Yesterday’s malls as today’s heritage. This book unearths Singapore’s latent histories, cultures and communities that grew within its now ageing modern shopping centres, envisioned in the 1960s futuristically as “Arcades in the Air”. Contributors for this edited book highlight some of such unexpected narratives from the pioneering “Planned Shopping Centres”. They include: malls as historical and photographical sites, as homes for pioneering arcade gamers, youths cultures and veteran rock musicians, and as platforms for artistic imaginations and exhibitions. As largely individually owned shops units within the buildings, the older malls have also fostered more diverse and autonomous communities and businesses. Amidst Singapore’s constantly changing urban landscape, these otherwise dated shopping centres stand precariously as venerable sites of collective social and cultural memories.

Includes essays from: Chua Beng Huat, Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, Darren Soh, Roy Kheang, Eunice Lim, Elena Yeo, Steve Ferzacca, Kar-men Cheng, Wee Li Lin

The Editor Dr KK Liew is an independent researcher in the fields of Cultural Studies. For close to two decades, he has been actively engaged in researching and participating in activities relating to that of Singapore’s social and cultural heritage. His public initiatives and publications range from that of otherwise forgotten cemeteries and railways to that of documentary and exhibition projects on popular music and youth subcultures. The Singapore Mall Generation is the latest part of his continuous journey in deepening Singapore’s cultural heritage.

© 2022 MarshallCavendishEditions (Ebook): 9789815044584

Release date

Ebook: 30 May 2022