YouTuber says Tengah BTO has ‘very tiny’ kitchen, HDB replies that it provides flexibility for homeowners

Open-concept kitchen of Tengah 4-roomer comprises wet & dry areas: HDB

After a YouTube video described the kitchen of a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat in Tengah as “very tiny”, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) responded that it was actually “open concept”.

Comprising wet and dry areas, this is meant to provide homeowners with the “flexibility” to configure the space, said HDB in a Facebook post on Wednesday (14 Oct).

YouTuber says Tengah BTO kitchen size is ‘pathetic’

The YouTube video, posted by a channel named Reno Scout, took viewers on a walkthrough of a four-room flat in Block 213B Tengah Garden Avenue.

It was led by renovation specialist Rhys Ng, who described in the caption that the unit’s problem is its “pathetic” kitchen size.

Not only did it not have a service yard, unlike the older BTOs, its less-than-2m width on one side meant that there is space for only a washing machine and sink there, he said.

But someone using the sink would block the intended place for the stove, he added.

Kitchen is a ‘one-person kitchen’, no space for fridge: YouTuber

However, if the stove is shifted to the adjacent wall, which is just 1.7m wide, the kitchen becomes a “one-person kitchen”, Mr Ng noted, adding:

Meaning that if you are cooking, the other person cannot be helping you wash or prepare.

This also left no place to put the fridge, as the only remaining wall is just 68cm wide and a structural wall that cannot be hacked, he claimed.

The fridge would also obstruct the hanging rack and be too near to the washing machine, he alleged.

Thus, it would have to be put outside the kitchen, he maintained, but then questioned where other appliances such as the rice cooker, water filter, toaster and coffee machine would be placed.

“This is not right. Something is wrong,” he concluded.

Wet & dry kitchen in Tengah BTO designed to function together: HDB

In its post, HDB noted that the units in Garden Waterfront I @ Tengah feature an open-concept kitchen that comprises “wet and dry areas designed to function together”.

The kitchen in Mr Ng’s video was the wet kitchen, which HDB acknowledged is “compact”.

But additional space for countertops, storage and appliances can be found in the adjoining dry kitchen, it said, adding:

Together, these areas occupy approximately 10 sqm, roughly the size of a standard kitchen in newer HDB flats that come with a service yard.

This is also the rough size of an HDB common bedroom, it maintained.

Open-concept kitchen provides greater flexibility: HDB

The open-concept kitchen has been the standard design for new BTOs since 2018, and is “popular” with many flat buyers, HDB said.

This is because the layout meets their “evolving lifestyle needs” and provides them with “greater flexibility” to configure the space to suit their preferences.

“This is indeed HDB’s objective – to provide different flat designs to meet the needs of different buyers,” it explained.

This is also why Garden Waterfront flats feature beam-free living spaces, HDB noted, adding:

Those who cook frequently may choose to allocate more space for a bigger kitchen, while others may use the space creatively to accommodate a larger dining or living area.

Floor plans with layout ideas are provided before flat selection to help buyers make an informed choice and consider how the layout meets the needs and preferences of their household.

Also read: 5 cool facts about Tengah’s centralised cooling system, from cost savings to fuss-free maintenance

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Featured image adapted from Reno Scout on YouTube and Housing & Development Board on Facebook.