For our first Studio Project assignment, we were tasked to select a town and, celebrate the unique identity of our towns by looking at their personalities, cultures, environment, people, and their daily lives , along with creating interest and promoting the exploration discovery of unique places, experiences and stories within the towns.
We were given 10 towns, and Hougang was what I've chosen. I travelled to Hougang frequently and conducted interviews with the young and old residing in the area, to find out more about them, and their lives.
About the publication
The publication is titled "The Dictionary of Hougang". I took multiple bus rides and long walks in Hougang to gain more insights about the past of the town, and allows my target audience to know more about scenic sights or hidden gems of the town. The images and content were created by me. It was fun exploring the area and speaking to the locals that lived there.
I was privileged to be able to meet Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong, a Singaporean politician and lawyer. A member of the opposition Workers' Party, he has been the Member of Parliament representing Hougang SMC and chairman of the Aljunied–Hougang Town Council since 2020. I got to know more about him, the citizens of Hougang through the eyes of a politician, and his thoughts about the town and a little about the future of Hougang as well.
One of the other places I visited was the Kampong Lorong Buangkok, the last Kampong in Singapore. It is a village located in Buangkok in Hougang, Singapore. Built in 1956, it is the last surviving kampong located on Singapore Island in the 21st century. I managed to have a little tour of the place as my grandmother is friends with the landlord, Mdm Sng Mui Hong. I got to learn more about the history of the place, and how the other neighbours got along with each other.
