Abstract
It is predicted by the World Health Organization that by 2020 depression will become the second leading cause of disease worldwide. the global pursuit of economic development and sustainable growth, the happiness of people has been compromised. As cities continue to replicate and chase after “successful” city models, It creates a cookie cutter approach to urban city development where cities become globalized at the expense of their local culture or social identity and neglected the societal transition impacts of urbanization. These are critical factors that contribute to urban and social stress in urban living which leads to increase cases of depression in urban living. As Montogomery ‘s “Happy city” says a liveable city is a happy one. To create a robust and sustainable city, the social and mental well-being of the city-dwellers need to be considered. Thus, this thesis aims to create urban happiness through designing a new positive typology that incorporates cultural, communal and therapeutic elements. Using the market typology as the main source of abstaction, the design seeks to be the beacon of the city that builds social support and provides a sense of belonging in their own city. At the same time, the architectural design will be an example of an urban environment that facilities healthy mental and emotional comfort through versatile and human-centric designed conditions, creating an infrastructure for respite and source of happinessagainst the social and urban stress of the city living. This new typology will have an extent of flexibility that allows it to integrate the local aspects of future cities and creates a version unique to the city's identity. This helps to avert the city development from the cookie cutter design model and infuses positivity into the course of urbanisation and globalisation.