Loveable Singapore Project (NUS Study)
(December 2020 - May 2021)
Principal Investigator: Prof HENG Chye Kiang
Co-PI: Assoc Prof FUNG John Chye
Introduction
NUS’s research encompassed two primary studies: (1) the development of a knowledge framework for loveability, and (2) a design ethnography (DE) investigating two key themes related to “Places and Spaces”. The first study involved a critical review of various disciplinary frameworks that conceptualise people’s love or affection for places in distinct ways. The second study focused on two topics of interest related to urban space and practices in Singapore: the social dynamics of eating spaces (such as hawker centres and coffee shops) and the incidental use of public spaces within HDB neighbourhoods.
The Knowledge Framework was employed as a foundation for fieldwork, guiding the DE to observe and analyse manifestations of “love” as identified in existing literature and articulated through the following research questions:
Q1: What are the tangible and intangible aspects of place attachment observed in these settings?
Q2: How do these aspects shape different perceptions of what makes a neighbourhood or city loveable?
In addition to ethnographic observation, the Loveable Singapore Study also utilised supplementary engagement methods to capture facets of loveability that might not be readily apparent or observable in the field.
