Placemaking in Penang

in partnership with

July 2013

table of contents

Overview About Project for Public Spaces Why is Placemaking Key to Urban Regeneration? What Makes A Great Place? Introduction to Placemaking Principles The Power of 10 What Makes A Market Great? Place Evaluation Workshops and LQC Demonstration Project

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Overview
Cynthia Nikitin and Elena Madison of the Project for Public Spaces (PPS) visited Malaysia on 17-26 February 2013. Hosted by Think City, they facilitated two days of placemaking training seminars and workshops and had meetings and gave public lectures in George Town, Butterworth, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya for practitioners in the field of urban planning and design, as well as other key stakeholders. A workshop in George Town focused on placemaking site evaluations at Armenian Park and Sia Boey Market, the latter culminating in a demonstrative project for workshop participants and the wider public. During the one day site visit to Butterworth, staff from the MPSP brought PPS to the ferry/train terminal, the Rope Market, the Botanical Garden and the Anjung Bagan, former site of the City Hall and municipal offices. Discussions about potential Lighter Quicker Cheaper interventions focused on ways of linking the sports field site with the park to create a gateway and more highly functional community gathering places. A visit to Putrajaya hosted by the Putrajaya Corporation (PJC) included a placemaking introductory talk held in conjunction with EAROPH (Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Housing) for practitioners from around the country, as well as a discussion of the potential of placemaking in Putrajaya. A discussion on the economics of placemaking was held at Khazanah Nasionals KL office for staff and other stakeholders. The visit to Malaysia provided Ms Nikitin and Ms Madison with opportunities to conduct site visits to acquaint themselves with trends and challenges on the ground in various Malaysian locations and to identify possible ideas for local placemaking. This report highlights their key findings and observations from the meetings and site visits, as well as the outcomes of the public workshops. A placemaking capacity building strategy for Think City and the institutional partners who met with PPS is provided at the end of the report.

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About Project for Public Spaces

Project for Public Spaces is a non-profit planning and design organization that is dedicated to advancing the comfort, attractiveness, social, cultural and economic vitality of public spaces through research, education, planning, design and technical assistance. Since our founding in 1975, we have worked with over 3000 communities within the United States and abroad to help grow their public spaces into vital community places, with programs, uses and people-friendly settings that build local value and serve community needs. Our Placemaking approach is a way to ensure that the planning process is efficient and cost effective because it achieves the goals that matter most to communities in the long term: very broad approval; the creation of dynamic social gathering places; a plan for management and programming; and a feasible project with high return on investment. PPS has applied our Placemaking approach with a broad range of partners and stakeholders including government agencies and officials, downtown development groups, neighbourhood associations, cultural, education and arts organizations, environmental groups among others. PPS brings many resources to the table, including knowledge of how people in communities throughout the world have overcome similar issues and a rich array of benchmarks with relevant examples of improvements made elsewhere. This information and knowledge will help facilitate discussion of issues, show participants the potential for positive change, and germinate ideas and solutions. We facilitate the creation of great places through community workshops, presentations and interviews designed to help leaders to identify stakeholders and partners; broaden community involvement and leverage local assets; identify uses and activities specific to the site and neighbourhood; build a management plan; and ensure that traffic and other access issues are dealt with to the benefit of all users. In these workshops stewardship, community pride, and a variety of uses, funding sources and volunteers are stressed as outcomes. Unlike the usual consultant-led approach that leaves little capacity in place, we seek to catalyze and enable local institutions or a consortium of institutional partners - to carry out many of the recommended improvements. We also like to focus our work on communities who are willing to try Placemaking on many levels, in projects around their city

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Why is Placemaking Key to Urban Regeneration?

Placemaking is important in urban regeneration because it is about the content or soul of a place. Working with the existing infrastructure, placemaking makes more sense by tackling the next step by programming the existing spaces and built environment, impacting on the content of the city contained within the built form. Think City seeks to engage in programming with the local communities and with a bottom-up approach, which creates more of a sense of ownership and pride over the space. The most productive way for a renewed approach to cities is a shift of focus from objects (architectural displays) to places (public spaces) and to consider the social dimensions of public spaces as essential in terms of democracy, inclusiveness and openness to all citizens, regardless of age, ethnicity and gender. With adequate design and management, public spaces can create contemporary agoras and foster social ties, links and networks of a kind that has been latterly disappearing in many urban areas. These social networks can then be tapped as sources of volunteers, money, programming and management of the spaces that have been created or rescued. Highly visible improvements, to public places that are open to everyone, encourage private sector and government partners to improve their properties and to contribute to the broader revitalization effort.

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What Makes A Great Place?

ACTIVITIES AND USES

The principles of what makes a great place were used to guide the discussions, public workshops, and stakeholder meetings.

Good community places are full of home-grown activities that act as the glue of their communities, drawing people to them for companionship and relaxation. Examples might be a Saturday market, bake sales, a playground, a community garden, or a sidewalk caf. A healthy variety of such uses will attract a variety of people at all times of day who want to be at the library to be plugged into their community both through traditional information resources and through its lively network of users.

ACCESS AND LINKAGES

A good place is visible and easy to get to. People need to see that there is something to do and that others have been enticed to enter. On the other hand, if all the activity is hidden indoors, it may never occur to those who dont need a book to go inside. Physical barriers can also be a tremendous obstacle: a street that is too wide or dangerous will discourage people from walking around the downtown.

COMFORT AND IMAGE

Good places entice people through well-designed amenities, such as seating, shade trees, bike racks, and bulletin boards, and also through good management that keeps sidewalks clean, paint from peeling, and helps keep a neighbourhood safe. Details such as these can tantalizethey signal that someone took the time and energy to design facilities that are welcoming and respond to the unique needs of neighbourhood people.

SOCIABILITY
A sociable place is one where people want to go to watch the scene, meet friends, and interact with a wide range of people that are different from themselves. Sociability is achieved by working together with the unique, local assets that can be found in all communities, and then combining the above ingredients to make a great place.

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Introduction to Placemaking Principles

Several key principles help guide our approach.

START WITH A PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES

First, if the goal is to create a great place, it is essential to start with a clear understanding of the activities that are going to occur in the space. Design and management will then support these activities. Successful public spaces are lively, secure and distinctive places because they offer many things to do and reasons for people to be there. It is also important to plan for different audiences, so that groups can come together and engage in enjoyable, sociable ways.

CREATE DESTINATIONS
Every great district or downtown needs at least ten great destinations to create a critical mass of places where tourists and residents alike could become immersed for hours. Taking the next step, each destination needs ten things to do activities and smaller scale experiences that make it a must-visit, beloved destination.

TRIANGULATE
Triangulation is the concept of clustering activities together to create a busy, dynamic place for many different types of people at different times of day. For example, in Pariss Luxembourg Gardens, the combination of a puppet theatre, carousel, caf, bocce court, and basketball court around a childrens play area makes a very exciting destination for all ages. A museum next to an outdoor restaurant and a retail street will be a far busier place than any one of those uses by itself. One test of how well a place triangulates is to evaluate how long a person or family would want to stay there. If most people stay in a public place for an hour, then what more could be layered on to lengthen that visit to three or four hours? Another indicator is how many different age groups use a place. If it is only people between 18 and 30, then what other activities could attract those younger and older?

ACTIVATE THE EDGES

The area around a public space is as important to its success as the design and management of the space itself. A blank wall contributes nothing to the activity of the street. Arcades, while providing shelter or shade, conceal the activities going on within a building and create a barrier between the sidewalk and the buildings ground floor. Likewise, successful plazas are usually surrounded by activities that spill outside. The reason the Campo in Siena is a vibrant place while Boston City Hall Plaza is always deserted has a lot to do with the activities surrounding the plazas.

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The Power of 10
To be successful, all cities need great places and destinations. They need the places that give them an identity and character, that make them interesting and dynamic, and that help attract new residents, visitors, businesses and investment. But they also simply need interesting places for people to go. A place might be a main street, a downtown park or riverfront, a library, or a museum. Cities of any size should have at least ten great places where people want to be. A successful destination has sub-places within it. For example, a riverfront needs at least ten sub-places: a caf, a childrens play area, a place to fish or to experience the water, a place to sit and somewhere to meet friends. Within each of the subplaces, there could be ten things to do. Some of these activities could be very simple sit comfortably, enjoy a great view, watch other people, experience art, eat, play, etc. Cumulatively, these activities, places and destinations make a great city. The power of 10 is an effective tool to get input from local stakeholders as to what the ten most important existing or opportunity places are in a community. It is one of many community-based/community-focused planning exercises practiced by PPS. Instead of the usual design-based planning for an area where local stakeholders are infrequently contacted and local assets are not the starting off point, stakeholders mark on a map places of interest, places of problems, and also places of opportunity. The findings and notes drawn on the map clearly show site specific areas of strengths and weakness. With a clear site specific picture of the problems, it is then easier to come out with short, medium and long term solutions.

What Makes A Market Great?

PPS visited several markets in George Town and in Butterworth. We recommend evaluating them and developing upgrade strategies based upon the following ten qualities that power successful markets. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Right vendor Right location Right mix Right mission Right public spaces Right connections Right economics Right promotion Right value Right management

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Taking the Power of 10 to the next level, here are 10 qualities within each of these:

RIGHT VENDORS
The art of selling is second nature to Amish families from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Early practitioners of sustainable agriculture, most Amish children learn to sell at roadside stands or markets from their parents. At Philadelphias Reading Terminal Market, the Amish are a cherished presence and well patronized. Quality (second most popular reason why people like markets after the experience) Appearance (easy to approach) Cleanliness Merchandising (presentation of product must be informative and distinctive) Innovation (keeps customers coming back) Competitive (customers must continually be won back by beating the competition with a superior choice) Local (customers feel connected when they see their own) 3 Second Rule (three seconds are all you get to hook a new customer) Attractiveness (best achieved through displays that are simple, abundant and artistic) Service (good service makes people happy)

RIGHT LOCATION
Many markets around the world still operate in cathedral squares and other sacred locations. Guatemalas Chichicastenango market sets up in front of the cathedral to provide the devout with a convenient location to take care of both earthly and spiritual needs. Visible Accessible Memorable Flow (easy to navigate and orient yourself) Parking (requires management to ensure regular turnover) Adjacencies (restorans, retail, housing, transit, office workers in the neighbourhood) Confluence (places where people naturally come together) Neutral (market should welcome everyone and not be any one groups turf)

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Scale (size should feel right and be appropriate for the place) Spin Off Opportunities (market activity should offer valuable source of customers for neighboring businesses)

RIGHT MIX
Chinas fabled Sunday Market in Kashgar is the gathering place for over a hundred thousand eager hagglers every week. The Chinese government has spent over $1 billion dollars improving and building markets in recent years. Internal Competition (builds quality, variety and keeps prices reasonable) Owner Operated (customers like dealing with the boss) Choice (people love to comparison shop) Different Price and Quality Levels (serves multiple tastes and income levels) Right Vendors (vendors who love markets as a way of life) Innovate (keep the customer engaged) Local (consumer demand for local products is booming) Balance (classic merchandise but always a bit of the new) Clarity (stall by stall specialization works best) Turnover (eliminate things that dont work)

RIGHT MISSION
The Mercado Central in Minneapolis is a member-owned cooperative of 41 Latino businesses designed to recreate an authentic Latin American marketplace and serve as a cultural and community centre. Intent (set clear goals) Create New Opportunities (provide entrepreneurs low-cost entry into retailing) Self Sustaining (operational self sufficiency is crucial) Nurturing Vendors (support for farmers, immigrants, fledgling entrepreneurs) Socialization Community Health (healthy food at low prices) Local Culture (the town square for a community) Create a New Frontier/Paradigm (self-determination for local economies) Make People Happy

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RIGHT PUBLIC SPACES

Chicagos Daley Plaza is transformed into in open air market every Thursday during the growing season. Sense of entry (the market as oasis) Seating (an opportunity for rest, chit-chat, snacking) Maintenance (key to ongoing public enjoyment) Shade (provide comfort in all seasons) Things to Look at (other people, retail activity) Art (aesthetic connection to a place) Formal and Informal Qualities (do not over program or over design) Welcoming (make sure everyone feels at ease) Flexibility (able to sustain many activities)

RIGHT CONNECTIONS
Montreal has a thriving system of public markets throughout the city. Historic market halls have been renovated and new open-air markets are being located adjacent to Metro stops. Reflect Community (a symbol of community identity) Partners (involve other organizations whose mission overlaps with the market) Public Transportation (easy to get to) Bring Neighborhoods Together (linking different communities) Bike Trails/Greenways (well be seeing more and more of this) Retail (mutual benefit with nearby stores) Housing (a built-in customer base) Local Economy (use the market as a hub for local revitalization) Sense of Giveback (demonstrate how market strengthens local connections) Cross-Cultural (great venue for sharing foods, ideas and stories)

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RIGHT ECONOMICS
Pike Place Market, shown here in a vintage photo, is visited by more people in downtown Seattle than sporting and entertainment events combined. The market is self sustaining and has just completed an economic impact study that will be used to launch a major capital campaign. Sustainable Foundation (be realistic about financial underpinnings) Fundraising (try to bury your capital costs and open debt free) Fair Rents (create a new level of affordable business opportunity) Community Health (this helps justify public investment) Spin Off (markets are natural incubators for small businesses) Job Creation Encourage Investments (markets boost value of surrounding real estate) Keeps $ Local (stems the flow of local dollars to out-of-town corporations) Hand to Hand economy (endangered in a cashless society) Transparent/Non-exploitative (accountability in all operations)

RIGHT PROMOTION
Detroits Eastern Market, one of the greatest classic market districts left in the United States, promotes Flower Day to colourfully kick off its spring season. The event is the markets largest annual weekend drawing more than 100,000 shoppers. Stretch the Dollar (dont overspend on expensive advertising) Events/Demos (customers love them) Public Relations (better than advertising) Press Releases (stamps are cheap) Market Image (keep it clear, compelling and consistent) Partners (great venue for other groups with overlapping missions) Passive Education (agriculture, health and community) Builds Local Value Community Connections (provides a forum for interaction) Sponsorships/Fundraisers (encourage funders and civic leaders to get behind the market)

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RIGHT VALUE
Small town markets have reappeared in town squares across America matching local farmers with city folk who are hungry for quality products as much as the social gathering. This antique postcard depicts local butchers on Pickering Square in Bangor Maine. Quality products Quality experience Boosts Local Economy Creates Local Jobs Social Capital (shared experiences build community) Affirm a Sense of Place Dividend (help save a farm when you buy that tomato) Psychic Well-being (a fun way to feel good) Local Food Systems Sense of Local Ownership (its our market)

RIGHT MANAGEMENT
After completing a multi-million dollar renovation of its historic Findlay Market, the City of Cincinnati assigned management duties to a non-profit corporation formed specifically to operate the market with the mission of balancing entrepreneurialism and social goals. Many cities are transferring market management to such entities. Fair Flexible Firm Open minded Looking Ahead (the art of planning) Promotion-Minded (promote the market at every opportunity) Outreach (a diverse market is a strong market) Capitalize on Niche Opportunities Good Relations (with vendors and customers) Effective Behind the Scenes (whatever it takes to get the job done) Front of the House (market managers are hosts as well, both for vendors and customers)

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CHOWRASTA MARKET AND THE WET MARKET

The outdoor area which serves as the slaughterhouse at the Wet Market which is highly visible and easily accessible could instead be turned into a sheltered outdoor patio with seating, a fountain, trees and other amenities like an outdoor food court where people could sit and eat food purchased inside or from the food carts. Alternatively the food carts could be relocated to this site with tables and chairs set up around them (like at the Butterworth ferry terminal). Bringing the chicken slaughtering into the building may make it easier to provide for containment and disposal of the blood and offal and feathers etc. The chicken market would benefit from better signage and lighting and a faade upgrade to the buildings exterior. The Chowrasta Markets entry way and signage seem to work well. The upstairs spaces at both markets could be repurposed or also used as community spaces for meetings, exercise classes, art classes, and activities that would draw people at times other than mornings when the market is open. Vacant vendor spaces could be rented to artists, crafters, NGOs and womens safety and empowerment organizations. The market management entity should have a visible presence in the space as well.

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MARKET STREET: LITTLE INDIA

The potential design and programming of Market Street seems always to be under debate. There are some who want to use it frequently if not permanently as a carfree programming space for arts and entertainment. Many retailers oppose pedestrianization, feeling that without automobile traffic their businesses will fail (truck deliveries is a different issue). The use of short-term experiments, e.g. temporarily closing a street, adding movable seating, temporary greenery, can help gauge both the general publics interest and likely success of such an intervention. These lighter, quicker, cheaper short term solutions are cost effective and allow analysis of proposed plans. They are used regularly in North American cities and through global events, such as Parking Day, have become more widely accepted and adaptable to local circumstances. The Better Block organization out of Dallas, TX takes their kit of parts or LQC roadway changes all over the US. http://betterblock.org/ http://parkingday.org/ Market Street currently works very well, accommodating vehicles and bicycles but not at the expense of pedestrians, shoppers, and hawkers. It functions quite well as a shared space or shared street that - through its design - requires that cars travel at the speed of pedestrians. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space

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Place Evaluation Workshops and LQC Demonstration Project

GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF WORKSHOP OUTCOMES
The two day workshop was attended by over 100 participants from cities around Malaysia and from as far away as Bangkok. Participants in our placemaking workshops and efforts thus far in Penang have responded to the process and the philosophy in much the same way as participants the world over: they are very enthusiastic about the possibilities and potential for improving their communities and are thrilled to be at the core of the visioning and imagination process. Placemaking taps the creativity, intellect, wisdom, history, experience of everyone involved in it the community is the expert and once they are told that and understand it, their power and importance becomes greater than that of any designer or bureaucrat. At first, participants were quite hesitant to speak out in a larger group. Part of the placemaking process involves dividing people in to smaller, more intimate working sessions. That proved to be very successful with everyone actively engaged in the workshop activity and very lively inter-group dynamics. The workshop resulted in concept plans for improvements to Armenian Park and KOMTAR Phase 5 (see below).

DEMONSTRATIVE PROJECT AT SIA BOEY/KOMTAR PHASE 5

The KOMTAR demonstration project was very successful. Concept plans were developed based on the outcome of the training session. They should be considered as the starting point for the next round of placemaking work on this site.

The event was attended by nearly 100 people from all levels of Government and Civic Society as well as about 20 participants, including families with children and elders, from the surrounding neighbourhood who attended the event simply by having seen the activities going on; they even

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started to visit the site the day before while it was being set up. As soon as there were places to site, people walking through chose to sit down and socialize with the event organizers. The demonstration project was very effective in transforming this underutilized site into a vibrant attractive park and showing how the car park could easily function as a market hall, community meeting space, performance venue and forum. The landscaping, fans, and dynamic programming significantly mitigated the sites problematic environmental conditions, namely the smell from the canal and the lack of shade. These two elements were most often cited as reasons why no one wanted to use the site. Once they were dealt with and programming and performances were underway, no one mentioned them; they had ceased to be a deterrent. This was a major positive outcome.

WORKSHOP NOTES ON SIA BOEY/KOMTAR PHASE 5 Liked best

Canal Strategic Location Surrounding buildings Historic buildings Nostalgia story of the place Empty lots of potential Big space- size/scale Existing trees Access centre of town Old/new buildings

Short term Improvements

Mini gardens for residents Gardening/story telling Evening Entertainment: Music/Dance Exercise: Dance aerobics, Gangham style Outdoor movies Karaoke Recreation: Tai Chi/Martial Arts, Basketball, Skating, Soccer, Badminton Traditional games: Kabbadi, Marbles, Tops,

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Cooking classes teaching how to prepare traditional cultural foods Market: spice, dates, seasonal Heritage bike rides in traditional dress Craftmaking for kids and youth: silkcreening, wood block printing Exhibits: Art, Living Museum, Photo Exhibits, Environmental Education: Showcase sustainability practices

Long Term Improvements

Create a management company Clean up the canal Continuous restoration, conservation Create a city park Library and community learning centre Cultural Centre Upgrade the Market building Performance space Expand the bus stop Good anchor tenants Speakers/buskers corner Tram stop

Audiences
Kids Youth Seniors Visitors Housewives/People not at work during the day Shop Owners Office Workers Market Shoppers

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Interview - Recommendations
Bus station Police station City park Heritage park Car park Art and craft market More hawkers Restore buildings for old/original tenants Clean the canal Restore the market buildings and bring back the businesses wholesale market The shared vision that emerged for the site was for it to become a vibrant, comfortable, multi-use community focal point, offering a green oasis to relax and unwind, providing family-friendly activities, artistic performances, and a colourful shopping experience. Reintroducing the retail element was a key recommendation. Providing information and a gathering point for tourists was also suggested.

PRANGIN CANAL

Concept Plan for Sia Boey/KOMTAR Phase 5

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Existing Conditions

Demonstration Project

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Live Performance

Demonstration by Crafters

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ARMENIAN PARK
The workshop participants generated many ideas for activities, programs, and design changes to the Park that would improve the functionality of the Park from the neighbourhoods perspective and would minimize the conflicts between market activities and potential park use.

WORKSHOP NOTES ON ARMENIAN PARK

Activities to Introduce to the Park in the Short Term
Program and schedule activities on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to encourage other people to use the park in addition to the traders. Community based activities that create a sense of ownership and belonging with regard to the Park should be introduced. Give the street space to the vendors daily from 4 pm to 7 pm or even later at night (7 to 10pm) Regulate traders and strictly enforce the rules Take down the fences around the building Outdoor movies Kids play (multi-age) Senior Area Green Picnic Areas Fountain (Donated by Islamic Museum?) Night-time Lighting Art in the Park Garden Setting

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Patio for Parties and Events Amenities to make the Park Work Better for Users Adequate lighting Put sand in muddy areas
>>Artificial turf >>Garden decking

Benches Alternative Seating Portable Tables and Chairs Potted Plants from the local council Potted Plants from Residents for Mini Gardens Re-Surface (?) Patch Basketball Court
>>Get sponsors

Moveable stage Play Equipment for Kids (Sand Pit etc.) Open Existing WC Market Stalls (?)
>>Mark them up

Shade put up tents umbrellas Living Shade Creepers on Trellis Upgrade existing basketball seating Tree climbing (explore further)

Partners and Stakeholders

City Council and other decision makers Market vendors Rotary club Business owners (shops) World heritage office Islam Museum Building Owners (Clans and Private Owners)
>>Khoo Kongsi >>Cheah Kongsi >>Acheh Museu was land owner

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Tenants (Residents) Other private owners Active groups

>>Sun Yet Sen >>Art Galleries >>Boutique Hotel >>Arts ED >>Publishing House >>Cafes >>Temple

Next Steps/Action Items

Additional meetings with community stakeholders, municipal officials, business and property owners and designers should be organized to refine ideas for programming and management and to take the concept diagrams generated at the workshop to the next level of design. Then, set up an Ad-Hoc Management Committee. The goal is not to eliminate the traders, but to relocate them to a dedicated site away from the family and children-family uses in the park to give them a more defined space while expanding the park space available to the community for recreation, entertainment, play, relaxing, and dining. The vision for the Park is: A lush green park for play, socialize, relax, have fun and shop. A place that is safe and inviting for residents, visitors, shoppers. A park that nurtures a sense of belonging, history, and community.

ARMENIAN PARK
Market Place Basketball Recreation Area Food Gateway Tables, Games Fountain

Rotary

Deck / Stage Trellis BBQ Flexible Area Shade pit Green Area Patio Lawn for Movies, Events

Community Hall

Kids Play

Project on wall

Concept Plan for Armenian Park

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Butterworth
During the site visit to Butterworth, staff from the MPSP showed PPS around the ferry/train terminal, the Rope Market, the Botanical Garden and the Anjung Bagan, former site of the City Hall and municipal offices, and Dewan Bandaran Ahmad Badawi. These are some initial ideas and reflections upon the sites that were visited:

ROPE WALK/ TAMAN SELAT:

Improve the visibility into the Market itself as well as from the surrounding streets and with better signage and lighting at the entrance. Consider the market as the potential centre of Healthy Food Hub, with the green market, coupled with on-site practitioners of traditional Chinese herbal medicine arts providing educational and informational sessions on site; local health practitioners and nurses providing diabetes awareness and prevention sessions; supporting value added food preparation on site for sale in the market

ANJUNG BAGAN AND DEWAN BANDRARAN AHMAD BADAWI

Discussions about potential Lighter Quicker Cheaper interventions at this site focused on ways to better link these sites to create a gateway and more highly functional community gathering place. These sites, when linked physically and programmatically not just visually, have the potential of becoming a very dynamic public space for Butterworth. It can be a place where families and youth enjoy sitting on the grass watching a movie projected on an inflatable screen at night; where couples get married in the historic and beautiful Dewan Bandraran Ahmad Badawi and cross Jalan Heng Choon Tian to have their wedding reception in the lovely garden area at Anjung Bagan. HSBC and other local corporations should be invited to participate and to contribute to maintaining the park, restoring the fountain and providing funds to rebuild the bridge. Additional programming and physical improvements recommended for this place include:

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>>Laser light shows and coloured lights in the fountain (KL and Hong Kong) >>Turn one wall of the former City government building into a green wall >>Have outdoor matches in the sports field >>Create a better pedestrian crossing across the road >>Turn Anjung Bagan into a small water park. Add moveable seating, shade and tables

CREATE PLACES AROUND THE MANY SHRINES IN THE CITY

Provide shaded seating where children and elders could rest Invite a few traders to sell cold beverages and food Add decorative lighting, banners, and floral plantings MARITIME BOULEVARD We reviewed the Powerpoint presentation prepared by IBB. Following are our comments and observations: Palm trees, because they do not provide shade, may not be the right tree for this site. Shade trees would create a cooling canopy for promenading along Public art can become an attraction and a focal point but it needs to be supported by its context and the surrounding uses. Programs, amenities, and interpretive signage are helpful in turning a work of public art into an anchor for a place Streetscape improvements, such as facade upgrades and signage, are important elements to include in any regeneration project but they do not make a street active or a commercial district successful. It is more about the ground floor uses, creating an active street edge, and right-sizing the street (reducing travel lanes) so it fits with and supports a pedestrianfriendly retail and commercial main street.

THE BOTANICAL GARDEN

The Botanical Garden site next to the waste treatment facility could become an environmental education centre, where students could learn about water ecology, stream preservation, recycling, waste treatment etc. The waste treatment centre in turn could become a recycling centre where products created could be used to augment the amenities in the Garden.

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The parks amenities need to be increased and flexible chairs, tables, and umbrellas. The Garden building could house a small cafe or food trader.

PROPOSED NEXT STEPS

There was tremendous excitement among the MPSP staff with whom we met, as well as the Mayor, for undertaking a demonstration project or two in Butterworth. This would include providing some initial placemaking training to a broad range of City staff, in addition to the delegation who attended the Think City sponsored training. Demonstration projects could be developed for Anjung Bagan and Dewan Bandraran Ahmad Badawi in Butterworth, the Botanical Gardens and The Rope Walk. Capacity building training (described at the end of this report) for MPSP staff which would introduce placemaking strategies into their revitalization and redevelopment planning.

Putrajaya
PPS and Think City spent two days in Putrajaya, touring the area, meeting with key leaders, and discussing how the City could utilize a placemaking framework to activate key public spaces and attract residents to the city centre. PPS and Think City participated in a monthly bike ride/race, that attracts hundreds of participants from across the region - particularly from KL - as it offers a rare opportunity for a traffic and car-free 16k ride in a beautiful setting available in few other places in the region. It is becoming a huge draw and making a name for itself and for the City. Unfortunately, it has not captured the imagination of Putrajaya residents. This became a theme in several of PPS subsequent meetings: how to increase participation in current programming by Putrajaya residents? Following the bicycle ride, the PPS and Think City team had brunch with President of Putrajaya Holdings Dato Aseh Che Mat, who emphasised his interest and plans for greater involvement of the residential community. Chairman of the Representative Council Urban Wellbeing, Roslan Abu Hanif, explained that he was spearheading an initiative to develop kampung style community living in Putrajaya to improve liveability.

TOUR OF PUTRAJAYA WITH PJC

Fishing competition: This excellent community event was a perfect example of triangulation of events that attract a cross-section of the population and offers something to different age groups. The event included a fishing competition (for men), a cooking competition (for women), a photography competition, childrens activities (bubbles, colouring, fishing). Participants were enjoying themselves and engaged in activities with enthusiasm. It was understood that the majority of them were not Putrajaya residents but instead came from the greater region.

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Putrajaya Forest Park: This park of 400 acres is located in Purajayas Precincts 14 and 15 and boasts 400 tree species. The park was completely empty on a Sunday afternoon and appeared to attract few visitors in general. Park staff expressed the need for extra funding in order to be able to hold programmed events to attract visitors and increase park use. A theme discussed by PPS with several stakeholders during Putrajaya visit was the specific traditional requirements on public space by the Putrajaya community (80% civil servants) that is very different from other communities where Placemaking has been successful. Key issue: how to get families/residents to leave the familial realm to go out into, enjoy and activate the public spaces in the City?

WORKSHOP WITH EAROPH AT MINISTRY FOR HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT:

Attended by city representatives (urban planners, landscape designers) from Shah Alam, KL, Cyberjaya, Taiping, Iskander, consultants, architects, students of urban planning and landscape architecture (Shah Alam universities, Universiti Putra Malaysia). PPS presented the steps of the placemaking process and basic principles of placemaking and shared examples of successful placemaking from idea conception to implementation stage, as well as funding and management concerns. Think City presented an overview of the Sia Boey demonstrative project held on 20th February. Discussion: Ex-President of EAROPH raised the question of politicisation and governance of urban planning decisions that would also be the case in placemaking. Many cities around the world are using the idea of place governance and place making as the guiding principles behind all urban planning decisions (Adelaide Australia) Question: how to attract local Putrajaya population to programmed events and other short-term placemaking projects, not just those living in neighbouring areas. It was noted that all citizens should be encouraged to come to Putrajaya as a great place to be. The weekends cycling demonstrates that Putrajaya already has status as a bicycle-friendly city. Question: how to pursue placemaking projects in the context of a society that increasingly focuses on technology and innovation, with socialisation increasingly not in the physical realm. PPS pointed out the potential of digital placemaking and noted that placemaking can be adapted. [NB: this links in with the idea of mall as key public space in Malaysian society raised during PJC meeting, therefore internet and other connectivity crucial to placemaking success] Emphasis of many questions was on (economic) sustainability and management of programming and placemaking projects in Malaysian context. One participant suggested that there is difficulty in maintaining interest for programmed events. This also led on to a discussion and information about funding, incl. PPPs.

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One participant shared examples of spontaneous placemaking in Shah Alam where a public place (field) becomes a successful public space without any programming or engineering. When asked for unsuccessful examples of placemaking, PPS responded that this was generally the case when the community was involved too late in defining the problems and designing a solution Another participant noted that urban planners in Malaysia already know these topics already but that it is a question of political will and commitment to push such projects through. How to convince the decisionmakers? EAROPH (Norliza) noted that Putrajaya was planned and constructed according to a specific model which was intentional and thought out to accommodate current and future growth PPS made several suggestions in passing on small improvements that could be made in Putrajaya to make a big difference (e.g. backs on benches to encourage sitting by lakefront) PPS commended the cycling competition and community event visited, and encouraged similar events to be a more regular occurrence as well as other short-term experiments

MEETING WITH PERBANDARAN PUTRAJAYA

Attended by PJC employees, including Town Planning Dept Vice President Dato Omairi Bin Hashim. Discussion: PPS provided a brief overview of placemaking, a focus on the economic incentives in placemaking, an overview of the Sia Boey demonstrative project, and their impressions of Putrajaya Discussion of retrofitting and reactivating ground floor levels of retail premises was said to be potentially important for Putrajaya (Persiaran Perdana). PJC noted that private actors renting into government premises lobbies in Putrajaya (public/private space mix) was planned, that it was the wish of former PM to make Persiaran Perdana a vibrant boulevard also at night (currently not the case). Noriah noted the difficulties in management are reflected in the insufficient groundsmen to maintain placemaking and other improvements on the Putrajaya scale. PPS noted the value of using community events to test new ideas in the short term and use this to create long-term permanent plans/programming. They demonstrated this with the example of the Paris Plage that creates an urban beach in summer.

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Participants were interested in the issue of funding: Paris Plage example showed that private sponsors offered their new products for showcasing, the city paid 50%, construction companies provided sand, sponsorship etc. PPS encouraged the thinking that one should find sponsorship and the funding will find you. In the case of the Public Private Partnership in Portland, Oregon, funding came from several sources (in kind donations 175, city funding 23%, parks department/facilities 6%, event rentals 18%, event sponsorship 12%, tenant leases 24%) and a variety of organisations involved in programming all year round. The point was raised that shopping malls in Malaysia constitute an important public space because of climatic constraints and cultural differences in comparison to the USA, and therefore it would be advisable to work with malls to improve public space within them rather than only promoting neighbourhood outdoor public spaces. [This could perhaps also be applicable in promotion of indoor skybridges rather than sidewalks] Noriah suggested investing in outdoor shopping malls. PPS suggested conducting a transport study to ascertain why people choose the transport they choose (i.e. car) and therefore what could tempt them to public transport, incl. right size of transport and right schedule and off peak service. This could generate more ridership for the network which loses RM 18 million annually.

PPS Findings and Recommendations:

HMD stressed that TCSB and PPS are trying to become acquainted with Putrajaya and ascertain what the main challenges are, and whether there is a space and willingness to use placemaking as a tool in solving the challenges. Dato Omairi agreed that there is need to activate Putrajayas public spaces. Placemaking, community engagement, and bottom-up people-centred planning are new ideas that have potential to take root in Putrajaya as part of the evolution and build out of the city over time. Putrajaya needs to build up its communal landscape. Public spaces in Putrajaya came about as an afterthought and seems to have fallen through the cracks because of the way government is structured. There needs to be a shift in the planning paradigm to start from the micro-level -rather than continue at the macro city-state-wide scale that has been adopted to date. It is all about creating integrated, inviting, dynamic and inclusive spaces. The Cities of the Future will be defined around their public spaces

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PROPOSED NEXT STEPS

Having PPS facilitate a workshop dedicated to the basics of placemaking, generating ideas for Putrajaya was suggested. As a next step or as part of this same workshop, PPS recommends that the City undertake a Power of Ten exercise at the City-wide level to identify the ten key destinations that are most important to its citizens. Then at each destination, 10 places would be identified and at each place, ten ideas for programming, amenities and linkages would be developed. Build upon the success of the existing events and try to incorporate them into the public spaces and make them available to residents on a daily basis eg fishing, cycling, cooking classes, etc. and attract complimentary businesses (fish and tackle shops, bicycle shops, culinary/kitchen ware stores). Marketing itself and designing itself as a Bicycle-friendly city would help Putrajaya build upon its increasingly successful monthly cycle race. Adding bike rental stations, shelter bicycle parking, designating bike-friendly cycle routes between offices and around the city, providing showers and changing facilities for cyclists in the office buildings, and having a bicycle shop which offers repairs and tune ups are techniques that other cities have used to entice cyclists, support cycling, and reduce the number of parking spaces that need to be provided. Activate the ground floors of the Ministry buildings with retail, educational and/or cultural offerings, continued programming of large scale activities that seek to attract a regional audience, while developing a culture of civic engagement at the neighbourhood level are three strategies for moving forward on a Placemaking agenda for that city. It is important to use retail to activate a space without overly privatising it. Add uses where people are going already, such as around the Mosques and shopping areas Use themes like take me to the River and develop programmes that draw people the water on a regular basis; then add amenities along the waterways (adequate amount of shaded seating with tables for picnics etc.). Improve wayfinding and signage. If deemed to be a cost-effective move, buy/lease smaller buses, like vans or shuttles, to reduce costs of operating the system but still providing service.

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Placemaking Capacity Building

To make any Placemaking initiative sustainable in the long term, and to gradually change the planning paradigm from a Top Down/Exclusionary approach to a Bottom Up/People and Place based approach, we need to build capacity for Think City staff, stakeholders (institutional and public sector), designers and architects, and local partners. We propose to undertake the following series of activities, beginning in late July or early August of this year, to ensure that the tools and process of placemaking, including public space programming and management, are widely used and well understood. 1. Continue and expand training of Think City and Khazanah staff in the methods, theory and practice of Placemaking. It is clear that Think City ALSO needs to build a team of designers who can support TC and extend their reach from planning and community outreach through design development and project implementation. The design team also can help Think City negotiate with and navigate the Citys bureaucracy and cut across departmental silos. The design team would receive placemaking training as well and local designers and architects also could be trained in traditional building, conservation and restoration arts. PPS would facilitate training for additional Think City staff, designers, and partners that would: Posit current projects and initiatives against a Placemaking model Identify challenges and obstacles; what factors are responsible and strategies for overcoming them Provide materials related to project implementation and public space management 2. Develop and deploy Placemaking 2.0 training curriculum and course for eligible participants in the first level seminars. Think City, with help from PPS, will invite delegates from the previous February 2013 Placemaking training seminar to propose a pilot project on which they will work collaboratively with Think City and PPS as the next level of their Placemaking training. We will provide them with guidance as to how to propose the project; what elements to include in the description such as goals, outcomes, partners, outreach plans, budget, and the timeline. PPS and Think City will develop project selection criteria and will jointly select the projects with the greatest potential for success. Criteria may include: Capable partners on the ground, funding sources, grass roots engagement, sustainable practices as well as social and ecological.

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3. PPS will provide mentoring, design, and technical assistance to the Placemaking 2.0 participants as needed on their pilot projects at a distance - by web, email, phone, etc. in addition to in-person involvement in key stages of the Placemaking process. TC should assemble a Technical advisory panel who can help them review proposed plans, drawings and designs and determine how effective they will be in meetings TCs goals for each project. PPS would also be available in the near term as needed. We would plan to schedule monthly Skype calls during which we would review designs via Go To Meetings or via You Send it file share programs and discuss challenges, next steps and provide other assistance as requested by the pilot project organizers. 4. PPS will offer a train the trainers Placemaking Certification process. Applications will be accepted from Placemaking 2.0 participants, Think City staff and other professionals who are committed to undertaking placemaking projects around the country and throughout the region. We will Train the Trainers so they can in turn build the placemaking capacity within their own agencies, departments, and organizations. 5. PPS will continue to provide technical assistance, design review and mentoring to Think City staff and their consultants on the George Town projects approached in the first phase of this engagement. The scope and budget for this work will be provided under separate cover on request. It will at a minimum include: facilitated community workshops, concept plans, benchmarks research, technical design workshop, concept plans and designs, sources and recommendations for furnishings and amenities, and a program of uses and activities. 6. PPS and Think City will continue to work together on building a partnership and a visible global presence for Placemaking in South-East Asia with Think City as its regional leader. Proceedings from the Detroit Placemaking Leadership Council (April 2013) and the Future of Places conference (June 2013) will be shared with key Think City staff. This program will equip TC with the tools and skills to advocate with Governments at all levels for a Place-based community-oriented approach to public spaces. They could convene Mayors from all over Malaysia to learn how they can create highquality public space environments that can have a meaningful impact, significant benefits and play a major role in the economic vitality of their urban centres (be it large or small) and incorporate a place-based strategy into their regeneration and expansion plans. Key to this effort will be the dissemination of proven strategies to be used by local leaders in engaging their citizens in these efforts.

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