Tampines HDB Has 8m-Tall Void Decks, Looks Like A Fancy University From The Front

Viral TikTok Shows Unusually Tall Void Deck At Tampines Street 45

Void decks have been the backdrop of some pretty colourful incidents in the past, be they scandalous or wholesome. However, they’re rarely the actual centre of attraction.

Thanks to a viral TikTok, an HDB flat in Tampines is gaining attention for its unusually tall void deck.

If you stand from afar to admire its magnificence, it gives the impression that you’re about to enter a fancy, prestigious-looking university.

Let’s take a closer look at this uniquely impressive void deck design.

Tall void deck is twice the average height

In the video posted by TikToker @homesbyanne, she is shown using an electronic height-measuring tool to assess the height of an average void deck ceiling of the HDB block at Tampines Street 45.

The tool puts the ceiling’s height at 3.4 metres, or 3.391 metres to be exact.

When used at the Tampines HDB void deck, the tool shows that its ceiling is a whopping 8.8 metres tall — over 2.5 times higher than the first void deck.

Looks like a fancy private university

With the help of some nifty camerawork, the ceiling height of the void deck gives the flat a majestic appearance you don’t often see in HDB buildings.

The surrounding palm trees and abundance of natural light also lend an upscale touch. Some might even mistake it for the grounds of a prestigious university or beach resort.

The video ends with a wide shot of the HDB flat’s facade, which reveals lofty brown and beige blocks centred around a massive basketball court and landscaped greenery.

Further down from the basketball court is a stretch of pavement that ends in a flight of wide cascading stairs. If HDB flats could be given hotel-like ratings, this is a shoo-in for at least four stars.

Netizens recall it from local films & TV shows

While some of us may be seeing it for the first time, the building — revealed by the TikTok user to be Block 497 Tampines Street 45 — has been around since 1994.

Several commenters below the video remarked that they had seen it in popular movies such as 2006’s I Not Stupid Too.

There were also some ’90s babies who recalled it as the ‘home’ of the characters in the 1996 sitcom Don’t Worry Be Happy.

An architectural and cultural icon of Tampines

The resurgence of Block 497’s popularity shows that social media is a great place to discover not only the world but also your neighbourhood.

Given its longevity, unique architecture, and prominence in local pop culture, we hope Block 497 continues to be preserved so that both residents and visitors may enjoy it for many years to come.

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Featured image adapted from @homesbyanne on TikTok.