How big is your playground?

Samu: When I arrived in Singapore, Wongsy wanted to show me the places they grew up. To do so, we had to inevitably roam through a lot of shopping centres: there are more than 170 of them in Singapore alone. But whenever we went in the new shiny malls, the crowds were overwhelming, the space filled with stuff to buy, sounds, smells, bright lights… So Wongsy redirected us to the older shopping centres. Here we could roam, no pushing around by the lunch rush. Surrounded by maze-like corridors, I started to see how the shopping centre fed their own micro-environments: the people who frequent them, the shops with irregular opening hours that live inside. To an untrained eye, it just looks a bit sad. But this is the reason Wongsy and I like going to this kind of places: they look alive, in a limbo between that one specific famous shop and permanent siesta. They are fun and have character. Why we would visit a certain shopping centre is based on Wongsy’s experience growing up in Singapore.

Wongsy: “I am lucky I paid attention when we traveled by car or getting around on the bus.” A result of a lifetime spent 'having a nosy'. I am lucky Wongsy shares their experience and knowledge, showing me their playgrounds.

Every shopping center is sad based on how many sad stars is awarded. Find out if your favourite is sad or not.

Questions and photographs by Samu, answers and illustrations by Wongsy.