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Liu played an integral role in shaping Singapore’s public housing system

The architect who designed Singapore’s public housing system, now home to most of the country’s 5.9 million residents, has died at the age of 87.

Liu Thai Ker shaped the landscape of modern Singapore, with its distinctive public housing blocks dominating the skyline, from the city centre to the edges.

Liu died on Sunday from complications following a fall about a week earlier, according to local reports quoting his son.

Tributes have poured in, with many thanking Liu for his contributions. One user said that Singapore had "lost a giant", adding that Liu "did not merely build cities, but shaped the very way Singaporeans live, move and belong".

Singapore’s public housing flats, locally known as "HDBs" and named after the Housing and Development Board that oversees them, are a major driver of savings in the small but rich economy.

Unlike public housing in so many places, the flats in Singapore are heavily subsidised and are purchased by citizens. Once bought, they become an asset of the owner for the next 99 years and can be resold at market rates after a stipulated period of time.

The unusual system has its critics, who say the fact that it is partly driven by the market prices out many Singaporeans. But it remains a key policy in Singapore, whose leaders see it as a way of ensuring that every Singaporean owns a little bit of their country.

Who is Liu Thai Ker?

Born in 1938 in Malaysia, Liu came to Singapore when he was six.

He later studied architecture in Australia before going on to do his master’s degree in city planning at Yale University, before working in the New York office of famed architect I M Pei.

He returned to Singapore in 1969, later serving as chief architect of Singapore’s (HDB) - responsible for the country’s public housing.

When he first joined public service, many Singaporeans still lived in overcrowded slums - and the country was in the midst of a government-led transition towards public housing.

During his time at the HDB, he oversaw the development of 20 new towns and about half a million housing units.

He later became chief executive and planner of the country’s Urban Redevelopment Authority, serving in public service for 24 years in total before leaving to start his own private firm.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong paid tribute to Liu in a post on Facebook, saying that the "buildings, homes and public spaces that Singaporeans use every day stand as a quiet testament to his dedication and vision".

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam also thanked Liu in a Facebook post, saying he helped "make Singapore a liveable city in the tropics".

Other Singaporeans also thanked Liu for his "great vision for Singapore", with one saying he "didn’t just built buildings, he built a nation".

Chung Cheng High School (Yishun), where Liu was formerly a student, also extended their condolences.

"Widely known as the architect of modern Singapore, Dr Liu’s journey from a student at our [school] to a visionary urban planner remains a source of immense pride".

Local media outlets also paid tribute to Liu, many crediting him with shaping Singapore’s modern landscape, and some referring to him as the "father of urban planning".

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