HDB unit orientation-Corridor and Corner units

Corridor Units
These units are much more common than Corner Units,and often have 1-3  windows facing the acess balcony (with the execption of 1-room and 2-room rental flats).Typically,pre-1980s era flats have steel,glass or aluminium shutters facing the corridor,while 1980s-era and later units have glass sliding windows instead.

 Some residents,paricually the elderly, who stay in corridor units are open and friendly to the point of accidental  recklessness – they often leave all their windows and main doors wide open for a breeze and cheerfully greet neighbors passing by. With only grills and a locked gate to keep out intruders, valuables left about carelessly within arm’s length are targets of thef and house breaking.

 Some residents may install curtains or sound proof windows for more privacy and security.However,this usually creates a gloomy and stuffy atmosphere within,especially with Singapore's humid and tropical climate.

 1970s New generation corridor units are slightly off the ground,with a few steps up to the door for privacy.1980s era flats took this even further,and are raised higher,with the entrance located at the right.However,likely because of increasing acessibly in an ageing population,late 1980s corridor units no longer implemented this feature.

 Despite its unfavorable design, many residents still stay in corridor units as they are the most attractive of all HDB units in terms of price.

 All BTO s do not have corridor units,due to popular demand from younger buyers.However,rental blocks still feature them.

 Advantages

 ​Disadvantages
 * Very common
 * Affordable


 * Less privacy
 * May become tragets of Crime

Corner Units
Existing since the early 1970s,corner units only have a door facing the common corridor,with all windows getting a view outside.Generally,corner units (particually those of slab blocks)are bigger than the corridor units facing them.

Corner units in slab blocks can be classified into a few variants: All HDB flats built from the BTO era onwards only contain corner units,with the exception of rental blocks.This  is achieved by linking several  1/2 unit wings to a corridor.
 * Extreme corner(Units located at the very end)
 * Intermidiate corner (Typically 3.5 room unit,with a corridor replacing them on lift level floors)
 * Stairs per 2 units (Two units share a flight of stairs,doors facing each other,with corridor units at lift level)
 * Wing (Typically contains 2 units per floor,may be U-Shaped or L-Shaped)

Some pre-BTO corner units may even allow you to purchase the recess area (adjacent to the entrance)to expand space.

Advantages
 * Privacy
 * Pre-BTO variants may allow you to buy recess area for expansion

Disadvantages (Resale units)
 * More expensive compared to corridor units
 * Less common