Sky Habitat condo in Bishan: Designed by Jewel Changi’s architect, Moshe Safdie

Sky Habitat condo sits a few minutes’ walk from Bishan MRT, but it’s hard to miss. Two white towers rise above the neighbourhood, staggered like steps and linked by three sky bridges. It’s the kind of building that makes you pause and wonder what’s going on.

Known for its spacious units, Sky Habitat was completed in 2015. The project was designed by Moshe Safdie, launching to huge fanfare. Safdie’s vision, the design details, and the building’s slow-but-steady rebound all make this one of Singapore’s more curious case studies in residential architecture, and a stand-out standalone residence. 

Singapore’s very own ‘Habitat 67’

You probably recognise Safdie’s signature on Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands and Jewel Changi Airport, but Safdie’s reputation was forged decades earlier with an apartment building in Montreal, Canada named Habitat 67 — a groundbreaking residential architectural project that embodies everything he believes about how people should live in dense cities.

With Sky Habitat, the idea was to adapt that radical vision for Singapore’s private housing market, in a way that still played nice with tropical weather and condo expectations.

What makes a home?

World-renowned architect Safdie believed that vertical living shouldn’t mean giving up the qualities of a suburban home. Though yards and outdoor spaces are a luxury in Singapore, Safdie insisted that they comprised the fundamentals of what a home should have. Hence, Sky Habitat’s terraced form was meant to bring gardens, privacy, and outdoor space into the vertical realm — essentially, condos that felt like landed homes — just 30 storeys up.

Sky Bridges for a “Three-Dimensional Urban Fabric”

Safdie believed housing should foster interconnectedness between neighbours. The three bridges linking the twin towers were meant to:

• Encourage community interaction
• Break up the “high-rise alienation” typical in dense urban living
• Allow residents to circulate horizontally, not just up and down

This was one of his key theories from Safdie’s Habitat 67 apartment complex in Montreal: bringing street-like experiences into the sky. It would be the condo equivalent of long-HDB corridors, with the only difference being the plants weren’t potted by your neighbours.

Natural Light & Airflow

Unlike many of Singapore’s newer condominiums, Safdie pushed for permeability:

• Cross-ventilation
• Open balconies and gardens
• Shaded terraces for tropical living

He wanted Sky Habitat to be able to breathe, which was another one of his core beliefs of housing. The terracing allowed for sunlight to permeate deeper within the condo, and for winds to pass through within the two towers.

Moshe Safdie ensured that each unit had ample space and easy access to the outdoors. About a third of the units (the ones that make the sloping pyramid) have a roof garden terrace, typically reserved for penthouse-type homes. 

In short, Sky Habitat condo aimed to (and succeeded in) breaking the usual condo mold. It didn’t believe in stacking units to squeeze out profits — it tried to create a real community vibe, with a touch of landed-home charm way up in the sky.

The Market Drama 

When Sky Habitat first launched, the buzz was unreal. People were lining up for what seemed like the next big thing in condo living, and CapitaLand didn’t hold back, pricing units at a premium $1,800+ per square foot.

At its launch in 2012, Sky Habitat was the most expensive suburban condo in Singapore, with units priced at over $2 million (or $2.7 million today). However, instead of the expected fanfare, few people took the bait and a lot of units remained empty. Sky Habitat was relaunched in 2014 with dropped prices, with the median being about $1.4k psf instead.

Where It Stands Now: Current Market Snapshot

After its rocky start, Sky Habitat has staged a remarkable comeback. Units now command prices up to $2,162 per square foot, with some premium units reaching up to $2,700,000.

A quick search and analysis on 99.co and Property Guru pulls up the following, current day data on Sky Habitat:

• Average Resale Price (PSF): Approximately $1,832 
• Price Range: From $1,350,000 for smaller units to over $4,000,000 for larger, high-floor units
• Unit Sizes: Typically between 710 and 2,228 square feet
• Recent Transactions: Notable sales include a 1,711 sqft unit at $2,162 psf and a 1,528 sqft unit at $1,832 psf 

For reference, here are the sizes of the diverse range of units offered by Sky Habitat:

• 1-Bedroom + Study: Approximately 59–66 sqm (635–710 sq ft)
• 2-Bedroom + Study: Approximately 79–98 sqm (850–1,055 sq ft)
• 3-Bedroom: Approximately 113–116 sqm (1,216–1,249 sq ft)
• 4-Bedroom: Approximately 143–165 sqm (1,539–1,776 sq ft)
• Penthouse Units: Approximately 238–252 sqm (2,562–2,713 sq ft)

*Information taken from skyhabitat-singapore.com.

These units are designed with spacious layouts, featuring open-plan living areas and ample natural light, thanks to the development’s unique architectural design.

Sky Habitat’s initial challenges have given way to a steady resurgence in the resale market. Its unique architectural design, coupled with its prime location near Bishan MRT, has attracted discerning buyers. While it may not have surpassed some newer developments in price appreciation, Sky Habitat remains a distinctive and sought-after address in Singapore’s residential landscape.