Tropical Cities: 3 Unique Heritage Cities of Malaysia

TROPICAL CITIES
Team members:
Chia Cheng Wei 0322091
Iche Dunstan Omari 0323347
Ivan Ling Chyi Rui 0313583
Kooi Yong Kai 0323512
Lee Xiang Loon 0322090
Lee Zu Jing 0325706
Lim Joe Onn 0318679
Lo Jia Woei 0318585
Pua Kai Jing 0313995
TALES OF 3 CITIES
Instructor: Dr Sucharita Srirangam

GEORGETOWN
Capital of Penang
Population 500,000
One of Malaysia’s oldest cities

Location of Georgetown, Penang
in Peninsular Malaysia

HISTORY
Founded by Sir Francis Light in 1786
Expansion from Fort Cornwallis, first
permanent built structure of Georgetown
Introduction // Ideas & Theories in Urbanism

Urban morphology climatic design

BUFFER
ZONE
CORE
ZONE

Georgetown is shaped by its interaction with the rest of the world

Early Shophouse Style 1800 – 1850’s
Early Transitional Style 1840 – 1900’s
Early Straits Eclectic Style 1890 – 1920’s
Late Straits Eclectic Style 1920 – 1940’s
Neo-Classical Style - Early 20th century
Art Deco Style 1930 – 1950’s
Early Modern Style - Post war

HERITAGE
tangible
intangible
eclectic
fusion
diverse

TOURISM
income
places to explore
job opportunities
for locals

Roles of Organization
Established by the Penang State Government in April 2010 to spearhead efforts
to ensure that George Town's legacy will not be lost.

Major Objectives
• Identify, Protect & Preserve Built Form of Heritage Sites
• Create a culturally engaging atmosphere
• Successfully implement sustainable tourism

Vision
The convergence of an
intelligent and sustainable
heritage city that belongs to
Penang, Malaysia and all
humanity.

Idealized vs Reality

CASE STUDIES
No.1: LEBUH CHULIA

No.2: CLAN JETTIES

No.3: JALAN MASJID
KAPITAN KELING

Identify, Protect &
Preserve Built Form of
Heritage Sites
Lebuh Chulia

Identify, Protect & Preserve Built Form of Heritage Sites // Ideas & Theories in Urbanism

• One of the oldest streets in George Town
• Stretches across both UNESCO Heritage Buildings
Category I and II zones
• Acquired the name by 1798
• Was extended in the late 19th century following
extensive land reclamation that results in Chulia Street
Ghaut
• The epicentre of budget accommodation in George
Town today
• Shophouses on the left side carry odd-number address
and even-number address on the right
Photo source: George Town World Heritage Incorporated

Architecture of a Shophouse
• The dominant building type within the Core Zone of
George Town is shophouses
• Shophouses can be traced to the Chinese immigrants
from southern coastal provinces of China
• Knowledge and methods of building construction
adapted to Malaysian urban shophouses
• Blending the influences from the Dutch, Malay and
British with own culture to create a unique
architecture
Photo source: http://nosurplus.blogspot.my/

Typical Urban Shophouses in George Town
1. Covered five-foot walkways at ground floor level façade
2. Opulent ornamentation on the façade by the use of Chinese and European motifs
3. Profusion of use of tiles, stucco, and timber as materials for construction
4. Shoplot at ground level with storage, backyard, and central air-well for ventilation
5. Bedrooms, living, dining and kitchen at first floor level, capped by a jack roof

1840 – 1850
• Under British ruling, connected walkways to the street
edges became restricted
• The guideline was that the measurements had to be at
least five foot wide, hence the name five-foot way
• Raffles’ verandah-way regulation was applied since 18th
century to provide pedestrians with a walkway
indented into the building ground floor
• Verandah-way to maintain unity and provide an
additional room
• Five-foot way was ‘semi-closed’ with bamboo screens
to reduce the radiation of the roads from entering the
shophouse
• Flat façade and minimal ornamentation
• Shuttered windows
• Built using masonry

Air-well Air-well
Typical Early Transitional Style shophouse section
Diagram visualising the effects of radiation screens
Five-foot way
Recessed area below
the first floor of the
building that is
designed as public
space.
Air Wells
Long shophouse buildings
with two pitched roofs or
more, separated the
pitches with an air well, to
allow ventilation and
cooling of the spaces
below.
“ “
”
”
Five-foot
way
– George Town World Heritage Incorporated
(GTWHI)

1950 – onwards
• Influenced by trends from Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier
and Mies Van der Rohe
• Built with reason, form by character and aesthetic
quality
• Abstract relationship of solid surfaces
• Design moved away from craftsmanship but local
influences maintained to form unique modern style
• Large, clean cut openings and usage of glass windows
• Built using reinforced concrete

Early Transitional Style (1840 – 1850)
• Two storeys building
• Introduction of five-foot way
• Flat-façade
• Minimal ornamentation
• Radiation screens
• Masonry
Early Modern Style (1950 – onwards)
• Three or more storeys building
• Motivated and simple modernist design
• Design moved away from craftsmanship
• Local influences still used but
transformed into a unique modern style
• Reinforced concrete

Urban Morphological of Chulia Street
• Morphology of Chulia Street – physical change and the evolution of the way of life brought upon by
modernisation
• Tram tracks have been sealed and Chulia Street has become a busy vehicular passageway connecting Jalan
Penang to Beach Street
• Modernisation has unavoidably impacted the streetscape character. Roadside parking and modern utilities
make up part of the visual character of Chulia Street
Chulia Street looking from the Love Lane junction

Cultural Context On Site From Various Architectural Designs
Cultural effects of traditional architecture
Traditional buildings have divisional usage for either housing or
commercial purposes
• Division of private and public spacing
• Patterns and orientation of applications of various usage
and occupancy
• Creation of topology of geometrical local network of
function
• Reflection of local site contents and attributes
• Monumental represent of origin influences, significance
and importance
Cultural effects of modern/contemporary architecture
The discard and reject of traditional materials usage , exclusion
of cultural contents and celebration of modern industrial
methods
• Concentrated pattern of applications
• Simplicity of spacing and circulation
• Ease of accessibility and function
• Introduction of a new concept and class-less influence
(Top) Chulia Street in the past
(Bottom) New buildings and usage in Chulia Street today

• Original traditional buildings in Chulia Street have
attributes of historical influences and social order
formed by historic events that creates cultural progress
of many terms
• Construction and introduction of a modern building
design may change the point of view and experience of
a person in the terms of site elements
• A visible shift of building’s original attributes
• Disrupts the significance and identity of a traditional
shophouse
Construction Of Modern Contemporary Building
Traditional (Low density)
Modern (High density)

• Some shophouses in Chulia Street had been affected
by damages from arson, urban decay and during
World War 2
• Local site content has been shifted due to the
erection of modern and contemporary buildings
instead of rebuilding and restoring the original
buildings
• Elements of Chulia Street were affected by such
buildings due to caused inconveniences and shift in
economic and circulation of the site
• Affects the livelihood of the inhabitants
• Construction of new buildings also makes the site
adapting to a more commercial economy instead of
creating a more socio-economical atmosphere for the
inhabitants to inherit their past generation’s heritage
• Hence, creating inconveniences for the locals in their
daily commuting around the area also affecting the
behaviour of the inhabitants
Depreciation of Traditional Shophouses in Modern Buildings
(Top) Modern hotels constructed in between a row of
traditional buildings and symbolise tourism
(Bottom) A row of abandoned shophouses due to loss
by effects of new modern businesses

Special Area Plan (SAP) is a
plan prepared for the
George Town World
Heritage Site (GTWHS) to
guide and control
development within the
area. The SAP shall acts as a
conservation management
plan for GTWHS.
– George Town World Heritage
Incorporated (GTWHI)
“
”
Photo source: onlypenang.com

Importance of five-foot way in shophouses
Traditional shophouses with semi-public/private transitional
zone on both sides of Chulia Street as a:
• Partially enclosed space between shop and street
• Continuity for human circulation and movement with
shelter from rain
• Sunshade space to ground floor
• Multi-functional space for roadside small traders
• Important feature for urban culture life
• Strong urban image
Destruction of five-foot way due to modernisation
• Contemporary development destroys pedestrian
walkway connectivity
• Intimacy character of the traditional streetscape
destroyed by provision of roads
• Cultural and historical significance of a Chinese
shophouse are impacted
• No longer acting as shelter for heat and rain
Five-foot Way Streetscape Introduction Into Urban Fabric

• Development of Chulia Street leads to users using
automobiles to travel rather than by foot even for short
distances
• Due to lack of provision of five-foot ways in modern
buildings
• Other forms of pedestrian facilities available but not
comprehensive to link up with others to form a
workable system
• Contributes to the lack of communal harmony and
social integrity among the residents of Chulia Street
Lack of Five-foot Ways In Modern Buildings
(Top) Sketch
visualizing the
comparison of
the existence of
five-foot ways in
buildings
(Bottom) Five-
foot ways in the
past and now

• Bizarre and striking colours
• Lost of historical character of shophouse
• Not having a design uniformity among shophouses
• Attract attention for businesses (bright colours and huge
signage)
• Newer and taller buildings acting as a landmark
New Styles of Facades In Modern Buildings
No longer unique and recognizable while also not representing George Town

Height of Infill and New Buildings
Special Area Plan (SAP)’s Permitted Height
guideline says:
“Height of compatible infill
development is dependent on the
height of the lower adjacent
building.”
• New infill buildings did not strictly follow
the guidelines
• Hotels and corporate office buildings along
Chulia Street such as the Asas Dunia
building
• Promote tourism rather than considering
the needs of locals and urban density
increases in these infill
(Top) Asas Dunia office building in Chulia Street
(Bottom) Permitted height of infill buildings

Building Sustainability and Elements
Special Area Plan (SAP)’s Permitted Height
guideline says:
“Air-well shall be
maintained as part of the design
with flexible roof to allow day
lighting and natural ventilation.”
• Newer buildings lack such feature and were
not following the guidelines
• Covering or removing the air well, and
usage of zinc roof
• Removal of rear courtyards
• Heavily depending on electronic and
mechanical ventilation
• Hot air stays in the building
• Affecting the sustainability and the
surrounding buildings and its elements
Old buildings had the capability for natural ventilation
Newer buildings in some cases affect the capabilities of the surrounding buildings

Preserved
shophouses
Preserved
shophouses
New, modern
shophouse
Newly built shophouses fail to comply with Special Area Plan (SAP) guidelines
Majority of new infill shophouses do not retain the original features of a Early Transitional Style implemented
by the British, local authority and GTWHI upon rebuilt.
Discontinuity along the street of Lebuh Chulia

To successfully
implement sustainable
tourism
Clan Jetties

To successfully implement sustainable tourism // Ideas & Theories in Urbanism

Waterfront society
House on stilts

Ong
Lim
Chew
TanLee
Mixed
clan
Yeoh
Peng
Aun
Koay

Road
Houses
Temple
Land
Sea Sea

The jetties were established at a time when Penang's maritime trade was booming. Chinese
immigrants who came to Penang in the early 19th century worked at the docks as coolies and
boat operators ferrying passengers.

Passive design implemented. Gaps between wood planks
allow sea breeze into the houses.

What is sustainable tourism?
Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to
making a low impact on the environment and local
culture, while helping to generate future
employment for local people.
The positive of sustainable tourism is to ensure that
development is a positive experience for local
people; tourism companies; and tourists
themselves.
Source: World Tourism Organization

Originally Currently
• Water taxis • Tourism
• Trading • Fishing
• Transportation of goods • Festivals
Activities

Koay Jetty

Destroyed by fire!

Mangrove swamp

Sacrificed for low cost flats!

Originally Currently
• 9 jetties • 6 jetties remain
• Mangrove swamp present • Low-cost flats built, destroying green areas
• Houses cater specific clans
• Population consists of all ages
• Trading oriented, each jetty had its own niche and
function
• Communities expand naturally
• Houses converted into shops catering tourists
• Senior citizens remain as youngsters move to cities
• Tourism oriented, social sustainability lost
• Low-cost flats create conflict in place making

Create a Culturally
Engaging Atmosphere

JALAN MASJID
KAPITAN KELING
Create a culturally engaging atmosphere // Ideas & Theories in Urbanism

JALAN MASJID
KAPITAN KELING
• Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling was
historically, rich and varied
interactions between communities of
different origins, cultural traditions
and faiths.
• Used to be the very edge of town,
bordered by Light street, Beach street
and Chulia street. Now names Jalan
Masjid Kapitan Keling, names after
the Indian Muslim mosque along it, is
one of the George Town UNESCO
World Heritage Site core zone.
• Street wears a European character,
followed by Chinese and Indian
Muslim, Which are clearly separated
by the religious sites on site.

GODDESS OF MERCY TEMPLE (1835)
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF ST GEORGE (1818)
SRI MAHA MARIAMMAN HINDU TEMPLE (1833)
KAPITAN KELING MOSQUE (1801)

KUAN YIN ENCLAVE
• Retail of prayer paraphernalia, idols and
charms.
• Chinese vegetarian restaurants.
• Activities supporting the temple and its
users.
LITTLE INDIA
• South and Northern Indian Restaurants.
• Textiles and related trade.
• Worker’s accommodation.
• Cultural products and services.
LEBUH ACHEH MOSQUE ENCLAVE
• Activities supporting the temple and its
users.
• Residential or Commercial with
Residential.
• Compatible arts and culture related
activities.
KONGSI ENCLAVE
• Activities supporting the mosque and
the Muslim community, preferably Haj
related.
MASJID KAPITAN KELING AND
GOLD BAZAAR ENCLAVE
• Activities relating to gold
and gem trade.
• Indian Muslim
restaurants.
• Activities supporting the
mosque and the Muslim
community services.
SPECIAL ZONE
Zone with highest concentration of OUVs and
Category 1 buildings within the WHS. Area
warrants strictest form of land use
Source: George Town Special Area Plan

MATRIX OF NON-
PERMISSIBLE
ACTIVITIES
• Special zones have no exceptions for any non-
permissible activities.
• However, a budget hotel exists on site.

OPEN SPACE AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN
To make streets pedestrian priority, and to provide adequate public open spaces and connectivity for the comfort of all non private- vehicle user.
SHARED STREETS

Chingay
Giant Flag Carrying in
December
Tua Peh Kong
15th Day of 1st Chinese
New Year
End Point
Streets as shared spaces. Practices,
performances and rituals create
richness of the culturally eclectic
landscape of the historic
settlements.
Temporary public use of the street
should be maintained and
encouraged.

EXISTING GREEN/ PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
Series of parks and public open spaces
are proposed in addition to existing
public open spaces. These proposed
network of public open spaces are
interconnected via a landscaped
pedestrian network.
Well maintained parks and landscaped
elements are essential for the livelihood
and liveability of George Town. The park
offers the residences a space of
recreation and leisure, as well as helping
to maintain ecological balance and
reduce pollution.

Lebuh Carnarvon and Jalan
Masjid Kapitan Keling, with high
volume vehicles, are proposed as
tree lined streets with sidewalks
for the pdestrian,. As of the
printing of this document, the
planting of trees on the median
Lebuh Carnarvon has been
completed.
Pedestrian Priority lanes are built
to have streets that promote a
safe, comfortable, convenient
and barrier free connectivity for
all road users with primary
consideration for pedestrian.
Hence, it creates a more safer
and comfortable walkways for
the tourist and local citizen to
carry out activities.
Proposals have been suggested
to make all roads one way except
for Lebuh Chulia and Lebuh
Light.
Tree Lined
Pedestrian Priority
Streets
Pedestrian Priority
Streets
Two way road
Intro nodes
connectivity.

Upgrading and revitalisation of back lanes for pedestrian
use, or even commercial use where applicable
BACKLANES WITH ACTIVITIES
LINE CLEAR NASI KANDAR
LORONG PASAR – LORONG
CHULIA BACK LANE
(UPGRADE)
CHULIA STREET – MUNTRI
STREET BACK LANE (NEW)
LEBUH CARNARVON –
JALAN PINTAL TALI
(UPGRADE)

Chinese temple
Chinese community
Hotel
Indian temple
Indian-Muslim community
Mosque
Muslim community
Community
layer

Junctions
Chinese temple
Chinese community
Hotel
Indian temple
Indian-muslim community
Mosque
Muslim community

Public space
Chinese temple
Chinese community
Hotel
Indian temple
Mosque
Muslim community
• To increase green public
open space in the city.

Pedestrian
walkway
Chinese temple
Chinese community
Hotel
Indian temple
Mosque
Muslim community
• To have streets that
promote a safe,
comfortable, convenient
and barrier free
connectivity for all road
users.

Nodes
Chinese temple
Chinese community
Hotel
Indian temple
Mosque
Muslim community

conclusion
Conclusion // Ideas & Theories in Urbanism

references
IMAGES
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100.jpg
DOCUMENTS
AJM Planning and Urban Design Group (2011). George Town, Historic Cities of Straits of Malacca: Draft Special Area Plan. Georgetown,
Penang: AJM
Den Teuling, M.J. (2009). Rebirth of the Malacca Shophouse: A typological research: Traditional Values in a Contemporary World. Retrieved
from Delft University of Technology Repository.
Effect of Culture on Architectural Expression. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-168644
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Yeang, K. (1987). The Tropical Verandah City. Petaling Jaya, Selangor: Longman

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