Two of Toa Payoh’s most unusual early public-housing landmarks are Block 157 at 157 Lorong 1 and Block 116 at 116 Lorong 2. The National Heritage Board describes Block 157, near the Lorong 1–Lorong 2 junction, as one of Singapore’s longest semi-circular HDB blocks. Block 116 has a distinctive bat-shaped plan and extended corridors, features that stand out against the standard long, straight slab blocks built during Singapore’s urgent early housing programme. Both appear on NHB’s Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces heritage route.
A useful visit is a short, self-guided exterior architecture walk using NHB’s official map and lawful public pedestrian paths. These are occupied HDB residential buildings, not architecture museums. Do not enter residential corridors, lifts, staircases or rooftops to obtain photographs or examine an imagined floor plan. Begin with an exterior view of one block, compare it with the other if the route suits your group’s walking ability, and consider how Toa Payoh’s architects were able to experiment with new forms during HDB’s second five-year building programme. The full NHB thematic housing trail is approximately 4.5 kilometres and 1.5 hours on foot, but you can choose only these two stops.
- First landmark: Block 116, 116 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh, Singapore.
- Second landmark: Block 157, 157 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, near the Lorong 1–Lorong 2 junction.
- Block 116 form: unusual bat-shaped building plan, recognised by NHB.
- Block 116 other feature: extended corridors, once a more common HDB design characteristic.
- Block 157 form: large semi-circular or curving residential slab.
- Block 157 period: dates from Singapore’s 1960s public-housing development.
- Official source: NHB Toa Payoh Heritage Trail, Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces.
- Official route estimate: full themed trail 4.5 km and around 1.5 hours, including other landmarks.
- Other nearby subjects: The Peak @ Toa Payoh, completed in 2012, and the historic VIP Block 53.
- Good activities: public exterior photography, perspective sketches, plan-versus-view comparisons and historical source reading.
- Important boundary: flats and corridors are people’s homes, not a public visitor attraction.
- Weather and access: check public crossings, route diversions, shade and the comfort of your group before leaving.
- Audience: architecture enthusiasts, families, students, history readers and local residents interested in their town.
Why the curve and the bat shape are worth seeing
Many people think of early HDB architecture as rows of nearly identical rectangular blocks. Toa Payoh shows a more interesting development. As the public-housing programme expanded, HDB architects gained opportunities to explore forms beyond straight slabs. Block 116 and Block 157 are visible examples, one described as bat-shaped and the other as semi-circular. A short walk reveals that public housing contains design decisions about form, space and circulation, not merely repetitive concrete. That makes these buildings useful subjects for observation, sketching and discussion.
The first rule: these buildings are homes
An official heritage listing does not make a residential corridor, stairwell or lift open to tourists. People continue to live in Blocks 116 and 157 and should be able to enjoy privacy and ordinary access without spectators wandering through shared areas. Use public exterior viewpoints and established footpaths. Do not knock on doors or photograph into windows. If a viewpoint requires entering a restricted part of a building, choose another angle. A successful architecture outing respects the buildings’ present function as much as their historical identity.
The exact addresses
NHB locates Block 116 at 116 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh and Block 157 at 157 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh. The latter stands close to the Lorong 1–Lorong 2 junction. Use these block numbers when looking up public directions because Toa Payoh’s Lorongs contain many visually similar residential buildings. The full NHB route has other stops, but it is not necessary to begin at Block 53 or visit every listed site. Choose a convenient starting point and a sensible way back.
Why Toa Payoh’s planning context matters
The Housing & Development Board faced a severe housing shortage in the early 1960s. The first stages of the building programme emphasised the rapid supply of flats using relatively standard methods. By the time the second five-year building programme shaped Toa Payoh, a substantial amount of housing had already been delivered. NHB explains that this created room for architects to experiment with different block forms. These buildings should therefore be read within a national transition from urgent capacity-building towards broader design variation.
The standard slab-block idea
A slab block is generally long and relatively linear, with many apartments arranged along a common building form. Such layouts can support efficient planning and construction, but they also create a recognisable streetscape. A visitor may see long straight facades across different HDB towns. This does not mean all slab blocks are identical in floor plan or structural system. The contrast with Block 116 and Block 157 is most useful when described accurately: distinctive shapes departed from the dominant simple linear appearance of many earlier blocks.
A bat shape is a plan description
NHB describes Block 116’s form as bat-shaped. This refers to the building’s overall plan rather than a claim that its exterior facade includes decorative bat figures. From ground level, the complete footprint may be difficult to see because the wings overlap in perspective. A reader should consult the official map and photographs to understand the shape, then observe what is visible on site. Avoid claiming that a specific animal silhouette is obvious from every street corner. Architecture is three-dimensional, and perspective changes its apparent geometry.
What an exterior view can establish
An exterior photograph may show the angles between projecting building sections, the repetition of windows or the length of a corridor front. It cannot reveal every apartment’s internal plan or determine precisely why designers chose the shape. If a student wants to make a technical claim about wind or sunlight, they need additional evidence. A good observation is modest: ‘From this position, the building appears to extend in two directions around a central portion.’ The difference between observation and inference matters.
The extended corridors of Block 116
NHB specifically notes Block 116’s extended corridors, a characteristic of early HDB designs that became less common later. This is a useful historical clue because corridor arrangements influence circulation and the relationship between homes and shared space. The fact that an apartment block has such corridors does not permit visitors to use them as a tourist walkway. Observe the visible exterior form from a lawful viewpoint and use the heritage source for interpretation. A working residential access area is not a public architecture exhibition.
Why corridor arrangements matter
A corridor can support access to apartments and create opportunities for neighbourly encounters, but it also raises questions about noise, privacy and how many people pass a front door. Different building types make different trade-offs. Block 116 offers a starting point for discussing those issues without claiming every resident had the same experience. It is better to ask what the design might enable or constrain than to declare it socially superior or inferior based on one exterior visit.
Block 157’s semi-circular form
NHB identifies Block 157 as a landmark curved residential block dating from the 1960s and describes it as one of the longest semi-circular HDB blocks in Singapore. Its sweeping facade is the reason it deserves attention. The curve creates a visual experience quite different from a straight line of flats. Yet the public source does not require us to invent an exact length, radius or number of apartments. A precise guide uses the description that is documented and leaves unverified dimensions unspecified.
Where the curve becomes visible
Near the junction of Lorong 1 and Lorong 2, a visitor may find a public position from which part of Block 157’s sweeping form is easy to recognise. Trees, roads and nearby structures can obscure the complete arc. Move only along lawful paths and obey crossings. Do not walk into private entrances or stand in a live road to capture the entire building. A partial photograph accompanied by an accurate explanation is more useful than an impressive but unsafe panorama.
What semi-circular means
A semi-circle is half of a circle, but an architectural block described as semi-circular need not be a perfect geometric half-circle. The term can describe a substantial curved plan that resembles an arc. A student should not assume a mathematically exact radius or 180-degree sweep without drawings or measured data. Use the term as NHB’s descriptive label and explain its visible features. This distinction is important: mathematical models help us describe the world, but the world does not always reproduce an ideal diagram exactly.
Curve versus bat: two kinds of variation
Block 116 changes direction through projecting parts of a bat-like plan, while Block 157 presents a continuous sweeping curve. These approaches produce different rhythms along a street. A visitor can compare the way each building reveals or conceals its full shape from the ground. One is not automatically more innovative or comfortable to live in than the other. Such judgements would require evidence about residents, maintenance and functional performance. The strongest casual comparison focuses on the clearly documented geometry.
What happens when you move around a curved building
A long curved facade changes progressively as a visitor moves. Windows that appeared almost edge-on from one viewpoint may become more frontal from another. The apparent separation between repeating parts can also change. This is an opportunity to learn about perspective without entering residential space. Take two lawful exterior photographs from different public positions and compare the lines. The building is unchanged; the geometry of the viewer’s relationship to it has changed.
A simple observation of repetition
Both buildings contain repeated architectural elements, such as rows of windows and facade divisions. Repetition helps a visitor read scale and form. A student can count a small visible sequence or sketch how window bands follow the curve. Avoid looking into individual apartments or recording residents. The exercise concerns the exterior pattern, not the private life behind it. Good observational drawing does not need to expose anyone’s home or claim precise counts for features hidden by trees.
The role of an architectural map
NHB’s themed trail map places both landmarks within Toa Payoh’s broader residential landscape. A map offers a plan view, showing relationships among roads and blocks that may be hard to understand on the ground. Compare that representation with what the visitor actually sees. A plan simplifies vertical information, while a street-level view compresses the horizontal footprint. Together they support better spatial understanding. Do not treat the map as proof that every route or private corridor is open to the public.
Why the full trail is longer
The Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces route includes multiple landmarks such as the VIP Block, The Peak @ Toa Payoh, Town Park, Central Horizon and Dragon Playground. NHB gives a total of about 4.5 kilometres and a walking estimate of 1.5 hours. That is not the time necessary to visit only Blocks 116 and 157. A family interested in these two forms can make a shorter outing and save the other locations for later. There is no educational requirement to complete the official route in one attempt.
A two-stop walk rather than a marathon
Choose one block as the first anchor, observe from a safe public path and move to the other only if the route, weather and group stamina allow it. A short outing should include time for crossing streets and resting, not only the minutes spent taking photographs. If the second location is inconvenient, use NHB’s imagery for comparison instead. The objective is to understand two architectural shapes. It is more satisfying to do that well than to rush through a large number of sites.
Block 53 as a third architectural comparison
The nearby heritage story includes Block 53, the Y-shaped VIP Block completed in 1967. NHB describes its prominent rooftop water-tank feature and past visits from foreign dignitaries. It provides a third shape to compare with the bat and curve. But Block 53’s former rooftop viewing gallery is closed to the public, and its apartments remain homes. If you extend the walk, observe only from lawful exterior positions. The comparison is about architectural experimentation, not access to historic viewing platforms.
The Peak @ Toa Payoh as a later contrast
The Peak @ Toa Payoh was completed in 2012 and incorporates newer approaches to communal spaces and landscaped features, according to NHB. The later project provides a contrast in period, height and design language with Blocks 116 and 157. But not every amenity within a residential development is open to visiting strangers. A student can compare visible building forms and official source descriptions without entering restricted roof gardens or internal communal areas. The difference in decade matters as much as the difference in appearance.
The broader transition across decades
A town built over many decades accumulates architectural layers. Early blocks reflected urgent housing and later variation, while newer towers reflect subsequent changes in technology, households and design priorities. The result is not a uniform museum of one decade. Toa Payoh’s value for a visitor lies in seeing this layered environment. Describing each landmark with a reliable date prevents the common mistake of treating everything in the estate as a single 1960s development. Each phase solved a different set of problems.
What can be inferred about daylight?
The orientation and shape of a building influence how its facades receive sunlight, but the actual effect depends on surrounding blocks, seasons, windows and other design features. A person standing outside Block 157 for a few minutes cannot establish how bright every apartment is. It is useful to ask which facade faces a particular direction, then seek plans or technical data. A strong architecture lesson distinguishes the question a shape raises from the conclusion that would require measurement.
What can be inferred about ventilation?
A bat-shaped or curved building might produce different patterns of airflow around its edges, but ventilation inside homes depends on many factors beyond the outline. Window placement, neighbouring structures and weather all matter. It would be misleading to say that Block 116’s shape automatically makes every flat cooler. Use the exterior observation to ask what an architect would need to consider and how the hypothesis might be tested. That habit is more valuable than repeating an attractive but unsupported design claim.
The difference between style and performance
An unusual architectural form can create a recognisable identity without automatically improving every functional outcome. Residents need access, privacy, comfort, maintenance and reliable services. A visitor’s admiration for a curved silhouette does not prove that it is easier to maintain or more pleasant to live in. A balanced heritage guide appreciates visible design while acknowledging the limits of an outsider’s short visit. The buildings’ role as homes should remain central to any assessment of their success.
How to make a simple three-shape sketch
Draw a long rectangle for a generic slab block, a Y or bat-like outline inspired by Block 116 and a curved arc inspired by Block 157. These are conceptual diagrams, not precise measured floor plans. Ask how a person approaching from one side would see each building. Then compare the drawings with the actual external forms or NHB photographs. The activity introduces planning representation and perspective without requiring entry to private areas. A child may discover that an overhead outline and an eye-level view can look very different.
How to photograph the curve responsibly
Look for a public viewpoint that includes enough of Block 157 to show the direction of the arc. Avoid leaning into traffic or entering private staircases to obtain a wider image. A photograph with part of the curve obscured by trees can still be useful when accurately captioned. Do not zoom into individual home windows or identify residents without consent. The best heritage photo explains a building form and its urban setting rather than treating a housing estate as a backdrop where privacy does not matter.
How to photograph the bat-like form
Block 116’s overall shape may be less obvious in an eye-level picture, making source comparison particularly useful. A public exterior image can show projecting wings or facade relationships, while NHB’s description supplies the broader plan identification. Explain that the photograph represents one viewpoint, not the entire bat shape from above. Do not try to climb a nearby roof or fly a drone over homes to confirm the footprint. Research and modest observation are sufficient for an educational project.
Photography at active HDB residences
Public-housing blocks contain private flats, daily routines and shared spaces. A visiting photographer should keep pathways open, avoid close-up shots of identifiable residents and respect restrictions. A heritage listing is not permission for a professional shoot in a corridor or for intrusive filming. If someone is uncomfortable, change the composition. Exterior architecture can be documented from lawful public positions. Courtesy is not secondary to photographic quality; it is a condition for enjoying heritage within a living community.
A twenty-minute single-block visit
When the group has limited time, choose one of the two landmarks and spend roughly twenty minutes reading the official description, finding a suitable viewpoint and making a short sketch. The duration is an illustrative suggestion, not an organised tour. A visitor who starts near Block 157 may find its curve easier to appreciate, while someone near Lorong 2 may prefer the bat-shaped building. One well-understood landmark is more worthwhile than rushing across the estate just to complete a list.
A one-hour two-block comparison
A one-hour plan might include two exterior stops and enough time for safe crossings. Begin with a question: what makes the building depart from a straight slab? At the first site, note a visible shape. At the second, compare the difference. Finish with a short summary. If the route takes longer due to construction or mobility needs, skip one stop rather than rush. The aim is clear reasoning from observation and authoritative context, not a speed challenge.
A full housing-heritage afternoon
For a longer outing, use NHB’s 4.5-kilometre Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces trail as a guide and choose several additional stops. Plan meals and rest, especially in Singapore’s heat. The official estimated walking time excludes extended photography, reading and any temporary detours. A full afternoon can be rewarding for architecture enthusiasts, but it is not suitable for every family. Split the route over multiple days if that offers better attention and comfort.
What a primary-school child can learn
Younger children can identify curves, straight lines and repeated patterns. A parent might ask which building resembles an animal shape and which follows a broad arc. The child can draw what they see and compare it with a simple plan diagram. There is no need to explain detailed engineering or enforce a perfect drawing. The experience builds vocabulary linked to actual objects. Adults should supervise near roads and keep the outing short enough for the child’s attention span.
What a secondary mathematics student can learn
A curved block provides a starting point for discussing arcs, angles, radius and the difference between an ideal geometric model and an irregular constructed form. A bat-shaped footprint can raise questions about symmetry and rotation. Students should not invent numerical measurements from an artistic impression. Instead, label the sketch qualitative and explain which measurements would be necessary to make it quantitative. This is a strong lesson in mathematical modelling: real objects are represented through useful simplifications, not assumed to follow perfect diagrams.
What a secondary geography student can learn
Residential architecture is one aspect of land-use planning. A student can ask how different block forms influence surrounding open spaces and movement routes, while acknowledging that a short walk does not reveal household satisfaction. Use official HDB and NHB sources for planning history and exterior observation for visible form. Questions about heat, ventilation or maintenance should be presented as hypotheses when evidence is limited. Good geographical reasoning separates what is visible from the processes that would need further study.
What a secondary history student can learn
The two blocks belong to an era when HDB’s housing programme had progressed enough for more architectural experimentation. Ask the student to explain what changed between urgent early supply and the later capacity to vary building form. NHB’s heritage account provides the basic historical interpretation. A strong answer can connect one national problem to a visible local example without asserting unsupported motives for individual architects. History becomes clearer when a building is treated as evidence within a broader chronology.
An English writing exercise about contrast
Describe Block 116 in one paragraph and Block 157 in another, using specific, observable details rather than adjectives such as amazing or unique without explanation. A third paragraph should compare what their different forms communicate and acknowledge that they remain occupied homes. Encourage precise transitions: whereas, in contrast, similarly and however. The aim is clear description and thoughtful comparison. A student who can explain the difference between a bat-shaped plan and a sweeping facade has learned useful communication skills.
Using photographs as evidence
A photograph shows a particular angle, lighting condition and time. It does not reveal every side of a building or prove the exact dimensions of its footprint. A student should note the date and viewpoint and use an NHB map or source to support claims about overall plan. If a building appears straight in one photo despite being described as curved, perspective may explain the discrepancy. This is a useful lesson in the limits of visual evidence and the importance of combining representations.
What to do if a viewpoint is obscured
Trees, temporary works or nearby structures may make the preferred view impossible. Do not remove vegetation, cross an unsafe road or enter a residential area to eliminate the obstruction. Choose another lawful angle or use official imagery. A clear statement that a feature was not visible from a particular position is more accurate than claiming to have inspected it directly. Heritage exploration is not diminished by acknowledging the practical limits of access and observation.
The town’s later architectural layers
Toa Payoh includes more recent housing forms such as The Peak and Central Horizon. They provide context for how public housing continued to evolve after the blocks of the 1960s. But the present article focuses on two particular early experiments, not every building in the estate. Readers can study the later landmarks in a separate outing or through the official full trail. A clear scope keeps the visit useful and avoids repeating an extensive town-wide architecture checklist without explaining individual places.
Maintenance as part of living heritage
An occupied residential block is not a frozen artifact. Over decades, facades may be repaired, amenities upgraded and shared spaces adapted to current needs. A photograph from the 1960s may therefore differ from today’s appearance in ways that have nothing to do with its original footprint. The fact that a building continues serving residents is part of its ongoing history. A careful guide distinguishes the original design concept from later interventions rather than treating any changed surface as evidence of lost significance.
What heritage protection does not imply
Being featured on NHB’s official heritage trail means a block has historical or architectural interest. It does not automatically establish that it is legally protected under the same category as a gazetted National Monument. Unless the official conservation record specifically identifies a building’s designation, avoid claiming one. This matters because legal status, visitor access and cultural importance are different questions. The historic value of Blocks 116 and 157 can be explained accurately without inventing formal protections.
A visit with older relatives
An older resident may remember these blocks from their early years or simply appreciate how familiar streets have changed. Ask what they enjoy rather than turning the outing into a compulsory nostalgia interview. Choose a manageable route with rests and accessible crossings. If a person volunteers a memory, listen without forcing it to match a heritage brochure’s exact wording. Personal experience and documented architectural history can complement each other when both are described respectfully and accurately.
A visit with a wheelchair or stroller
A block’s location on an official route does not prove every connecting path is flat, sheltered or step-free. Check the actual road crossings, current public sidewalks and any construction detours. A wheelchair or stroller user may find one exterior viewpoint more practical than another. Avoid attempting private lift or corridor access to create a shortcut. Good accessibility planning respects both the visitor’s needs and residential boundaries. A short view of one building may be a better choice than forcing the full trail.
Why weather changes the route
The comparison is primarily an outdoor activity. Singapore’s heat can make long periods of standing and sketching uncomfortable, while heavy rain can reduce visibility and make paths slippery. Carry water and arrange a suitable return. During lightning, seek a safe substantial building rather than sheltering under exposed trees. There is no need to finish the second block when weather deteriorates. The two architectural forms can still be compared through trusted images later.
Combining the walk with a meal
Toa Payoh has coffee shops and food centres serving different neighbourhoods, but no single stall should be assumed to operate whenever a heritage visitor arrives. Choose a suitable place near the current end point and check its opening or rest day. A coffee stop can be a good setting for comparing sketches and discussing the history. Do not turn a short two-block learning walk into an expensive multi-venue eating expedition unless that is what the group actually wants.
Why residents’ daily life is central
Architecture guides sometimes treat housing buildings as abstract sculptures. Blocks 116 and 157 are more than visual forms: people arrive home, carry groceries, care for families and move through the estate every day. An analysis focused only on the bat or curve can ignore those ordinary functions. Good heritage appreciation recognises this tension and behaves accordingly. The buildings’ continuing use gives them life and meaning, but that does not make residents available for spontaneous interviews or photographs.
What not to promise visitors
Do not promise a rooftop viewpoint, an apartment tour, a freely accessible extended corridor or a perfectly unobstructed photograph showing the full bat shape. Do not quote an exact building radius or corridor length without reliable evidence. A current visitor can expect historically interesting exterior forms and published NHB information, subject to lawful public access. Honest constraints help people understand what they can actually do and protect the community from inappropriate tourism.
Frequently asked: where is Block 157?
NHB locates the curving block at 157 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, near the junction with Lorong 2. It dates from the 1960s and is described as one of Singapore’s longest semi-circular residential blocks. Use public exterior viewpoints; private flats and corridors are not visitor attractions.
Frequently asked: where is Block 116?
NHB lists it at 116 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh and describes its unusual bat-shaped design and extended corridors. The shape refers to the building plan rather than a sculptural bat on the facade. It remains an occupied residential building.
Frequently asked: how long is Block 157?
NHB identifies it as one of the longest semi-circular blocks in Singapore but does not require a specific numerical length in the basic heritage listing. Do not copy an unverified measurement from an image caption. Use architectural plans if a precise dimension is important.
Frequently asked: can we enter the corridors?
No ordinary public heritage route should be taken as permission to wander through residential corridors, stairways or lifts. Observe from lawful public areas and respect residents and posted signs. The official sources provide historical context without requiring interior access.
Frequently asked: how long is the official trail?
NHB’s Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces thematic walk is approximately 4.5 kilometres, with an estimated 1.5-hour walking duration. It includes several other sites beyond Blocks 116 and 157. A shorter two-block visit can be planned independently.
Frequently asked: are these buildings conserved monuments?
Their listing by NHB establishes heritage interest, not automatically a National Monument designation. Consult specific official conservation records before claiming a legal protection category. Cultural significance and formal gazette status are related but distinct.
Frequently asked: what is the main learning value?
The two blocks demonstrate how HDB architects experimented with different forms once the early building programme had progressed. They also teach visitors to compare plan views, street-level perspectives and the continuing needs of residents. A short exterior observation can provide meaningful history and geometry.
Further eduKateSG reading
Read VIP Block 53 Y-Shaped HDB Heritage, Heritage Trails and Architecture, Photography and Urban Sketching and One-Day Toa Payoh MRT Itinerary for related routes and methods.
Official references
The main historical sources are NHB’s Block 116 entry, NHB’s Block 157 entry, the Of Public Housing & Shared Spaces trail and HDB’s Toa Payoh town history. Location and published historical details checked 4 November 2026; observe present paths and signs.
Your next step
Choose one block to start with, read its official NHB description and find a safe public exterior viewpoint. Sketch the visible form or take a respectful photograph, then compare the second block if the route and weather suit the group. Explain the difference between a bat-shaped plan and a sweeping semi-circular facade, and leave residents undisturbed. The goal is understanding how housing architecture evolved, not entering private spaces to prove a point.