With Kampung Admiralty, gone are the days of kampungs where the first thing that comes to mind are run-down houses made out of concrete and faded paint.

Once again, Singapore has earned another badge of honour – the Building of The Year Award 2018 at the World Architecture Festival last December – with their newest modern retirement village, Kampung Admiralty.

Kampung Admiralty, located just beside Admiralty station, is a mixed-use retirement estate that melds housing for the elderly, childcare centres, medical services and an array of food options. Here’s a guide to show you around Singapore’s newest architectural wonder.

The 11-storeyed mixed-use retirement village is well-equipped with various services catering to a wide variety of needs. Open to the public is Admiralty Medical Centre Pharmacy, NTUC Health Active Aging Hub, My First Skool childcare center and a 900-seat hawker centre. Did we mention they have a sky garden and a supermarket too?

Every single facility here is open to the public. Here, the elderly have a place to learn new skills, keep healthy and active. They can engage in a plethora of activities, for example, learning new skills and upkeeping their fitness, all in the comfort of an air-conditioned space.

In terms of food, Kampung Admiralty has gone above and beyond with their 900-seater hawker centre with over 30 different stalls and other food options (think Starbucks and Maki-san). Any craving you could be having, Kampung Admiralty would have you covered.

Kids will also have a place to play and learn at My First Skool in Kampung Admiralty. It’s also conveniently located near a simple playground at the Roof Garden, so they will definitely be entertained.

Lastly, on the very top of the building is the Sky Terrace, where residents can grow their own herbs, vegetables and other sorts of plants. It’s a lush hidden paradise, full of life, greenery and vibrant flowers. It also makes for a very aesthetic Instagram photo if you want a photo where you’re surrounded by greenery (without the hassle of stepping into an actual forest).

It’s also the perfect place to sit down and admire Singapore’s residential area skyline at Admiralty.

This vertical Kampung, even without the prestigious award for architecture, is a progressive step forward to allowing working-adult residents to have a better grasp of their work-life balance. Many in Singapore have elderly or young children living with them and these may be extra details that add to the stress of working life.

With more buildings and residences that have similar concepts to that of Kampung Admiralty, Singaporeans could perhaps be able to take a breather in this fast-paced world we live in, fostering that old kampong spirit from the past.

Kampung Admiralty
676 Woodlands Drive 71
Singapore 730670
Nearest Station: Admiralty

Tucked away in Upper Cross Street is Whiskit Bakery & Cafe—one of the most instagrammable cafes in Singapore which serves up an array of delectable desserts!

From colourful Rainbow Cheesecakes to more local-inspired pastry such as Kaya Ondeh tarts, Whiskit Bakery & Cafe is definitely one to mark down on your list of cafes you have to try in Singapore.

Decorated with all-pink chairs and floral decor, this hidden gem of a cafe is sure to send your Instagram-senses tingling with excitement. It was also relatively easy to spot with its beautiful decor, setting it apart from the traditional stores surrounding it in this quiet part of Chinatown.

We first had a taste of their Kaya Ondeh Tart (S$4.50). It was a very petite pastry with several fluffy balls of mini Ondeh Ondeh kueh sitting atop a kaya filling and a buttery crust.

The tiny balls of Ondeh Ondeh were filled with gula melaka filling, making each chew very flavourful despite its small size. We did think that the Kaya filling was a little too runny, though. Perhaps the tart would have been made better with a thicker and more flavourful kaya filling!

Next up, we managed to try their Lemon Meringue Tart (S$6.50)—a lemon curd-filled sweet tart is topped with a torched meringue rosette.

We found Whiskit Bakery & Cafe’s Lemon Meringue Tart to be one of our favourite renditions of the French pastry. The lemon curd filling had a wonderfully smooth texture and tasted refreshingly zesty. The tart shell was also nice and buttery. With the meringue, the tart altogether was a delight to eat!

Other than the two pastries we mentioned, Whiskit Bakery & Cafe also serve up other interesting pastries such as their “Tart Kiu” Milo Tart (S$6.50) and Hazelnut Speculoos Tart (S$5).

Just a short walk from Chinatown MRT (Exit F), Whiskit Bakery & Cafe is a great place to take a short break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Whiskit Bakery & Cafe
533 Upper Cross Street, #01-33
Singapore 050533
Tel: +65 9366 6136
Mon to Sat: 11am – 8pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Chinatown