An Afternoon in the Heartland

Toa Payoh Central is a quintessential microcosm of life in Singapore’s HDB heartland. It is a melange of commercial enterprises, peopled by older folk as well as a slew of younger people who work in the HDB Hub that links to the MRT station and the bus interchange and becomes an all encompassing multi-level strip mall.

These are common moments; pauses to buy 4D, to check messages, to while away work hours.

Starbucks is contemplated by a small group of statues of uncertain provenance. Security cameras exchange safety for privacy.

Sharp corners of buildings jut out, trying to add a touch of post-2010 into the landscape.

A row of spiral staircases are surprising spectators in a nondescript car-park.

Courts rises out of the shimmering afternoon heat, a bastion of A/C and relevant home appliances.

Older folk pause in the middle of their perambulations, stopping to think and dream, to remember what no one else sees.

Photographed with the Fuji X-T2 and Meike 28/f2.8.

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