Public realm research proposal

George Town World Heritage Site Public realm study

Introduction

This public realm study proposes to document the daily rhythms of the George Town World Heritage Site, with the aim of bringing new insights into to the everyday life of George Town’s public spaces while developing a detailed map of the quality of the built environment.

This project will demonstrate the spatial and temporal dimensions of differentiation in the public realm, exploring the use of both formal and informal public spaces. It aims to capture visually the richness of life found in the public realm of George Town’s historic core.

Simultaneously, a detailed assessment of the qualities of the built environment will be undertaken, measuring the accessibility and connectivity that enables all to share these spaces.

The purpose: to develop a public realm strategy utilising a landscape approach to conservation that can address the deficits in the built environment and deliver the Special Area Plan strategies without negatively impacting on the life blood of this unique public realm.

Small urban places are “priceless,” and the city street is “the river of life…where we come together.” - William Whyte

The remainder of this proposal is structured as follows: Rationale Policy review Literature review Study area Method Outputs Appendix

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Rationale

Since George Town’s inscription as a World Heritage Site in 2008, significant work has been undertaken to better understand the city. Population and Land Use have been studied in depth with full census’ undertaken. Heritage buildings have been documented and assessed, support has been provided to conserve and restore the unique architecture. A Special Area Plan and a Heritage Management Plan have been developed to secure the future sustainability of the cities built heritage.

While great attention has rightly been placed on the buildings of George Town, their architectural styles, their unique features and the building techniques used, the spaces between the buildings have however received less attention. Equal recognition needs to be given to both the living and built aspects of the urban landscape and recognition of the tangible and intangible components of each.

It is George Town’s multi-cultural living heritage that makes the urban landscape of value.

The interchange of human values create a unique culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and South East Asia and we would therefore argue that a greater understanding of the public realm is vital.

The Special Area Plan promotes a landscape approach to conservation which considers the spatial organisation of the city as a whole to determine the complex use of space and the urban flow of human traffic. Historic and modern urban rhythms of pedestrian and vehicular traffic reveal the historic layering and accumulation of culture and tradition as seen in traditional and modern settlement patterns, gathering spaces, cultural/religious/commercial enclaves.

The interconnectedness of the built and living elements is complex and collectively contributes towards the cultural sense of place. When looking at the long term sustainability of the George Town World Heritage site, it is important to retain the strong sense of connectivity between working, living and recreational opportunities in the city. This connectivity is manifested in the accessibility of the city, accessibility to social gathering spaces and to public amenities such as parks, places of worship etc.

As George Town develops economically as a living city its infrastructure and facilities will be required to support an increasing number of users. The adaptive reuse of traditional shophouses is essential to George Town’s regeneration and economic growth, however these changes must be managed and a balance struck to ensure that they do not dilute the Outstanding Universal Values of the Site.

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The open street drains should be maintained as much as possible

The use of five footways and street space for outdoor seating and merchandise displays while maintaining adequate pedestrian access is allowed George Town Special Area Plan

Policy review The Special Area Plan sets out a number of objectives for improving connectivity in the public realm: • Public space connectivity – in the effort to green the city and towards reducing carbon emissions, a series of parks and public open spaces are proposed in addition to existing public open spaces. This proposed network of public open spaces are to be interconnected via a landscaped pedestrian network • Nodes connectivity – The three main nodes that bring the highest number of pedestrians into the World Heritage Site are Komtar, Weld Quay and Swettenham Pier and these nodes should be connected to the pedestrian network • Waterfront connectivity – Linkages between the waterfront and the inner city should be developed with the aim to facilitate pedestrian movement between these two areas

Public realm, access and circulation are further addressed with detailed strategies and actions (see following pages) however it could be argued that progress against these objectives has been slow. The ‘Greening of George Town’ project which began in 2010 has stalled, and not extended past its first pilot street - The greening of Carnarvon Street.

Greening of George Town Master Plan

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Proposals from the Special Area Plan

Policy review - Strategies Under the Public Realm section of the Special Area Plan the following strategies and actions are set out:

H1) Design streets with comfortable spaces for casual encounters and gatherings, utilising excess and unused street spaces to create landscaped or useable spaces.

• H1.1) Implement green open space and public access network master plan, with community consultations integrated into the planning process.

H2) Create a high quality, functionally designed streetscape that enhances the experience of the WHS.

• H2.1) Ensure consistency and continuity in the design of streetscape elements.

• H2.2) Enforce the use of high quality, sustainable, durable material in the design of streetscapes • H2.3) Include and integrate public art improvements into street improvement projects.

• H2.4) Ensure that streetscape and pedestrian projects meet universal design principles.

H3) Create a non-distracting design aesthetics that do not compete with the heritage structures in the design of new architecture and streetscape elements.

• H3.1) Provide an orderly streetscape environment that minimises visual clutter such as utility, signage's, etc • H3.2) Ensure conformity of new developments to the scale of historic urban structure and respect for the historic context.

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George Town Special Area Plan

A summary of proposals from the Special Area Plan

Policy review - Strategies Under the Access & Circulation section of the Special Area Plan the following strategies and actions are set out:

I2) Facilitate the continuity of pedestrian access and connectivity where possible.

• I2.1) Remove barriers on select stretches of five-footways.

• I2.2) Implement backlane connectivity, landscaping and lighting plan for pedestrian use.

• I2.3) Enable shared streets that prioritise pedestrians but accommodate vehicles at slow speeds.

I3) Maximise pedestrian security and giving pedestrian right of way priority on streets in WHS.

• I3.1) Ensure adequate lighting and quality pedestrian space.

• I3.2) Plan safe, convenient crossings on surface streets wherever possible, instead of using pedestrian bridges or tunnels.

• I3.3) Minimise the impact of loading on pedestrian orientated street through the use of marked loading zones, restricted loading hours and other loading management strategies.

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Literature review This study draws on a wide range of literature about the development of urban environments. From the role of spatial planning to the wide ranging impacts of the urban environment on its users liveability and wellbeing.

Built environment, form & control Places are created and shaped by those in control of resources and with certain interests, which affects our degree of access to, and the way we use, those spaces. Authors such as Davies (1990) and Mitchell (1995) observe trends within post-modern urbanism which see the role of public space changing, increasingly controlled by subtle design strategies and new technologies and the creeping privatisation of the public realm, the democratic values imbued in ‘public’ spaces are being lost.

Built environment & equality Urban spaces that are inclusive are designed to provide opportunities for a wide range of people to participate in these spaces. Women, the young and the elderly are easily excluded by poor quality urban environments as are people with disabilities. People from disadvantaged backgrounds can equally be excluded from ‘new’ developments in the public realm. A failure to bring together all the different activities that make up a city can undermine any sense of shared interests and common purpose. Sassen (1996) explores the new dynamics of inequality in the globalised city, and asks the question: Whose city is it?

Built environment & health The built environment provides the setting and backdrop by which we live our lives, and impacts on our senses, our emotions, participation in physical activity and community life, our sense of community, and our general wellbeing. Jackson (2003) highlights the emerging work on how the way we construct our built environment holds potential for addressing many of the current public health concerns, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, injury, depression, violence, and social inequities. Evans (2003) explores the relationship between the built environment and mental health. Personal control, socially supportive relationships, and restoration from stress and fatigue are all affected by properties of the built environment.

Built environment & travel behaviour The potential to moderate travel demand through changes in the built environment is the subject of many empirical studies. Ewing. R & Cervero. R (2001) summarise a body of research around the elasticity of travel demand with respect to the density, diversity and design of the built environment. The body of research explores the extent to which the built environment or socio-economic characteristics most influence travel behaviours. The number of vehicle miles/hours travelled are more significantly influenced by the built environment while mode choices depend on both the built environment and socioeconomics, with greater emphasis on the latter.

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Literature review (cont.)

Built environment & safety Newman (1972) formulated a theory of defensible space as a means of reducing crime in urban areas. The theory stated that spaces that convey likelihood of observation are less likely to attract potential criminals. While other scholars focus on the social aspect of crime prevention, arguing when there is a strong sense of community, the physical aspects of the space may be more effective in deterring crime than when the residents do not know and trust one another. The "broken window" thesis (Wilson & Kelling) states that neighbourhoods characterised by signs of neglect and decay are evidence that residents of the area feel vulnerable. These indicators may serve as a signal that residents are not likely to respond to criminal activity. The physical deterioration also results in a greater fear of crime among the residents. Increased fear of crime results in greater withdrawal and diminution of the sense of community, which then makes crime even more likely.

Built environment, sense of place & social capital There is no single theory of ‘sense of place’. Rather, it is understood in many different ways within the academic literature. Sense of place however often refers to the feeling of attachment or belonging to a physical environment, such as a place or neighbourhood, and the sense of personal and collective identity that comes from this sense of belonging. When cherished places, spaces, and settings are destroyed or irrevocably changed beyond their control, they feel a sense of loss and grief. Social capital is a term which refers to benefits in terms of wellbeing, good health and civil engagement which are generated though the interactions between people and it is clear that the more actively involved people are in place shaping , including active engagement in heritage – and the greater the opportunities for bridging and linking forms of social capital.

Built environment, walkability & accessibility Jacobs’s (1961) most significant contribution to urban planning was her understanding that streets and sidewalks, as much as parks, are the true public spaces of a city. At a time when many planners were arguing that streets were wasteful, and that pedestrians needed to be separated from cars, Jacobs looked closely at how streets and sidewalks are actually used in vibrant urban districts. She concluded that a fine-grained mixture of uses and activities must be supported by a continuous network of small blocks and frequent streets, intensified by siting parks, squares, and public buildings at key locations.

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Existing land use maps will direct additional focus towards certain areas.

Study area The study area encompasses the World Heritage Site (both the core and the buffer) with the addition of the commercial core of Komtar.

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Objectives The built environment provides the setting and backdrop by which we live our lives, and impacts on our senses, our emotions, participation in physical activity and community life, our sense of community, and general wellbeing. Meanings are generated by buildings and spaces, which we ‘read’ as we pass through them. Places are created and shaped by those in control of resources and with certain interests, which affects our degree of access to, and the way we use, those spaces.

The study objectives are as follows: 1.

To capture a visual record of life in the public realm of George Town World Heritage Site;

2.

To examine how public life plays out in the built environment, from formal public spaces such as parks and squares to informal spaces such as streets and back lanes;

3.

To document and map the spaces that form the public realm of the George Town World Heritage Site;

4.

To assess the quality of the built environment at a micro level, mapping and documenting connectivity and accessibility, building up analysis to the meso and macro level;

5.

To develop recommendations for improving the built environment while enhancing rather than displacing the public life that is integral to the cities Outstanding Universal Value’s;

6.

Developing an assessment framework for benchmarking and monitoring pedestrian accessibility conditions;

7.

Providing a decision making aid for policy makers in prioritising interventions, for comparison of alternatives and assessing cost effectiveness etc.

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Methods Capture At various times of day and on various days of the week, an informed photographer will be employed to capture the relationship between public life and the built environment.

Observe A number of selected spaces, formal and informal, centres of activity will be studied in greater depth. A detailed observation will be undertaken using time-lapse photography to display a typical day in the life of each space.

Map The features of the built environment with particular reference to pedestrian infrastructure will be recorded, from the extent of the five footway to the permanent and temporary blockages, to the extent of changes in elevation. Where do additional pavements feature, what’s the street lighting like‌ Measure How and to what extent can the built environment encourage people to walk, and how to measure the intensity of that link? Interviews will be held with experts to support the identification of the relevant environmental features in defining pedestrian friendly environments which will inform the development/refinement of a walkability model.

Analyse Analysis will be built up from the nano and micro scale of the intersection and street segment to the meso scale of the city zone to the macro scale of the neighbourhood and finally to the global scale of the city.

Visualise Working with creative technology and arts a range of visualisation techniques will be employed to communicate the projects findings in a way which is visually engaging while also informative.

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Capture

Observe

‘This highly influential film in architecture and planning circles by William H. Whyte analyses the success and failures of urban spaces. Observing the natural order of spaces and the way people move through them, Whyte provides an intuitive critique of urban spaces and ways these spaces can be improved’ - Luke Keller

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Map Five footways?

Open drains?

Blockages?

Change in elevation?

15cm 15 18cm

11cm

16cm

Measure

Built environment qualities

An example of a walkability assessment model – The 7C’s

Connected

The extent to which the pedestrian environment is linked; interfaced; joined; attached; networked.

Convenient

The extent to which the pedestrian environment is appropriate; useful; proper; suitable; time-saving.

Comfortable

The extent to which the pedestrian environment is easy; pleasant; protected; relaxed; sheltered; untroubled.

Convivial

The extent to which the pedestrian environment is entertaining; lively; pleasant; sociable.

Conspicuous

The extent to which the pedestrian environment is obvious; clear; discernible; distinct; perceptible.

Co existence

The extent to which the pedestrian and other transport modes can exist at the same time and place with order and peace.

Commitment

The extent to which there exists engagement, liability and responsibility towards the pedestrian environment.

Paulo Jorge Monteiro de Cambra, Technico Lisboa, 2012

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Analyse The varying scales of the analytical framework

Global

City scale

Macro

Neighbourhood scale

Meso

Block scale

Micro

Street scale

Nano

Junction scale

Visualise

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Outputs Online A web based repository will be developed bringing together existing web based services embedded in a shared space. This mash up of existing media technologies will bring together video, photography and mapping in one space. It is intended that this space will be open to contributions so the public can add to the map and continue to build this repository as a resource for championing built environment improvements.

Exhibition A physical exhibition of photography and video including community contributed. Opened by the Chief Minister, attended by the press, owned by the people.

Maps Detailed GIS map layers will be produced to allow detailed examination down to the micro level.

Report A written report will summarise the project and present a multi scalar analysis of the material with a range of recommendations expected to emerge.

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Appendix

Outstanding Universal Values • Criterion (i): Melaka and George Town, Malaysia, are remarkable examples of historic colonial towns on the Straits of Malacca that demonstrate a succession of historical and cultural influences arising from their former function as trading ports linking East and West. These are the most complete surviving historic city centres on the Straits of Malacca with a multi-cultural living heritage originating from the trade routes from Great Britain and Europe through the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Malay Archipelago to China. Both towns bear testimony to a living multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, where the many religions and cultures met and coexisted. They reflect the coming together of cultural elements from the Malay Archipelago, India and China with those of Europe, to create a unique architecture, culture and townscape.

• Criterion (ii): Melaka and George Town represent exceptional examples of multi-cultural trading towns in East and Southeast Asia, forged from the mercantile and exchanges of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures and three successive European colonial powers for almost 500 years, each with its imprints on the architecture and urban form, technology and monumental art. Both towns show different stages of development and the successive changes over a long span of time and are thus complementary.

• Criterion (iii): Melaka and George Town are living testimony to the multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, and European colonial influences. This multi-cultural tangible and intangible heritage is expressed in the great variety of religious buildings of different faiths, ethnic quarters, the many languages, worship and religious festivals, dances, costumes, art and music, food, and daily life.

• Criterion (iv): Melaka and George Town reflect a mixture of influences which have created a unique architecture, culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and South Asia. In particular, they demonstrate an exceptional range of shophouses and townhouses. These buildings show many different types and stages of development of the building type, some originating in the Dutch or Portuguese periods.

The Historic Urban Landscape is the urban area understood as a historic layering of cultural and natural values extending beyond the notion of ‘historic centre’ or ‘ensemble’ to include the broader urban context and its geographical setting. This wider context includes the sites topography, geomorphology and natural features, its built environment, both historic and contemporary; its infrastructure both above and below ground; its open spaces and gardens; its land use patterns and spatial organisation; its visual relationships; and all other elements of the urban structure.

Back lane mapping – Penang Institute

Useful maps

Walkability assessment criteria

Bibliography Davies. M (1990) City of quartz, London: Vintage Evans. G (2003) The built environment and mental health, Journal of Urban Health, December 2003, Volume 80, Issue 4, pp 536-555 Ewing. R & Cervero. R (2001) Travel and the Built Environment: A Synthesis, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Volume 1780 / 2001, 87-114 Jacobs. J (1961) The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Vintage Jackson. R (2003) The Impact of the Built Environment on Health: An Emerging Field, American Journal of Public Health. 93(9): 1382–1384.

Mitchell. D (1995) The End of Public Space? People's Park, Definitions of the Public, and Democracy, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Volume 85, Issue 1 Newman. O (1972) Defensible Space – Crime prevention through urban design, Macmillan Sassen. S (1996) Whose City Is It? Globalization and the Formation of New Claims, Public Culture 1996, 8: 205-223 Schweitzer. J, Woo Kim. J, Mackin. J (1999) The Impact of the Built Environment on Crime and Fear of Crime in Urban Neighborhoods, Journal of Urban Technology, Volume 6, Number 3, pages 59–73.

Wilson. J & Kelling. G (1982) "Broken windows: The police and neighborhood safety", The Atlantic Monthly