What influence does the living environment have on the themes of happiness and mobility?

Like many other municipalities, the Municipality of Etten-Leur is aware of a changing world and its potential impact on both the municipality and its residents. Together with the Municipality of Etten-Leur, we had previously developed a vision for the future residential area of Haansberg. Happiness and mobility were already two central themes within this vision. But what do these concepts actually mean in the context of living and everyday life? And how can they be translated into concrete design principles for the urban environment?

The challenge

The municipality sought a clearer understanding of the meanings of happiness and mobility, so that these concepts would not remain merely inspiring words but would genuinely guide the design of the living environment. How can these themes contribute to choices that are valuable both spatially and socially?

The insight

Using the ROL principle (Return On Learning), Six Fingers worked closely with a municipal team for six months as an external plug-in. ROL focuses on building the capacity to think and act from a long-term perspective, a relatively new way of working for the municipality.

Together with the team, we immersed ourselves in the world of happiness and mobility. We explored the meaning of both themes step by step, which led us to inspiring trend signals, films, documentaries and books. In doing so, we discovered that the two themes are more closely connected than expected and, together, offer powerful opportunities as guiding principles for a future-proof municipality. By striving for healthy mobility—for example, through the STOMP principle—we also directly contribute to residents’ happiness.

However, the outcome went beyond mere substantive insights. Throughout the process, the municipal team transformed into true ambassadors of the themes. They were able to convince and challenge their colleagues to make choices that genuinely reflect these principles. In addition, the intensive collaboration helped remove the proverbial wall between the social and physical domains, leading to a more integrated approach.