SINGAPORE: It’s not unusual for residents of HDB blocks to decorate however they want, but when they install wooden structures in front of their main doors, it’s bound to raise more than a few eyebrows or, in today’s world, get photographed, and then uploaded on social media.
On Tuesday (July 9), one Redditor posted a picture of the front area of a unit completely enclosed within wood walls and raised on a platform. It’s surrounded by plants and has a framed Japanese sign on one side.
“Is that an Onsen spa at an HDB?” the post author wrote. The post has sparked much interest, with over a thousand reactions and many comments.
Commenters, however, chimed in to say that it’s an infrared sauna rather than an onsen spa. In Japan, an onsen refers to a natural hot spring and its bathing facilities.
Their healthful properties are replicated across different countries through mineral water baths.
A commenter familiar with this product in Singapore wrote that the wooden structure is meant to be installed in one’s bathroom when the shower cabin is removed.
“If you have a spare bathroom that you don’t use, or maybe even your household shelter, it’s a great option if you really want a sauna in your home,” they wrote, adding, “This is flat-out brazenly illegal though hahaha.”
HDB residents are limited as to what they can place in the corridor, which needs to be free of items should an emergency arise.
When another wrote, “lol these people really think the open area is free real estate,” a Reddit user agreed, saying that corner unit owners are especially guilty of this.
Some answered, however, that the owner could just put the sauna inside.
Others were just surprised that people would use a sauna in a tropical climate, where it’s hot enough without intentionally exposing one’s body to even more heat.
A commenter pointed out that it’s not a real sauna but a unit owner being playful with the entrance to their unit.
But this would make it complicated when the owner needs to bring in a bulky piece of furniture, such as a sofa or a big appliance, such as a refrigerator.
Some netizens were delighted with the sauna, however. “Who said Sinkies lack creativity?” wrote one. “Singapore never fails to impress with its unique ideas,” another chimed in.
Others were more concerned. “Look at the crazy hut and the blockage of the stairwell. This is a prime target for the TC to order its full removal. Where is this even and how was it allowed to go so far?” /TISG
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