The document discusses several development projects along Kuching waterfront in Sarawak, Malaysia from 1890 to present. It analyzes the morphological changes over time from when the river acted as a political and economic center to the recent proposals to revitalize the area. The key proposals included opening the waterfront to the public, creating vibrant mixed-use developments, and balancing preservation of historical landmarks with new developments. However, critics argue the latest large-scale plan risks gentrification, reduced public access, and neglect of cultural heritage. Smaller designs with community input and controlled development are suggested to address these issues.

1. Tales of Three Cities
Project 1 Ideas and Theories in Urbanism
Kuching Waterfront
Development Project

4. MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES

5. 1890
Sg. Gartak
River act as a stronghold for political adminis
tration, a symbol of power due to its advantag
es
for transportation and military affairs, mostly
occupied by the British Colony.
It act as a natural edge. The riverfront
undergone primary urban planning as
compared to other area, with nodes forming at
the junction that framed views towards the
Astana and Fort Margherita.
Astana
Fort Margherita

6. 1917
Sg. Gartak
Sg. Gartak shrunk as a result of accumulated san
d banks for commercial purposes, suggesting
growing supplies industry.
Development started to reach inland for the
people with civic buildings built, suggesting the
ruler’s intention of putting the people at the latter.
The Chinese merchants got a slice of the
waterfront due to their affluence.
Chinese
Community
Zone with Chi
nese temple &
museum

7. 1930
Commercial
Civic
Colonial Administrative
Road
Waterfront undergone extensions, with
docks and wharf built, showing the growing
seafaring activities.
With the introduction of the first railway at
the once Sg Gartak, it boosted the
development of road inland.
Open air markets from the locals started to
pepper at the Eastern front along the main
road after the Western front had reached
saturation.

8. 1960s -2000s
Commercial
Civic
Colonial Administrative
Road
When saturation is met and dependence of river shrinks
due to the invention of automobile, city expands towards
inland.
Pedestrian walkability improved to boost riverfront’s pa
st significance by constructing promenades.

9. 1890 1917 1930 1960-2000s

14. River as a natural edge that separated the two banks, resulting differed development pace and genre.

15. Major Urban Planning Improvement
1989
United Consultant (Kuching) & Conybeare Morrison & Partners

18. 1. Open corridors to the river

19. 1.
Once get rid of the dirt and truck traffic that deteriorated the waterfront, th
e agenda starts with the idea of linking Main Bazaar to the water and views
across it. The waterfront had been dominated by the colonial
occupants for centuries, thus it is now to be accessible for the people
after independence.

20. 2. Vibrant Shopping Street and Shop Houses

21. 2.
Next is to provide a mix of facilities along the waterfront that would
appeal to both local and international visitors, and establish a specific
local sense of place, whereby all races come together as united. Mainly aro
und Little India and Carpenter Street.

22. 3. Preserve Historical Landmarks

23. Connecting the Banks
3.
To preserve the historic elements in the area to be 'Kuching
in character'. In order to make user to appreciate the historical v
alue witnessed by the city, promenades that flow along
the front is constructed, so that strollers can enjoy the entire str
etch of Historical Kuching.

24. Summary
To conclude, the first development project induced good impacts by fulfilling the agendas of opening the
water corridor, creating vibrant shopping street and preserving historical landmarks.

25. 2013
New Kuching Waterfront Extension Project
IBRACO Berhad

26. CIVIC SPACES
RETAILS FESTIVAL &
CULTURAL HUB
OFFICES
CIVIC SPACES
RESIDENTIAL
CONDOMINIUMS
NEW STREET AND PROMENADES

28. The new master plan aims to revitalize the activeness of Kuching waterfront in terms of economy,
entertainment, tourism, cultural & social activity in a mix-used planning. The agenda includes:
- To capture heart of young people for them to live and work within the vicinity
- New growth while historical sites and buildings remain intact
- Open-air civic square for general public leisure, gathering and events
- Office park that houses both local & expatriate firms
- Exclusive waterfront residential development with jetty, riverfront pedestrian mall, high-rise
serviced apartments, Open-air promenade, Semi-enclosed public walk, Festive tourist &
entertainment hub built to promote cultural state performance

29. Connectivity to the city’s structure and within the neighborhood is improved by means of :
- Improvement of public access and traffic linkage to waterfront area
- New Esplanade road of 600m dual carriageway
- Additional car parks
- Upgrading and landscaping the current roads

30. Golden Bridge

32. 1.
Connecting the Banks
Increased permeability of the region, whereby it is
more accessible and less hierarchical division

33. Function

34. Mixed function
It acts as a connection
between two banks and
recreation area
simultaneously.
To encourage the
integration between
communities in the
North and South of the
city where the North is
more engaged in
recreational activities
and Malay Kampung
settlements while South
of the city is more of
bustling commercial
aspect, the bridge acts
as a linkage, to retain a
more balanced
environment that offers
choices to the locals and
visitors.

35. Since south bank is facing traffic congestion issue, the bridge encourages the people to traverse across
the banks by walking with improved walkability. By providing an alternative route towards the south bank
other than solely depending on Tun Salehuddin Bridge that is located at far eastern end, the hierarchy is
reduced. Since the development of both banks are imbalance, Golden Bridge acts as a medium to
harmonize the urban density.

36. Public Realm is provided at the two nodes of the
extended piazza, offering 360 degree of the
waterfront vista. People can define the function of
the open spaces themselves which encouraged
personalization of space.

38. Form

39. Linear.
Intimate pedestrian experience. The S-shaped pedestrian Golden Gate Bridge claims to explor
e new experience along the journey of waterfront by takes form in a sinuous ribbon, forming two
observation decks that offer a 360 degree views of the site, taking full advantages of its elevated
height. Instead of a straight linear typology, the curvature offers richness in both visual and physi
cal experience for a pedestrian.

42. Movement Pattern

43. The Golden Gate Bridge
provide linear pedestrian mov
ement. This will ease the traffic
flow of the congested Tun Sam
bathan Bridge and also Jalan G
ambier when connectivity and
permeability is increased.

44. Connectivity to the city’s structure and neighbourhood.
Main Street System
In relation to the main street, Jalan Gambir, the New walkway increases the permeability towards the North ban
k, well linked to the existing street typology.

45. The bridge offers new linkages to the north bank’s neighbourhood, welcomed by the DUN building, along with
increased visual connectivity between the river and the local surrounding.
Connectivity to the city’s structure and neighbourhood.
Immediate Local Surrounding

46. Sub-Conclusion
By connecting the banks, the gaps between both sides can be narrowed and
further provide an optimal platform for the next idea which we are going to discuss
later, which is Revitalizing the Waterfront to begin. With improved interaction
between, both sides of the lands are rejuvenated.

47. 2.
Revitalizing Sarawak’s Waterfront
Revives the vicinity with a new gush of pulsating active
lifestyle, by increasing the variety, which means the wide
range of choices to accommodate different people,
purpose, activities within different time.

48. Function

49. Mixed function
Programs in the “ Live, Work, Play” idea c
can be fulfilled within this stretch of
land, due to its high variety. Thus,
human flow can be attained at this area,
constantly thrusting the vicinity with acti
ve human interaction from morning till ni
ight, leaving no space for dead
zones when the nights fall in a heavily zo
ned city, further increasing its
robustness.

50. With the pedestrian walkway built in between the towers, it offers a gradient between public
and private, which also act as a buffer zone whereby urban voids can be introduced.
private semi-
public
public privatesemi-
public

51. Form

53. Isolated objects, less interactive with surrounding context due to its confined private and public activi
ties within its volume. Further enhanced by its high density and height, the connectivity of point form
typology can easily get disconnected.
RETAILS OFFICES
RESIDENTIAL
CONDOMINIUMS

54. Court perimeter. Embrace the site context according to building mass, encouraging communal acti
vities that can be opens to the public.
CIVIC SPACES
FESTIVAL &
CULTURAL HUB
CIVIC SPACES

55. Movement Pattern

56. Pedestrian movement
Mixed pedestrian and vehicular pattern

57. Vehicular movement
Mixed pedestrian and vehicular pattern

59. VehiclesPedestrian Pedestrian
In Mixed movement pattern, the authority claims to increase the perforation of urban void into the
project, whereby pedestrian walkways become a buffer zone between public and private, aiding in th
e gradation of the scheme. But in our opinion, this scheme is yet to be localized to our Malaysian co
ntext.

60. Connectivity to the city’s structure and neighbourhood.
Main Street System
The connection with the main street system (Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman) is well connected and provided
a by-pass path which can divert the main traffic congestion well.
Secondary by-pass
Primary Jalan Tuanku
Abdul Rahman
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman

61. The new road system introduced new linkages which do not reach as far as the main street before. The
nodes helps in linking the site to its immediate surrounding fabrics, besides opening up the permeability
towards the shore.
Connectivity to the city’s structure and neighbourhood.
Immediate Local Surrounding

62. Sub-Conclusion
By having mix-used development, revitalization of the waterfront is greatly enhanced
through variations that address the demands of different people, purpose, activities
throughout the day and night. Due to the short distance between all destinations, ranging
from retail, commercial, cultural, residential and etc., human flow can be constantly
retained.

63. 3.
Weaving the Past and Present
Respecting the legibility of trails left by the ancestors while retaining
robustness to meet today’s needs

64. Function

65. Mixed function hub (macro scale)
As the eastern waterfront is carefully preserved, untouched and the new hub is speaking of a new language to regenerate
a new era at the eastern part.
The old shop houses at the surrounding are preserved, the inland streetscape is kept at its origin. Modernization set against
pastoral colonial taste of Brooke era without disrupting the concord of the ensemble, a swish transformation to bring a
spectacle of the 21st century urban up-to-the-minute living whilst retaining Sarawak's most leading sites of historical relics a
nd its rich cultural heritage.

66. The Mixed function is carried smoothly as a gradation from the old shop houses, whereby all kinds o
f
mixed programs are integrated into a single built form.
Mixed function hub (micro scale)

67. Form

68. Landmarks’ significance are relevantly used as focal nodes, with street alignments well position towards and make the most positive use of
them, both in the old, which is well preserved and the new, which is well oriented.
Old landmark: Courthouse New landmark: Cultural Hub
Enclosure typology

69. Linear typology
The past horizontal linear typology is preserved, whereas contemporary linear typology is extended vertically at the new hub,
suggesting an adaptation of the new towards the old. Conventionally, linear typology create a public font and private rear, but in this
new planning, the limitations are overcame by extruding the linearity and inserting interstitial spaces which pulls patrons to come fr
om
all direction.

70. Movement Pattern

71. Mixed Pedestrian & Vehicular
Without changing the existing road, the new development phase infused new road system that dissolved the cul-de-sacs
which abruptly ended, opening more permeability to the riverfront for the traffic.

72. Sub-Conclusion
With the respect towards the current fabric laid by the ancestors and adaptation towards
presence demand, the masterplan answered the latter more proficiently rather than the
prior statement. Although all of the buildings are preserved, but due to certain high-rise
project, some of the view towards the river is greatly obstructed, reserving the vista only
for the residences or patrons.

73. Criticism

74. As the term gentrification is explained above, we can conclude that IBRACO BERHAD’s
development proposal is blatantly a privatization of the Sarawak river.
Despite having claimed to have plans to ‘revitalize’ the city, the development only yearns
to get profit by attracting new communities into the area rather than to provide a public
space for the local community to use.
With its linear arrangement in the plan proposal, we can also observe that the developer
intends to keep the stretch of Sarawak river to themselves, rather than creating a space
the entire community could share. Its bold proposal of development obviously did not take
the local community into much consideration.

75. The project involves massive land reclamation along the Sarawak River – disrupt natural resources.
Reduced visual permeability - views towards Sarawak river are restricted – new high-rise development
becomes a barrier to visual richness.

76. The rejuvenation and regenerated new Kuching Waterfront will inevitably transform the City of Kuching
to become a world-class tourist attraction with its riverbank transformation into a vibrant and modern
development and ultimately a business district -yet the cultural and historical importance of the area
are forsaken
The heritage region is disconnected from the river with the development becoming the dividing factor

77. Demolition of cultural sphere – the state government’s move to evict the 27-year old Petanak Market
(only market in the Kuching City) to facilitate the waterfront extension project, forcing hawkers to budge
Unrestrained approach to gentrification of the development might lead to issues like:
1. Increase in land value
2. Increase in crime rate
3. Unemployment

78. Solution

79. The design could be broken down into smaller typologies such as a grid pattern design. This would
create permeability in that space so that the entire Kuching waterfront could be enjoyed by all.
Permeability of space grants access to everybody, physically or visually.
Design according to the needs of the community – robustness: building depth, access and height that
does not affect the existing community, views and functions
Controlled gentrification
Design with consideration of the cultural and historical context
Development of the country should not only benefit the people with connection, but also the people on
the streets, including the hawkers. The existing Petanak market can co-exist with the project just like in
big cities like in Singapore to serve the surrounding population. What is important is that it must not
disrupt the livelihood of the hawkers.

80. Conclusion
To conclude the criticism, although the development enhances the social
and economic status of all communities in Sarawak, it inevitably brings
about an increase in land value as well as neglect to the historical and
heritage context. However, these aspects can be solved by designing with
consideration to the community.

81. References
Ibraco. (2015). New Kuching Waterfront. Retrieved Sept 18, from
http://www.ibraco.com.my/wp/?page_id=337
Johnson K Saai (2013, August 21). Golden Bridge catalyst to closer interaction between both parts of city.
Retrieved Sept 18, from http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/08/21/golden-bridge-catalyst-to-closer-interaction-
between-both-parts-of-city-says-taib/
Nigel Edgar (2013, August 13). The Golden Bridge – Kuching: next icon of harmony. Retrieved Sept 18, from
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2013/08/21/the-golden-bridge-hopes-to-further-unify-communities-
of-citys-north-and-south/
Northen Architecture. (2016, May 15). Kuching Waterfront Sarawak Malaysia A Waterfront Park As A Catalyst
for Urban Redevelopment 1989 from
http://www.northernarchitecture.us/urban-design-3/kuching-waterfront-sarawak-malaysia-a-waterfront-park-as-
a-catalyst-for-urban-redevelopment-198993.html
Tuah, Yvonne. (2014, June 26). Revitalising Sarawak’s Waterfront. Retrieved Sept 18, from
http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/26/revitalising-sarawaks-waterfronts/