This book is an attempt to include open spaces in Malaysia's urban environment and the life they support. A recent study on open spaces in seven major cities in Peninsular Malaysia (based on the assessment of their respective local plans) highlighted insufficient provision of open spaces.
Open spaces evolve–maintaining them is a continuous challenge
Existing open spaces in our urban centers are not valued as city heritage and are therefore constantly under threat of land acquisition, alterations and modifications. However, the quality of these spaces leaves a lot to be desired as developers' notion of open spaces often means "leftover spaces".
Beauty
Retreat
Oasis
Open spaces are our response to the fundamental laws of nature to sustain life: The law of gravity, the law of least energy. The law of attraction of opposites. The law of habitat. symbiosis and complementability) The law of time of the life cycle (childhood – growth – reproduction – adulthood – decay – death).
Sustainable
The Evolution of Open Spaces
From Acropolis to Boulevard
Another important typology of open spaces is the notion of the street as a public space. The idea of axes and wide avenues lined with trees replaced the narrow and crowded streets of the medieval city.
Open Spaces Typology
In Kuala Lumpur, government buildings, army barracks, church and city hall were built around the 'padang' where official functions took place. After the country's independence in 1957, the development of open spaces in Malaysia had never lost its momentum.
In 1905, on this 'padang', the body of the legendary freedom fighter Tok Janggut was hanged upside down by the British. Aerial view of the 'padang' with the Muhammadi Mosque in the background Opposite page >>.
LAKE GARDENS and
The lake gardens in Malaysia were introduced by the British following the formula of the royal parks of 18th century Britain. Fruits and spices were important commodities during the early colonial era, and as a result the plant supplies needed to be controlled for commercial needs, leading to the establishment of the Botanic Gardens. Eventually lake gardens were created as recreational parks for British officers as well as a utility nursery for plants.
Taiping Lake Gardens (1880), Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens (1884) and Penang Botanic Gardens (1884) are the three surviving British-era gardens.
CITY PARKS
Similar to the early lake gardens of the British era, the lakes form the main attraction of this 46-acre park, a center for boating and water sports. Seremban Lake Gardens is located within a one-mile radius of Seremban town center and is recognized as one of the most scenic gardens in the country. The fresh atmosphere and variety of flora are also part of the main attractions of this park.
In addition to leisure and active recreation, educational elements have been designed as part of the park. A breather for one of the tallest buildings in the world, it is also the most prominent urban park in Kuala Lumpur. The neighborhood open space determination is based on 10% of the development area and the density of units.
OPEN SPACES in
The Penang Free School, King Edward VII School in Taiping, Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur and Malay College in Kuala Kangsar are some of the oldest examples of open spaces in public institutions adopted as models in this country. In addition to educational facilities, places of worship – mosques, temples and churches – are the gathering places for the community as a whole who share a common faith in the Creator. Naturally, open spaces arise in places where the different religious and community groups come together.
Other public buildings, such as hospitals and museums, are modern public institutions that incorporate open spaces as an essential component of their design.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
The open space in front of the church was used as a gathering place where people came to meet each other. This is one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia, with a large prayer hall that can accommodate up to 15,000 people. The outer open space sometimes acts as an extension of the prayer hall when a large gathering of Muslims takes place during the Friday prayer.
Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru is one of the oldest examples of a hospital that integrates well with its surrounding environment.
PADANG GARONG PRIMARY SCHOOL Kota Bharu
JALAN BATU PRIMARY SCHOOL Kuala Lumpur
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA (UIA)
Public Institutions
The museum was established in 1990 by the current ruler of the country, Sultan Iskandar, and its collection consists of the treasures of the Johor royal family. The sprawling garden in the palace complex is often ignored or hastily covered on most tourist routes. In addition to the unique panoramic view of the Straits of Johor, the palm-lined driveways and manicured lawns lend themselves to a refreshing afternoon stroll or casual bike ride.
This permanent home of the National Theater Company and the National Symphony Orchestra was completed in 1995.
INCIDENTAL
As cities evolve into concrete jungles, open spaces with trees and gardens are needed to soften the harsh reality of the city and enlighten our spirits. They are important elements that weave the urban fabric into a network of open spaces that coexist with the daily functions of the city and connect public and private development.
OPEN SPACES
As part of the road reserve, it provides pedestrian connections and a transition zone from Kota Bharu Historical Complex to the busy market. Open spaces created by setting buildings back from the street provide additional benefits for the city's residents. This space is a green landmark for Ipoh, filled with a variety of plants, especially bougainvillea—the flower of Ipoh.
It stretches from the Kuantan Municipality building on one side to the river cruise pier on the other.
MARKETPLACES and
A market was a public space where people gathered to exchange goods and services. In addition to economic activities, the market was also a social center where people met and exchanged information and ideas. Traditionally, open spaces always refer to the marketplace, where the concentration of businesses and social activities encourages interaction and creates new supporting businesses and economic expansion.
In 1875, the British built the first specially designed open space for a market in Taiping.
PEDESTRIAN MALLS
In the early Middle Ages, the city center was the dominant center of the economic and social life of the community. At the same time, another form of marketplace developed to resolve the conflict between vehicular and pedestrian traffic and to provide additional facilities often lacking in traditional shopping streets and traditional markets.
DATARAN MPKB Kota Bharu
It is also part of Kota Bharu's pedestrian link connecting the commercial area with the historical complex nearby. Bintang Walk is a series of street cafes, restaurants and pubs that stretches from Lot 10 Shopping Center to the JW Marriott Hotel. Jazz musicians sometimes create a soft background noise for the often busy and crowded pedestrian streets.
Hang Tuah Mall, named after the legendary Malay warrior, is an example of the attempt to create a pedestrian city in Malacca.
Sidewalk
Mahkota Parade in Melaka is a good example of this new hybrid of malls, offering open spaces and outdoor kiosks as part of the overall shopping experience, creating an interesting mix of indoor and outdoor shopping between, indoors and outdoors. . Pedestrian networks serve as pathways to various public domains and as stages where cultural performances are performed as part of the visitor experience. These water bodies are designed as an integral part of the network of open spaces and are mainly used for recreation.
More than 16% of the city is not only intended for leisure activities, but also functions as an educational space as part of a balanced ecosystem.
PLANNED OPEN SPACES
PUTRAJAYA
Dataran Putra is one of the major civic nodes that forms the main planning axis in Putrajaya, with the Convention Center on the other side. The prime minister's office is the main focus of Dataran Putra, a place frequented by visiting tourists to Putrajaya. Accessibility is one of the key factors that will determine the success or failure of an open space.
One can wander along the avenue of trees to discover small gardens with benches and water features overlooking the lakes beyond.
Waterfronts fronts
Marketplaces places
The concept of public parks and open spaces is to support the natural environment of Putrajaya. Initially, 10 public parks and gardens are planned for the city - Regional Park, Urban Park, Riverside Park, Buffer Zone, Taman Warisan Pertanian, Recreational Forest, Botanical Park, Public Recreational Park, Country House Golf Course and Memorial Park. Some of these parks are in their infancy, while others are still under construction.
While a few may still be in the planning stages, many have materialized to brand Putrajaya as a garden city.
Putrajaya Wetland
Spread over 70 hectares and surrounded by the Persian Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, it acts as an intermediate space between the natural domain in the north and the government and commercial domain in the south and east. The Perdana Mall provides a pedestrian link to various attractions at the entrance level of the square, as well as the Fragrance Garden, pavilions and pergolas in the park. Pathways and seating areas are available within the existing rubber plantation, where visitors gain first-hand experience of rubber production, which is displayed in the complex.
Restaurants, fruit stands and presentation areas offer spaces for visitors to relax and educate themselves after a leisurely run within the complex.
Gardens
Once farmland, the botanical gardens preserve oil palm and various forest species in the country. Rare species and elaborate plant collections such as the Heliconia Trail, the African Collection, the American Collection and the Sun Garden lead visitors further along the trail designed for hiking and mountain biking.
NeighbourhoodNeighbourhood
The requirement to provide open spaces is currently open to interpretation. In memory of our ancestors, let's not change our open spaces for other purposes. There are cases where part of the open space has been converted to other community uses.
Unless a maintenance system is in place, none of our open spaces can be permanently successful.
THE FUTURE of
Open spaces are not valued as much as any other land intended for commercial, residential or industrial development and therefore receive less attention. As a result, many open spaces lack functional design and proper landscaping and are neglected due to lack of maintenance. Although these other uses may be important, it would be better if such facilities were specifically designated earlier rather than placed in open spaces.
Only with the implementation of special legislation can it be possible to provide open spaces according to certain project specifications, arrangement of surroundings and facilities.
Let us design our open spaces efficiently,
Let us leave behind our plastic trees and replace them with flowers for the bees, Let us set our buildings aback so that our pavements are wide,
Let us create links and connections so that our solid and voids are in proportion, Let us landscape our open spaces so that we have an oasis as an option,
Let us take action because writing about it is not the solution
Acknowledgement
Advisers
Chief Editor
Editorial Board
Consulting Editors
Planning & Research
Writers
Picture Credits
Bibliography
Further information
