.

I have loved my estate since the very first day I set foot in it. I would hate to see the intrinsic beauty of Punggol 21 deteriorate over the years.

Veronique Andrea Dawson (Ms)