January BTO 2013 - Keat Hong Colours

Keat Hong Colours (updated 20130302)

Understanding the development

1. Overview, all at 18-storeys high except 810A and 812A which are both 19-storeys high. In terms of skyline treatment I would say it is rather flat and not much of a talking point.

2. This area is rather new with few BTOs recently launched here notably Keat Hong Axis to the north. Since both Keat Hong Colours and Keat Hong Axis are almost similar in height, 810B and 810A may be affected the most by the existence of 808C and 808D. To the south, currently it’s still empty and reserved for potentially future HDB. Since the site is rather tilted, how much of the layout can affect Keat Hong Colours will depend on whether the designer want to have a north south axis which will benefit Keat Hong Colours OR axis parallel with boundary between Keat Hong Colours which will be more efficient in terms of land usage.

3. To the East, there will be land reserved for school which will translate to lower building mass to the East but this may not have much effect on Keat Hong Colours. To the West, there MRT line running on the surface which may bring potential noise disturbance to the residence at block 811B and 812C.

4. As for the surrounding amenities, I recommend that readers make an effort to go to the site and understand the surrounding better before you make your decision. Apart from that, there will be a block 813A reserved as rental flat. As for the usage, I will not speculate. From the layout of the blocks, what I can foresee is that it consist of many studio units.

5. Readers are advice to use information found here as a study guideline only and use it at your own risk. Please find time to visit the site and try to access the surrounding existing blocks to get a feel of your potential surrounding from different floor level.

6. For new readers, please read this review with http://raremerchandise.blogspot.com/2012/09/knowing-your-bto-units-part-1.html

As each development is uniquely design and to gel in their existing surrounding, readers are advice to read through my older posting which have tallied to almost 89 posting since early 2011. 

7. To do this review, it will take me up to at least 5 hours of work for each development inclusive of time work on the graphics. If you appreciate what I’m doing here, you can visit or ‘like’ my page on facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Raremerchandise-moneychannel/108060382560724

Block 810A

529, 531, 517 and 519

1. All will have moderate west sun exposure to main façade which can be mitigate by having simple curtain over the window surface at Living and Bedrooms.

2. All stacks except 529 may have limited to no wind from the N-NE due to blockage from 808D. There will be no potential S-SE wind exposure as the main façade is facing north.

3. This block consists of 136 units sharing 2 numbers of lifts. The ratio is at 1 lift to 68 units, considered uncomfortable. 1 lift to 40-60 range is considered comfortable in consideration of waiting time and lifts speed.

4. Breathing space to the north is at no more than 20+m at the shortest distance between 519 to block 808D and view will be limited to opposite block, service road and limited green space. 529 will have the best spacing and view among all 4 stacks.

5. All Stacks should have ample sun light/ventilation to yard area for drying clothing, the courtyard area for 531 and 517 is rather huge and at 18-storey, units above 10-storeys should be ok.

6. Long walking distance to the lift lobby for stack 529.

521, 523, 525 and 527

1. No west sun exposure for all except 527 will have a gable end wall facing West which will have impact on the master bedroom temperature.

2. All may not have much wind from the S-SE due to blockage from blocks to the South.  There will be no potential N-NE wind exposure as the main façade is facing south.

3. This block consists of 136 units sharing 2 numbers of lifts. The ratio is at 1 lift to 68 units, considered uncomfortable. 1 lift to 40-60 range is considered comfortable in consideration of waiting time and lifts speed.

4. Breathing space is ample to the south with views towards the internal green space. Stack 521 with units higher than the MSCP will enjoy greater breathing among all 4 stacks, the master bedroom will have excellent breathing space. Master bedroom for stack 523 may suffer from having to see the gable end of 525.  

5. All Stacks should have ample sun light/ventilation to yard area for drying clothing, the courtyard area for 523 and 525 is rather huge and at 18-storey, units above 10-storeys should be ok.

6. Long walking distance to the lift lobby for stack 525 and 527.

Block 810A

501, 503, 513 and 515

1. Both 513 and 515 will have moderate west sun exposure to main façade which can be mitigate by having simple curtain over the window surface at Living and Bedrooms. 501 and 503 are both facing North East, 501 will have gable end at master bedroom exposed to West sun.

2. Both 513 and 515 may have limited wind exposure from North-North East due to blockage from the North by Keat Hong Axis. 5001 and 503 may enjoy wind from N-NE due to more breathing space towards North which consist of park and road.  There will be no potential S-SE wind exposure as the main façade is facing north.

3. This block consists of 140 units sharing 2 numbers of lifts. The ratio is at 1 lift to 70 units, considered uncomfortable. 1 lift to 40-60 range is considered comfortable in consideration of waiting time and lifts speed.

4. Breathing space to the north is at no more than 20+m at the shortest distance between 513, 515 to block 808C and view will be limited to opposite block, service road and limited green space. 503 will have the best spacing and view among all 4 stacks.

5. All Stacks should have ample sun light/ventilation to yard area for drying clothing, the courtyard area for 501 and 515 is rather huge and at 19-storey, units above 10-storeys should be ok.

6. Long walking distance to the lift lobby for stack 503 and 501.

7. Stack 503 is located next to an open staircase. Extra care should be considered since the open staircase is accessible to public at all time.

8. The lifts shaft is rather too close to 515, there won’t be any internal problem but it may have future external problems when it comes to re-painting to the external wall which if left unmaintained will cause future problem to the internal unit’s spaces as well.

505, 507, 509 and 511

1. No west sun exposure for all.

2. All may enjoy wind exposure from the S-SE with condition that these units will be higher than the MSCP (muti storey car park).  There will be no potential N-NE wind exposure as the main façade is facing south. Please note that future development to the South may have further impact to wind movement from S-SE.

3. This block consists of 140 units sharing 2 numbers of lifts. The ratio is at 1 lift to 70 units, considered uncomfortable. 1 lift to 40-60 range is considered comfortable in consideration of waiting time and lifts speed.

4. Breathing space is ample to the south with condition that units should be higher than the MSCP and views will be limited to the green roof of the car park and block 812A. Breathing space for all are excellent to the South with condition these units are higher than the MSCP. Readers are advised to check on the model before making your final selection.  

5. Stacks 511 and 505 should have ample sun light/ventilation to yard area for drying clothing; the courtyard area for 507 and 509 is rather tight and limited. Units above 15-storeys should be ok.

6. During S-SE wind season, fumes from EH (eating house) may have impact on units above the MSCP because the exhaust duct will be higher up.

Block 812A

665, 667, 677 and 679

1. Both 677 and 679 will have moderate west sun exposure to main façade which can be mitigate by having simple curtain over the window surface at Living and Bedrooms. 665 and 667 are both facing north, 665 will have gable end at master bedroom exposed to West sun.

2. All may enjoy wind exposure from the N-NE with condition that these units will be higher than the MSCP (muti storey car park).  There will be no potential S-SE wind exposure as the main façade is facing north.

3. This block consists of 140 units sharing 2 numbers of lifts. The ratio is at 1 lift to 70 units, considered uncomfortable. 1 lift to 40-60 range is considered comfortable in consideration of waiting time and lifts speed.

4. Breathing space is ample to the north with condition that units should be higher than the MSCP and views will be limited to the green roof of the car park and block 810A. Breathing space for all are excellent to the north with condition these units are higher than the MSCP. Readers are advised to check on the model before making your final selection.  665 and 667 will have the best position among all units here, condition will be these units have to be higher than 8-storey to avoid the future school.

5. All Stacks should have ample sun light/ventilation to yard area for drying clothing, the courtyard area for 679 and 665 is rather huge and at 19-storey, units above 10-storeys should be ok.

6. Long walking distance to the lift lobby for stack 665 and 667.

7. Stack 667 is located next to an open staircase. Extra care should be considered since the open staircase is accessible to public at all time.

8. The lifts shaft is rather too close to 679, there won’t be any internal problem but it may have future external problems when it comes to re-painting to the external wall which if left unmaintained will cause future problem to the internal unit’s spaces as well.

9. During N-NE wind season, fumes from EH (eating house) may have impact on units above the MSCP because the exhaust duct will be higher up.

669, 671, 673 and 675

1. No west sun exposure for all. Higher floor for 675 may have West sun impact to the master bedroom.

2. All may enjoy wind exposure from the S-SE for now until future development sprung up to the south.  There will be no potential N-NE wind exposure as the main façade is facing south.

3. This block consists of 140 units sharing 2 numbers of lifts. The ratio is at 1 lift to 70 units, considered uncomfortable. 1 lift to 40-60 range is considered comfortable in consideration of waiting time and lifts speed.

4. Breathing space is ample to the south for now until future development to the South come to existence. Worst case scenario would be something like block 810A north units facing Keat Hong Axis.

5. Stacks 675 and 669 should have ample sun light/ventilation to yard area for drying clothing; the courtyard area for 673 and 671 is rather tight and limited. Units above 15-storeys should be ok.

to be continued...

notes: light coloured arrow denotes potential blockage to wind movement by surrounding development

WARNING: Readers are advice to use information found here as a study guideline only and use it at your own risk.

Copyright © 2013 by Chua Soon Ching

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