THE FORGOTTEN HAPPINESS

Abstract

Happiness – a word pledged upon, the pursuit debated on, and an emotion measured. Happiness matters, for this range of pleasant emotions signifies an optimal equilibrium of physiological coordination and function in life, which is conducive for the survival of an individual, with wellness in mind. After all, ‘do not all men desire happiness?’ Singapore, as a country with great wealth, accomplished well in the measure of life satisfaction, however, exhibits a contradiction to the assessment of affective happiness, which is the positive emotions felt on a daily basis. Hence, what can possibly influence emotions beyond economic affluence? This measurement of happiness correlates with the innate value of human being to be connected with one another, with relationships of family, friends or even people seen and heard on a daily basis. For it is intrinsically linked to the human need to feel belonged, and subsequently, a sense of community that builds upon a familiarization process of people and place amongst those who live in the vicinity. Nonetheless, the prerequisite for the occurrence of that process, is primarily, the encounter of people in common spaces of a place, of which this dissertation, takes on the investigation on heartland retail spaces as a case study. For the act of purchasing everyday needs are after all, fundamental in sustaining one’s livelihood, hence, fulfil the requirement of a common activity that brings heartlanders to the common place. A series of transformation, however, witnessed a change of actor in retail spaces. The hierarchical approach in design and planning pattern before the 1990s, that once ensured the provision of heartlanders’ everyday needs are conveniently provided, was taken over by the heartland mall. Aimed at bringing shopping virtually to the doorsteps ii of heartlanders, Northpoint shopping mall made its presence in central Yishun, as the first heartland mall in Singapore. As a result, a displacement of the used-to-be habits of consumption within the heartland neighbourhood centres caused the common spaces of town centres and neighbourhood centres to no longer thrive as they once did. Therefore, this dissertation hopes to raise this question, how does the transformation in retail space across time, impedes the attainment of affective happiness? Is it then, the forgotten happiness?