Toa Payoh, which translates to 'big swamp', did indeed use to be a swamp. In the 19th century, it was cleared and turned into gambier plantations, and eventually chartered by the British. It was only in the 1960s that the Housing Development Board was tasked to solve a major housing crisis – and it set its sights on Toa Payoh as the first town with a target population of 250,000.
This pioneering town became the site of many firsts: the blueprint for public housing and residential parks, the host village for a major international competition, and also where the first NTUC Fairprice supermarket sprang up. This model estate was the testbed for distinctive architectural designs, including the bat-shaped Block 116 and the semi-circular block 157.
These markers of heritage continue to stand today – and can be visited on the refreshed Toa Payoh Heritage Trail by the National Heritage Board. Covering 29 heritage sites and 10 heritage trail markers, the story of Toa Payoh can be traced via three curated routes covering the town's public housing development, its rich religious and cultural history, as well as the communities and spaces that continue to shape it today.
Download your guide to the Toa Payoh Heritage Trail online, and in the meantime, here are the five gems you can expect to see.
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