Behind the seemingly identical looking HDB flats, lies interiors characterised by their
occupants, each telling a different story. In the film, 03-FLATS, we are given a glimpse into
the everyday lives of these 3 women living in the all-too-familiar HDB flats in 3 different
housing estates, namely Sembawang, Eunos and Holland Close. An unobtrusive view of their
interactions with their living spaces and the common areas surrounding it, is the main focal
point of the film. The mundane and simple routines of the 3 women in the film are ironically
trenchant, and juxtaposes against the publicised and elevated national success of public
housing. Interjected between the stories of these 3 women are snippets of glorified ambition,
adding to the element of irony. In this essay, I will be discussing the main ideas and elements
in the film, namely the interplay between the acclaimed success of public housing and the
non-homogenous experiences in these spaces; the perceived loneliness and the sense of
belonging felt by the 3 main protagonists.
Despite varying in age and circumstances, there exists a common identity binding the
3 protagonists, Tan Ling Nah, Amy Tashiana and Madam Sim, together. Their innate desire
to create a living space uniquely theirs amidst their singlehood in HDB flats is apparent and
part of the overarching message the film wish to explore. The film delves into the
personalisation of each individual’s living space and how they are moulded to fit their needs
and wants. The fundamental reasons behind their differences in furnishing lies in the clear
distinctions between their current lifestyles, age and interactions with others.
The differences are striking. Plastered on Tan’s walls are various newspaper
clippings, artworks and even street signs, which nods to her identity as an artist and
represents her non-conformity to societal norms. In Tashiana’s HDB, we see a deviation from
tradition too, evident from her glamorous and extravagant “theatrical style” decorations,
ranging from the intricate glassware to sporadically placed flowers. The last HDB flat,
featuring Sim’s house forms the most obvious contrast with the other 2, where it is simply
down to the bare necessities. With their age differences in mind, it is unsurprising that Sim’s
house is sparsely furnished as this also translates to lesser maintenance whereas the younger
Tan and Tashiana can afford to freely use their living space as means of expression.
Their efforts are not just mere reflections of their personal desires to create a living
space uniquely theirs, but also to breathe fresh air and life into their lack-lustre HDB flats.
For instance, we see Tashiana’s enjoyment as a host through her deliberate use of the
common area outside her HDB flat to set up tables and chairs during the Hari Raya
celebrations. Similarly, Sim’s dual tables in both her living room and kitchen signifies how
her flat has acted as the “centre of many family reunions and gatherings” all these years.
While in Tan, we see how her identity as an artist is reinforced in her living space, where she
doubles it up as her studio.
As explored earlier, there lies a common purpose among the three protagonists, to
animate the isolated space they call home. This perpetual sense of loneliness permeating the
film is construed to be a consequence of public housing efforts with singlehood, forming a
somewhat despondent narrative. The 3 individuals’ efforts to assimilate and be part of
Singapore’s steps towards modernisation is however, noticeable and significant. The question
lies in whether the acclaimed public housing has had an impact in how interactions are
formed and whether the human touch is abandoned in the quest for modernisation. Cell-like
public housing seems to have encouraged for greater isolation between individuals and more
conscious efforts are needed to remove this remoteness. The efforts put in by the protagonists
trying to overturn their personal spaces, to create an environment beyond a lifeless and fixed
space, is thus bittersweet. From Tashiana’s role as a host during Hari Raya celebrations to
Sim’s homemade cooking for her nephew and grand-niece, it is clear that these women have
a strong desire to create social interactions.
Interestingly, there are also snippets of propaganda materials used to promote public
housing interwoven between the narratives of the 3 women’s daily lives. It forms a strong
juxtaposition, highlighting the contrast between the simple daily lives of independent women
and the elevated promises of an idealistic society. This provides a curious insight into how
albeit the portrayal of glorified success of national policies in the media, there are people left
behind and the portrayal of single women in the film is a poignant example of it. Best
illustrated by the emotional scene with Tan watching the National Day rally, this thoughtprovoking scene fascinatingly captures the sense of belonging felt by her in spite of being left
out of Singapore’s narrative towards success.
The non-intrusive view adopted also provide an element of self-realisation, where
viewers are given the raw opportunity to be truly immersed in the everyday lives of the 3
single women and create their own impressions without the typical voiceovers or subtitles. A
lack of coherent timeline is also synonymous with the variations in the everyday lives of the 3
women, providing a realistic and intimate look into their daily activities. The role of gender is
also a compelling element explored by the film, where the 3 main protagonists are all female.
This provides insights into the voices of single women, which are not conventionally
portrayed in media.
Lastly, I will be relating the elements and ideas discussed above to the materials
explored in this module. Single women portrayed in the film seems to be likened to puzzle
pieces that do not fit well with the idealistic nature of HDB housing, which aims to serve and
promote the nuclear family unit. There is hence, a higher difficulty in owning a HDB flat as
an individual alone. The juxtaposition between the acclaimed public housing policies and
single women, emphasises the clear distinction between them and the nation’s progress
towards modernisation. In addition, the “Singaporean dream” of owning a flat is not merely
hampered by their identity as singles but also through the occupations they choose. Tan’s
identity as an artist succinctly puts forth this point, where her inconsistent income may
become a stumbling block in her ownership of the HDB flat.
The effects of the tabula rasa approach by the government, especially the bulldozing
of kampungs to accommodate new public housing is perspicuously shown in the film.
Kampungs full of social life, characterised by open doors have been replaced by indifferent
HDB flats with a lack of interactions. The bonds formed with neighbours in kampungs are
often not recreated here in public housing and there is a disconnect. The familiarity aspect has
been oust and now in place is a form of alienation and awkwardness. The implementation of
communal areas available at void decks for instance, to facilitate new interactions among
neighbours, are also seemingly idealistic. We see a lack of use of these spaces in the film,
where they are only populated by some elderly, hence realistically, this approach is definitely
met with limited success.
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