Place-making - a collaborative approach to urban regeneration in Malaysia

Place-making is a growing global trend that can be described as both a process and a philosophy. At its core, it puts people at the centre of urban decision making.  The ultimate goal is to create an authentic place that meets the needs and aspiration of the community. 

Butterworth Fringe Festival, photo courtesy of Think City

‘Think City’ is a community-based urban rejuvenation organization that has pioneered place making in Malaysia since 2009 and is rapidly expanding, launching a new office in Johor Bahru in 2016.   It is committed to creating sustainable and liveable cities and has partnered with a number of global agencies to help build local capacity. To help me understand more about place-making here in Malaysia, I met with Hamdan Majeed, Executive Director of ‘Think City’.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, one of the first buildings to be restored in Georgetown. Photo courtesy Vanessa Pilla

In 2008, UNESCO recognized Georgetown, Penang, as an exceptional example of the country’s multi-cultural history, architecture and traditions.  In recognition of the UNESCO determination, Khazanah Nasional Berhad (the investment arm of the Malaysian Government) initiated the George Town Transformation Programme (GTTP) and ‘Think City’ was born.  ‘Think City’ administered RM16.3mil of Federal funding to numerous programs that encouraged public participation in the rejuvenation process. This included, seed-funding projects that build on Georgetown’s heritage and identity such as mosques, temples, clan houses and public spaces within the World Heritage Site.  ‘Think City’ supported over 240 projects and its approach of building local capacity and bridging partnerships with government, landowners and the community has been key to its success in achieving positive urban outcomes.

Not surprisingly,  since the UNESCO determination, there has been an increase in service-based businesses operating in Georgetown. Dilapidated properties have been lovingly restored and converted to cafés, galleries and boutique hotels.   While ‘Think City’ played an important role in the initial projects, the newly opened Seven Terraces boutique hotel, restored by award-winning hoteliers Karl Steinberg and Christopher Ong, is an example of how private investment is now helping shape the future of this island state.  

Twelve months ago ‘Think City’ signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Project for Public Spaces (PPS), a world leader in place-making education.  Together they hope to further place-making efforts in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.   In 2014, ‘Think City’ moved beyond Georgetown and has launched a new funding program that covers projects in Butterworth (mainland Penang), Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.  Hamdan understands the importance of cities as Asia’s economy shifts and the region becomes urbanized.  Hamdan is passionate about Malaysia and about shifting the culture of development to one that builds local capacity, and empowers communities to act and be part of the changing economy.   

‘Think City’ is expanding and attracting young, enthusiastic staff who have moved back home to Malaysia after studying abroad.  The working culture is energetic and infectious and a positive glimpse of the future, as Malaysia moves closer to its goal of being an industrialised country by 2020.  

Lebuh Armenian located in the Heritage area of Georgetown is filled with old shophouses selling old and new treasures. 

A place for the Mall, after all!

There is no shortage of shopping malls in Asia. Every year it seems the malls are getting bigger and bolder with new attractions for the region's growing middle class. Take for instance, the 'Great Singapore Sale' which attracts thousands of international visitors annually. Is Malaysia the new Singapore? 

Personally, I am not a fan of being trapped in these privately owned spaces of consumption.  But I have recently moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where shopping malls are destinations and experiences in themselves. And in a city that averages 32 degrees, 80% humidity and has recently been clouded in a toxic haze, I’ve come to appreciate the mall.  

Malls have played a large role in the city’s evolution as a modern city catering to the shifting needs of a growing middle class.   In travel guides, KL has been described as a shopaholic’s dream, with no shortage of world-class shopping malls.  Shopping malls have been a success business model in Australia, U.S and Canada for the past 40 years  often being criticized (rightfully) for taking business away from small business found in suburban main-streets.    Shopping malls have evolved from a ‘box’ development into a ‘lifestyle’ development with residential, commercial and retail in one location creating destinations fostering social and cultural interactions. 

This model is most distinct in KL.  If I want to visit the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra or go to an Art Gallery, I would visit ‘Suria’, a high-end shopping mall in KL City Centre.  If I am looking for children’s activities, I could visit ‘Sunway Pyramid’ for a water theme park or ‘Setia City Mall’ for a more affordable option of kite flying, bike riding and rollerblading around the 10 acres of landscaped parkland surrounding the mall.  When looking for an artisan market or flea market I would go to ‘Jaya One’ or ‘Amcorp’ Mall respectively.  KL has challenged my ideals for high street shopping and has made me question my western prejudice.  Are shopping centres such as bad thing?  While there are definitely some bad examples that exclude people through poor design and price. There are some great examples where a place making philosophy is at the core of the development. 

‘Publika’ is a shopping mall located 10 minutes north of KL City Centre.  Surrounding the mall are residential and commercial buildings, small streets, public squares and playgrounds.   The anchor tenants include independent grocery store BIG, art galleries and performance spaces where talks, exhibitions and live international and local bands play. This property is filled with artist murals and hosts various events in The Square, including free films every Monday; handicraft markets each month and annual events such as the Coffee and Art Fringe, International Jazz and Comedy festivals.  Rents are also kept low to encourage new talents and local designers in pop-up shops.   As a result ‘Publika’ is providing a place for KL’s creative community and an example of how creating the right urban solution is about understanding the needs of your local place, both the environment and the people. 

With this new appreciation for shopping malls, I find myself hanging out in malls to shop for handicrafts and afternoon tea and I’m ok with that.

Coffee and Art Fringe, one of many festivals that take place at Publika

Public square at Publika

Monthly Artisan market 

Public Art and streetscape at Publika

Mapping Memories in Kuala Lumpur

How does one map a city? Popular method might include suburbs, train lines, food trails and bike lanes. Now, what if we overlaid the map of a city with something more intangible and personal, perhaps using people’s memories, connection and even nostalgia? What insights would we get?

That was the basis of Curating KL, a project I was part of, in Kuala Lumpur (or KL as we called it). In 2013, we mounted a gigantic map of KL in a music festival and encouraged festival goers to pin a flag on the map with a personal note about that spot.

What we realised is, the strongest connection people have to KL is food, love and childhood memories. Many of the notes mentioned areas and laneways where one could find the best beef ball noddles, chicken satay or a range of popular Malaysian food.  There is always some good natured competitiveness in this, as people like to believe only they know where to find the best food in the city. This is hardly surprising, in a country known for its strong food culture and where people sometimes greeted each other by saying “have you eaten” instead of “hello”.

The association with love is a bit more interesting. Many people highlighted places where they met the loves of lives and this ranged from schools to shopping malls and restaurants.  There was a also a healthy dose of lust as people pinned spots where they kissed someone, had sex or witnessed other people making out.

“Met my soulmate in primary school when we were both 12”

“Did the walk of shame”

“Made out with a café girl when I was 16 at KLCC in the park and got fined by the cops. She paid. I was broke”

Comments like these are intriguing because relationships, sex and sexuality in Malaysia is seen as conservative. Even public displays of affection between couples are rare and could lead to being told off by the moral majority, but clearly not everyone adheres to that expected behaviour.

The most poignant aspect of the project is realising that for most people, nostalgia is their strongest connection to the city. Many of the notes pinned on the outer suburbs (30km from the CBD) are about carefree childhood days, schoolyard fights or experiencing different milestones while growing up.  

“Bought my first bra here”

 “This is where I went for my first rooftop gig” 

In comparison, the notes pinned closed to the city centre have more current memories or expressions of being frustrated and confused

“I wasn’t here; I don’t know where I am”

“Got stranded with 5 other friends for hours because there was no taxi”

These comments really give a voice to the impact of urbanisation and the mass migration of young adults from their suburban family home to the city to study or to work. They might experience financial gain and career opportunities but there is often a feeling of disconnect from their new, concrete environment. Both the city and the people are constantly trying to adjust, and it will surface when you map the city with its inhabitants.

This project was our personal challenge to crowd source input that could help us look at Kuala Lumpur differently and we achieved it. Community engagement should be required in any new development or even established cities but it is a big leap to go from that to mapping a city entirely using emotions and human connections. Now, the Invisible City project in Parramatta is trying to do just that, so maybe it will be less of a novelty in the future.

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Annie Hariharan is interested in people’s relationship with places and identities and is constantly finding better ways to narrate their stories. She has initiated, organised and volunteered in several community engagement programs in Kuala Lumpur, Bali, and now Melbourne. She does not have any formal training or education in this area; she identifies as a business consultant, pop culture nerd and occasional writer.

Chiang Mai: Thailand's ancient capital and a modern hub for creativity

Chiang Mai breaks all the stereotypes of a Thailand postcard. Most tourists visit the Country's northern region for trekking and elephant spotting but fly away with much more. Chiang Mai is fast becoming a sophisticated and creative city supporting local aspirations and exceeding visitor expectations. Like many great cities around the world, it's the hidden and unexpected experiences that make this destination, a place to remember. 

Chiang Mai is known for its rich culture (it was once the ancient capital of the Lanna Kingdom), its surrounding natural beauty including mountain ranges, forests and waterfalls, and its strong Buddhist religious traditions (over 200 temples in and around Chiang Mai). These features, along with access to elephant parks (some more ethical than others), is what most tourists visit the region to experience. Yet in recent years, the City is focusing less on what the tourist wants and more on what locals need. 

Trekking in Chiang Mai. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

In 2010, the Creative Chiang Mai (CCM) initiative was launched to promote local innovation, build on the City's cultural strengths and further develop the creative and knowledge economy. The high level strategy priorities local artists, entrepreneurs and creatives, to focus on talent and diversify market offer away from the big two economies - agriculture and tourism.   

CCM projects include linking up with global talkfest TEDxChiangMai, managing an online portal for handmade products in Chiang Mai, known as HMCM (watch a great video of the here), and working closely with a not-for-profit art learning center, Meedee Depo, to encourage artistic expression in children. The CCM is also being advertised around the City in Museums and creative spaces like Things Called Art. 

Ms. Siriwan Lohacheewa, the driving force behind Things Called Art, is happy to share information on CCM (with posters and stickers in the shopfront) and keeps up to date with their initiatives and news via facebook. Lohacheewa also cautions that on its way to being a 'creative city', authenticity is important for Chiang Mai "It might be super great if we could be creative city in the future but I hope it won't be fake." 

The City's youth can also be thanked for the changing face of Chiang Mai. The trendy precinct of Nimmanhaemin Road, in close proximity to the City's University and just outside the 'old city', is another neighbourhood changing the face of Chiang Mai.

Galleries that double as artist studios and making spaces are common around Nimmanhaemin. A comfortable lounge, studio and gallery, Gallery Seescape, located down a side street off Nimmanhaemin is a popular spot for young creatives. The multi use/functionality of space that exists in Chiang Mai (and other Asian cities) is an exemplar for traditional western planning practice.   

A passionate cafe culture is also thriving, with coffee beans ordered daily, grown (arabica) and roasted in the nearby mountains, then served in the hipster cafes along Nimmanhaemin. Ristr8to serves your chosen style with talented (and award winning) latte art, but also educates the consumer on everything you need to know about coffee. 

With influences from other 'coffee capitals' around the world located in countries like Australia, Colombia and Ethiopia, these coffee shops are not only the latest craze, they're also looking outward, beyond Chiang Mai, to a globalised world.

Just like coffee, Chiang Mai's food scene is also changing. The return of David and Thanyarat Gordon, to Chiang Mai, has produced David's Kitchen at 909, a French Thai fusion restaurant delivering high quality fine dining by Chef Arthit Dissunont. With culinary art to match the impressive personal service, David's Kitchen is a sophisticated addition to Chiang Mai's diverse food offering.

The Chiang Mai hospitality is polite, warm and generous. Its creativity is booming and evolving. Here at TC we'll be watching closely to see its next move. 

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Have you been to Chiang Mai? What have I missed here?

Buddhist Monk. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan.

Latte Art at Ristr8to. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

Chiang Mai Historical Centre. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan.

Creative City Chiang Mai Logo and Feedback Box. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

Things Called Art. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

'Turf' by Wang Ying-Kai. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

Ristr8to. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

David's Kitchen Bourguignon. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

Cocktail at David's Kitchen. Image courtesy John O'Callaghan. 

5 minutes on a corner in Kichijoji

By Bob Perry.

Kichijoji is a busy shopping district where two metro lines meet in the western suburbs of Tokyo.

This 5 minute video demonstrates many of the benefits and paradoxes of dense urban living. While cars take a background position, the remarkable dexterity of cyclists and pedestrians interacting, gives us some insight into the reasons why obesity hovers around 2% of Japan’s populations and is approaching 30% in Australia.  Other surprises to suburban sensibilities include the sound of footsteps and conversation being the loudest sounds around.

Many Australians are surprised that Tokyo, with 30 million people living in the same size footprint as Sydney’s 4 million, is mostly made up of neighbourhoods that are quieter, safer, cleaner and more socially interactive than our car-dominated suburbs. Suburban paranoia about density is founded on a great ignorance regarding the real pleasures of living in a connected megacity.

Video courtesy of Scott Carver.

Eating Organic in Taipei

Image courtesy of Glasshouse.

“No menu means that you just sit down and eat. There’s no choosing. Whatever is in season is prepared for you with precision” says John Pow, a visiting businessman in Taipei, “A very clever and classy restaurant, they do it well!”

Pow is referring to Glasshouse restaurant located approximately 1.5hrs from Taipei's central business district in Taiwan. With a focus on craftsmanship, freshness and creativity, Glasshouse has a well established reputation within the region. Its set menu at $40 per person (AUD) changes with the seasons to take advantage of natural ingredients and the opportunity to incorporate organic food.

While in the past our consumption of food has favoured mass production, in recent decades, eating organic is again back on trend. We know this. But what we’re excited about here at TC is seeing that Taipei’s culinary offer never went out of vogue like it did in the West. If you’re in Los Angeles, London or Sydney, you can now visit your average supermarket and find an aisle dedicated to organic food. It wasn't always like that and pushed by consumer demand, has become the lifestyle choice of the ‘healthy’, 'trendy' and modern ‘alternative’. For Taipei, this is how it was, is now and will be in the future.

With a long tradition of organic service across the city and reservations for Glasshouse made 2 months in advance common, the restaurant is sitting comfortably. It knows its audience and responds to demand from local and visiting patrons for fresh, local produce.

Walk into Glasshouse and you’re likely to be surprised with the restaurant’s efficiency and yet, reserve in allowing time to relax and escape the busy hustle and bustle of Taipei City. We can’t wait to explore Taiwan further and share more insights from this amazing place.

If you’re in Taiwan drop into Glasshouse and let us know about your experience.

Image courtesy of Glasshouse.

China's Growth Continues Upwards

Image source: Co.Exist

People might be getting tired of talking about the urban growth that's been occurring in China over the past two decades. But I’m not. Because it’s absolutely astonishing... So I’m going to tell you a little more about its growth upwards, as in physically upwards.  

The rate of urbanization has continued to increase substantially across the globe, with the number of people living in cities now far beyond the number of those living outside of cities. With pressures to minimize sprawl and capitalize on valuable inner city areas, the trend to build upwards has also continued. This trend has been particularly prominent in China. In 1980 Shanghai didn’t have one skyscraper. Today, it has over 4000. Yep, 4000… That’s double the number of skyscrapers in New York.

Image source: Co.Exist

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire, Yale and Boston University used data from NASA’s QuikSCAT satellite analyse the spread of city lights and plot the growth trajectory of cities around the world. The results indicate how insane China’s urban growth up and out has been over the past few years. These graphs show growth over time; the arrows stretch from 1999 at the tails to 2009 at the heads. The longer the arrows stretch horizontally indicates how much the city that has expanded outwards, while the vertical extent indicates its growth upwards by building more skyscrapers.

While cities such as New York and London have expanded considerably, China’s growth is on another scale altogether. To what extent will this trend continue? I for one am pretty damn excited to see how the booming nation is redefining the concept of the city.

Check This is Shanghai below – an awesome film that gives us a sweeping view of this truly fascinating place.

Maha Kumbh Mela

Creative Commons Maha Kumbh Mela

As the Maha Kumbh Mela, the ancient Hindu festival and the world's largest religious gathering, came to a close in Allahabad in March this year, it brought to mind the classic question — 'if a tree falls in a forest and no-one is around to hear, does it make a sound?". For once the people were gone, the tents disassembled, and the pontoon bridges were taken away — does the city still exist?

The creation of space undergone in the city of Allahabad entailed building a pop-up city over 5,000 acres (20.2 sq km), making this event more than just a quest for spirituality for the estimated 100 million pilgrims who bestowed their presence on the camping grounds over the course of the month-long festival.

This pop-up city is made manifest at the confluence of the Yamuna, Ganges and Saraswati rivers and creates space for markets, religious music, meditation and games. The city of tents is organised around a system of roads and bridges with specific routes making circulation quite fluid, putting to shame most of India's traffic-jammed roads where rules are rarely followed.

A display of successful urbanism?

What's interesting about the festival is the way this overnight and temporary city is formalised and organised by the same people who operate in cities which otherwise have no street design guidelines, poor traffic circulation patterns, and many problems in waste and water management. While much praise is due to the operators of the Kumbh Mela, there is much to be observed and learned from the overall emergent behaviour of this pop-up mega-city.

There are endless connections to be made between this pop-up city and "real" cities in India — the cacophony, the endless stretch of crowds, the smell of food cooking out in the open, acts of spirituality in a public setting and yes, lots of naked or near-naked people. At the Kumbh all of this activity arrives, is organised, activates, disassembles and leaves, and somehow this lends great appeal. The fantastical nature of such events such as the Kumbh or the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, US are attractive to urban planners and architects for this ephemeral quality — a small microcosm of a larger society, picture, or problem that we face in today's cities.

The Kumbh is created along the same guidelines as any other formalised economy. A set of documents denoting the "city limits" determines the area to be reserved for festival activities and a set of rules is put in place. The rules lay down the laws of the land regarding illness, waste, police authority and power of arrest, proper handling of animals, damage loss, how to dispose of dead bodies, and photography. Soft and hard infrastructures are set in place and areas are categorised as residential, commercial, religious, and circulation.

Community

The Kumbh has another layer to it, one that goes beyond infrastructure or technology, and that is one of community. Indian society is defined by its relationships and sense of community as is underlined by its traditional chowk housing and the ideologies behind familial relationships. The Kumbh allows for these traditions and ideologies to exist as a societal safety net and comfort to the millions who are on the same spiritual quest. Yet the irony is that this is happening in a city — the very kind of place that many find to be ruining India's societal traditions and family values.

The Maha Kumbh Mela happens every three years in one of four cities on a twelve-year rotation and the tradition of the event — the creation and destruction of a city — dates back millennia, long before New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and many other Indian cities were even on the drawing board. So then why is it that these time-tested systems have been ignored in the planning of Indian cities?

India is one of the oldest cultures on this planet, and the Kumbh portrays its obvious ability for organising and sustaining an urban setting of millions, yet India notoriously has some of the worst urban environments today. Perhaps it is the overwhelmingly spiritual nature of the Kumbh Mela that does not inherently bring to mind ideas about urban planning; or maybe it's that the supporting organisation and infrastructure fade into the background each year. Whichever the case, this urban phenomenon may hold many answers and ideas for India's urban march forward, and that in itself is the real phenomenon.

Street Vendors Given a Place in Jakarta

​It’s difficult to ignore the informal economic sector in Indonesia, with outdoor food vendors lining most city streets. In fact, in 2008 it was recorded that 68% of Indonesian workers were employed in the informal sector - half of which worked as street vendors. Throughout history, authorities forcibly remove vendors in the name of urban order and cleanliness, but in Jakarta, they’ve finally decided to accept them. 

Under the democratic government in Indonesia, administration decided to be more flexible with the informal economy, realizing that its an important part of the local business. So instead of playing “hide and seek” with law enforcement as happens in many cities around the globe, vendors (aka pedagang kaki lima) have now been given their own spaces in 2030 Jakarta Spatial Plan. The city government decided to waive their business permits and license fees, only having to pay a small fee for site rental.

By integrating the informal sector into the wider economy, the government is illustrating greater flexibility that benefits the wide networks of those working in the industries, as well as the local economy. While this may not the way forward for all cities, the strategy illustrates just one solution to support and encourage small and low-income business. Additionally, it helps to create vibrant and people friendly streets. With the recent outdoor food market debacle in NYC (Red Hook) , perhaps other cities can take a lesson out of Jakarta’s book.

​Image courtesy HappyTellus

​Image courtesy Indonesia's Urban Studies

Rollerblades, Instagram and North Korea!

As tensions mount on the Korean peninsula, daily life continues for many North Koreans. David Guttenfelder, Associated Press chief photographer, says "Despite the tension in North Korea today, everything looks normal. North Korea normal, that is" Guttenfelder is based in Pyongyang and posts regularly on Instagram. Often choosing no filter on his photos (respect!), he shows some surprising, and some not so surprising glimpses into North Korean culture. Keeping true to Instagram, and not pre-editing content, he uses his iPhone to capture moments and the local 3G network to upload.

Why is this so important? It reminds us the local people are just that, locals. They wait for buses or walk long distances to work, attend cultural events, play in playgrounds (void of little imagination) and spend time in the barber shop (third place?). Given, North Korea has recently closed it's borders, isolating itself completely from the world, Guttenfelder's insights are an amazing glimpse inside a very complex and yet proud culture.

Here at Trending City we love seeing insights into daily life of locals across the globe. Get in touch if you think we should check out your neighbourhood!​

North Korean kids rollerblade at a skating track in Pyongyang. Image courtesy of David Guttenfelder.

An apartment block stands above the schoolyard playground equipment of a Pyongyang, North Korean kindergarten. Image courtesy of David Guttenfelder.

North Koreans dance a traditional folk dance together beneath a huge mosaic of the late leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang. Image courtesy of David Guttenfelder.

Tanah Rata: A taste of Europe in Malaysia

In record numbers Australians are travelling overseas and exploring the best the world has to offer. It’s a growing appetite for cultural tourism that looks to continue given the rise of budget airlines and strong Australian dollar. After counting the number of family, friends, and friends of friends who have travelled over the past 12 months, it’s no secret we love a good deal, and at risk of becoming a rite of passage, must travel overseas and explore lands beyond our own island paradise.

What’s interesting from the data is that we’re choosing to visit our regional neighbours over longer, more expensive flights to Europe. But what if you had Europe on your doorstep and you didn’t even know it? I must admit it’s not something that you travel to Asia to experience, but it’s definitely a surprise when you find yourself being offered a scone and tea in the middle of Malaysia.

I recently returned from the Cameron Highlands where I found the design of Tanah Rata, the administrative capital of the region, looking more like Tudor England than Malay. The pitched roofs, timbering and white facades of the town, are now built into the local design code and encouraged as supporting the character of the area. But where did it all start? The answer lies in a local celebrity, ‘Ye Old Smokehouse Hotel’.

Built in 1937, the Hotel was designed to mimic an English Inn, and since its foundation, has been a local and international attraction. Not only is the exterior impressive, but inside it only gets more interesting with imported furniture, open fire places and English inspired menu.

The Hotel, while being too expensive for most locals, is a popular destination for professionals, businessmen and Europeans. In 2013, several additional hotels will open in the region, responding to demand from local and international tourists and Malaysia’s growing middle class. Over the next few years, it will be interesting to see how the new hotels position themselves given the popularity of the Smokehouse, and how the Smokehouse responds to an increase in competition. One thing is for sure, the architectural design of Tanah Rata will continue as an obvious sign post to the regions colonial past.

More information about Cameron Highlands here.

Tanah Rata Interior

Tanah Rata Exterior

Park Bridge at Tanah Rat

Tanah Rata High Street