Pinnacle @ Duxton Review: Singapore’s most iconic HDB flats

The famous Pinnacle @ Duxton is practically a tourist attraction in Singapore, with its striking architecture and skybridge, which is open to the public.

Many are surprised to learn that Pinnacle @ Duxton is actually a HDB housing project. Yes, those units, some of which are now selling for over a million dollars, are actually HDB flats!

Pinnacle @ Duxton was launched in an HDB BTO exercise on 29 May 2004. The first residents collected their keys on 13 December 2009.

Pinnacle @ Duxton Review (Summary Table)

*Information from 99.co, PropertyGuru, and other property listing websites is accurate as of time of writing.

Pinnacle @ Duxton Rooftop Sky Garden

Pinnacle @ Duxton’s skybridge is one of Singapore’s must-see sights.

Accessible from Block 1G and located on the 50^th story, the skybridge houses a rooftop garden with some of the most amazing scenic viewpoints in all of Singapore, offering sweeping panoramas over the city all the way to the sea.

The skybridge is accessible to the public from 9am to 9pm every day. To access the skybridge, you will need a CEPAS card such as a EZ-Link card, Nets Flashpay card or Singapore Tourist Pass.

To visit the skybridge, look for the management office on the ground floor of Block 1G and pay the $6 entry fee in cash. Then, take the lift up to the 50^th floor and tap your CEPAS card at the turnstile.

Only residents and shop tenants can apply for season parking at the HDB carparks at Pinnacle @ Duxton. Season parking costs $90 a month for a first car and $160 a month for a second or subsequent car.

Back to top

Pinnacle @ Duxton Parking

As Pinnacle @ Duxton is a HDB project, there is naturally HDB parking available.

From Monday to Saturday, HDB parking charges at Pinnacle @ Duxton are $1.40 every 30 minutes from 7am to 5pm, and $0.60 every 30 minutes from 5pm to 10:30pm

On Sundays and public holidays, parking charges are $0.60 every 30 minutes from 7am to 10:30pm.

From 10:30pm to 6.59am each day, the HDB parking at Pinnacle @ Duxton is reserved for season parking holders.

Back to top

Pinnacle @ Duxton Price

Looking back, Pinnacle @ Duxton’s launch prices now seem farcically low, considering how astronomically capital gains have grown since 2004.

At Pinnacle @ Duxton’s launch in 2004, 4-room flats were sold for $298,200 to $380,900, while 5-room flats were priced at $345,100 to $439,400.

Now, 20 years later, 4-room flats are being put up for sale at $1,320,000 to $1,520,000 on PropertyGuru, while asking prices for 5-room flats range from $1,390,000 to $1,700,000.

These resale prices have fuelled envious complaints about the HDB lottery effect, which no doubt contributed to the HDB later implementing the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model, which Pinnacle @ Duxton is not affected by, to counter unbridled capital gains.

Have other HDB flats in the area done as well? 4-room flats at Cantonment Close, which obtained their TOP in 2000, are currently selling for $888,000 to $968,000, prices which, while surely profitable for the sellers, are dwarfed by those of 4-room flats at Pinnacle @ Duxton.

The Cantonment Close flats are almost 10 years older than Pinnacle @ Duxton and located about 15 minutes’ walk from nearest MRT station, Tanjong Pagar—much less convenient than Pinnacle @ Duxton, which is only 4 minutes’ walk from Outram Park MRT station.

But I’m not sure that location and age are the only things that explain the premium prices commanded by Pinnacle @ Duxton. The latter has other pull factors that appeal to buyers, such as panoramic views and the celebrated sky garden.

Back to top

Pinnacle @ Duxton Location

Pinnacle @ Duxton is located on 1A to 1G Cantonment Road, just 4 minutes’ walk from Outram Park MRT station and 7 minutes’ walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT station.

Located smack in the middle of the CBD, Pinnacle @ Duxton is supremely convenient for those who work there, with the offices at Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar all within easy walking distance.

There is no shortage of amenities in the area, including a plethora of food options, from famous hawker centres like Maxwell Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat and Chinatown Complex, to shopping malls like 100AM and Chinatown Point. In fact, Pinnacle @ Duxton has its very own upscale food court, Essen @ The Pinnacle. The Duxton area itself is a popular lifestyle destination packed with eateries and historic shophouses.

For obvious reasons, this is a highly attractive location for those who work and play in the CBD.

There isn’t a huge selection of schools within walking distance, but resident children can still walk to Cantonment Primary School, Outram Secondary School and CHIJ (Kellock).

Back to top

Pinnacle @ Duxton Floor Plan

Pinnacle @ Duxton consists of 1,848 HDB flats spread out over seven 50-storey blocks. The 4-room flats measure about 965 to 1,044 sqft, while the 5-room flats measure about 1,130 to 1,155 sqft.

The layouts for both 4-room and 5-room flats are neat, rectilinear and space efficient, with the three bedrooms lined up in a row on one side of the flat and the living and dining area on the other side.

Pinnacle @ Duxton’s uniqueness is not limited to its façade. The unit layouts themselves are more customisable than those of typical HDB flats, with many walls that can be easily modified or hacked.

Overall, the layouts are pretty typical, but the customisability makes them ideal for those who want to carry out renovations to truly personality the space.

Back to top

Pinnacle @ Duxton Rental

Pinnacle @ Duxton 4-room flats are currently being put up for rent on PropertyGuru for $4,800 to $5,500 a month, while the going rate for 5-room flats is $4,900 to $6388.

Using current resale prices, this works out to a rental yield of over 4%, which is attractive. The rents might even be able to cover home loan repayments fully.

For prospective tenants looking to rent Pinnacle @ Duxton, it is one of the more affordable options located in the CBD, offering good value for money. Unlike condo units, there are no facilities such as swimming pools, but for some tenants, the sky garden could make up for it.

Back to top

Pinnacle @ Duxton Review

Pinnacle @ Duxton is a one-of-a-kind HDB project that has some unique draws, including a skybridge offering stunning views and a location in the heart of the CBD.

Pinnacle @ Duxton has seen record breaking resale prices. However, being one of the few relatively new HDB projects in such a central location, it also offers one of the more affordable ways to live in the CBD, since the overwhelming majority of residential property in the area is private.

It was also built before the implementation of the PLH model. This means buyers will only have to serve a 5-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) rather than the 10 years that PLH model flat owners will need to wait before selling or renting out their flats.

Pinnacle @ Duxton has proven to be a phenomenal investment for the first batch of owners. Moving forward, high resale prices might deter would-be buyers, but given the enduring popularity of property in such a central location and the legendary status of Pinnacle @ Duxton itself, it is likely to continue to enjoy strong demand. Rental yield is also attractive, but owners will have to wait until their MOP ends to rent out their flats.

Back to top