Most HDB flats follow fairly familiar layouts today. But over the years, HDB has experimented with a number of housing concepts that were produced only in limited numbers, from Executive Maisonettes and Executive Apartments to Multi-Generation flats and other uncommon layouts. Many of these flat types were eventually discontinued, making them increasingly rare in today’s resale market.
This week, we looked at five rare HDB homes that showcase some of the most unique layouts ever built:
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Now let’s get on with the list of curated units this week!
Shortlists like this are a useful starting point, but the units that make the list aren't necessarily the ones that make the most sense for your budget, lifestyle or long-term plans.
The harder part comes afterwards: comparing the trade-offs, evaluating the numbers, and deciding which home is actually the best fit for your situation.
Over time, that's also why we decided to work with agents who shared the same data-driven and advisory-led approach behind our editorial, consultants who could help readers think through decisions more objectively, rather than simply push transactions.
Today, the team has worked with more than 2,000 clients across over $5B in property transactions.
1120 Hougang Avenue 1
$975,000
| Attribute | Info |
| Address | 120 Hougang Avenue 1 |
| Size | 1,432 sq ft |
| $PSF | $680.87 |
| TOP date | 1983 |
Why I like it
Located near Kovan MRT station, Heartland Mall, Kovan Market & Food Centre and Hougang Hainanese Village Centre, this home is also surrounded by numerous neighbourhood eateries. The nearby park connector provides a scenic route along the Serangoon River towards Punggol Park, Lorong Halus Wetland Park and even Coney Island.
This sizeable 5-room maisonette spans over 1,400 sq ft and sits on the top floor of a low-rise block, allowing it to feature a pitched roof. As a result, all three upstairs bedrooms enjoy high ceilings, making them feel even more spacious and airy.
The home opens into a small foyer before stepping down into the communal spaces, with glass block walls bringing in natural light whilst maintaining privacy – a feature rarely seen in newer HDB flats. The living and dining areas are generously sized and clearly separated, whilst the living room opens onto a balcony nestled within the treeline. Upstairs, all three bedrooms are well proportioned and benefit from the added sense of volume created by the pitched roof.
2448 Bright Hill Drive
$1,400,000
| Attribute | Info |
| Address | 448 Bright Hill Drive |
| Size | 2,013 sq ft |
| $PSF | $695.48 |
| TOP date | 1988 |
Why I like it
Located near Upper Thomson MRT station, Bright Hill MRT station, Thomson Plaza and the popular Upper Thomson food stretch, this Executive Maisonette is also close to Windsor Nature Park and Bishan–Ang Mo Kio Park. Families may also appreciate that Ai Tong School is within 1 km.
Spanning around 2,000 sq ft, this is one of the more unusual Executive Maisonette layouts. Although it sits on the top floor beneath a pitched roof, the bedrooms are located on the lower level alongside the communal spaces, whilst the upper floor is dedicated almost entirely to a huge open family area. The result is a layout that feels more like a loft than a conventional maisonette.
The living and dining area, together with one of the common bedrooms, enjoy particularly high ceilings that enhance the sense of space. A sizeable balcony provides further flexibility and could potentially be adapted for a variety of uses, whilst the expansive upper-level family area offers even more possibilities as a home office, entertainment space or hobby room. All three bedrooms are comfortably sized.
392 Dawson Road
$1,450,000
| Attribute | Info |
| Address | 92 Dawson Road |
| Size | 1,044 sq ft |
| $PSF | $1,388.89 |
| TOP date | 2015 |
Why I like it
Located near Queenstown MRT station, Dawson Place, Margaret Drive Hawker Centre and the neighbouring retail cluster, this home also enjoys direct access to the park connector leading towards the Singapore River.
One of HDB’s more modern experiments, this four-room loft apartment features a striking double-volume ceiling over the living and dining area, creating a level of openness that’s rarely found in public housing. A small balcony overlooks the roof garden atop the multi-storey car park, adding another outdoor element to the home.
The open-concept kitchen features a floating island that doubles as the dining table, helping the space feel less enclosed, whilst a separate yard maintains practicality. The common bedroom has been enclosed using sliding barn doors with glass panels instead of solid walls, allowing more natural light to flow through the home whilst complementing the unit’s resort-inspired aesthetic. Matching barn doors have also been used for the common bathroom, giving the entire home a consistent Balinese theme.
455 Jalan Bahagia
$1,200,000
| Attribute | Info |
| Address | 55 Jalan Bahagia |
| Size | 980 sq ft |
| $PSF | $1,224.49 |
| TOP date | 1972 |
Why I like it
Located near Whampoa Drive Makan Place and the many eateries along Balestier Road, this rare HDB terrace house is also close to the park connector leading towards Kallang Riverside Park. Pei Chun Public School and St Andrew’s Junior School are both within 1 km.
Unlike a conventional HDB flat, this home offers an experience that’s remarkably similar to living in a landed property. A private gate opens into a generous outdoor porch before entering the home, creating a transitional space seldom found in public housing.
Inside, the living and dining areas are well separated, whilst the open kitchen makes the communal spaces feel even larger. A pantry has been neatly tucked into a niche within the kitchen, with an outdoor yard located behind it. Both bedrooms are situated on the upper floor for greater privacy, alongside a second common bathroom.
553 Jalan Ma’mor
$1,250,000
| Attribute | Info |
| Address | 53 Jalan Ma’mor |
| Size | 1,282 sq ft |
| $PSF | $975.04 |
| TOP date | 1972 |
Why I like it
Located near Whampoa Drive Makan Place and the food options along Balestier Road, this rare HDB terrace house is also close to Kallang Riverside Park, with both Pei Chun Public School and St Andrew’s Junior School within 1 km.
Originally built as a three-room terrace house, the layout has been extensively reconfigured to accommodate three bedrooms and a utility room whilst retaining the feel of a landed home. Like its neighbouring terrace houses, visitors first enter through a spacious outdoor porch before stepping indoors.
The living and dining areas remain generous, whilst a large kitchen island doubles as the primary dining space, freeing up even more room within the living area. The open kitchen allows natural light to flow deeper into the home. Behind the kitchen are two common bedrooms, a study area and an outdoor yard. Upstairs, the entire level is devoted to a spacious master suite complete with a large bathroom featuring built-in wardrobes and a bathtub.
Round-ups like this are a good place to start a shortlist, but the real work begins when you start comparing the final few options, looking beyond the headline criteria to decide which property is the best fit for your own situation.
That’s where many readers ask us to help.
If you’d like a second view on any of the units above (or others we haven’t listed), you can reach out for a one-to-one consultation here.
And if you simply have a question or want to share a thought, feel free to write to us at stories@stackedhomes.com. We read every message.
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