1.2 A sense of place in neighbourhoods

Question 1

What is a sense of place?

Answer 1

• is developed when people associate meanings and memories with locations
• reflects the relationship people have with places around them
• helps build our identity, enabling us to understand ourselves and others better
• derived from our experiences with the natural and built environment and interactions with others there
• highly personal and objective
• one location hold different meaning for diff people depending on our needs, lifestyle and how we make sense of our experiences there
• some may also hold special memories for a specific group of residents they serve

Example:
- homemakers and retirees associate different meanings with hawker centres
- homemakers associate hawker centres with ideas of convenience and variety as they often purchase meals there
- retirees associate hawker centres with ideas of leisure and relationships as they regularly meet friends for drinks there.

Question 2

How do people acquire a sense of place in their neighbourhoods

Answer 2

1. repeated encounters with objects and people
2. Significant or memorable events at local landmarks and gathering places

Question 3

Repeated encounters with objects and people

Answer 3

• this helps us recall the character and features of places that we come across and create memories and meanings of them

Example:
many residents in SG have vivid memories of the scenic journeys along the East Coast Pathway as it is a route that they go by when they return home from overseas

Question 4

Significant or memorable events

Answer 4

• may acquire a sense of place from significant and memorable events that occur at local landmarks and gathering places
• landmarks are highly visible and easy for most people to remember
• landmarks may serve symbolic/ historical purposes

Example:
- The Truss Bridges in Bukit Timah were built in 1932 as part of a railway line
- due to their unique design, many people associate them with Sg’s railway history
- many couples and families take photos there, creating memories and acquiring a sense of place

- landmarks may hold +ve/-ve memories
- may feature public symbols that reflect a community’s response to a tragedy, serving as a place for people to preserve their memories of their loved ones 

Example:
The **Anfield memorial at the Liverpool Football Club’s stadium in England** remembers the club’s supporters who had lost their lives due to **overcrowding at Liverpool’s old stadium in 1989**

-aside from landmarks, interactions with others are everyday places may result in us developing an attachment to these places, enabling us to feel a sense of belonging to our neighbourhoods
-places which may not be visually distinctive such as open lawns and plazas, may be transformed into memorable places where people gather during community events

Example:
Jurong Lake Gardens was transformed into a music arena when it hosted the NParks Concert Series in the Park: Rockesta, thus becoming a memorable place for many residents

Question 5

How is sense of place represented

Answer 5

• represented through different forms and types of media by individual and organisations, which reflect people’s ideas, memories and significance of location
• individuals express their personal sense of place in different forms such as texts, audio, graphics and still/moving objects
• this can be then shared with others through various media types

Example:
- #sgmemory allows users on social media platforms to share photos of their memorable experiences of places in SG
- organisations may also reflect people’s collective sense of place, through both print and internet-based media

Question 6

How representations enhance or contradict our sense of place

Answer 6

• diff emotions expressed in media enhances or contradict our sense of place
• our sense of place shapes our identity, hence we respond well to representations that agree with how we feel about diff places
• representations add new layers of meanings to these places by revealing interesting information about them, thus enhancing sense of place

Example:
Websites that feature interesting history of the Beaulieu House in Sembawang may develop in people a greater appreciation for the place, enhancing their attachment to it
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However, we may respond defensively to media content that challenges our sense of place, causing us to dismiss these media contents, perceiving them as distortions or untruths

Example: The negative media portrayal of Yishun after the occurrence of rat problems and other crimes cause the Nee Soon Town Council and residents to share official statistics to show that Yishun is just like any other town in SG