Khalilah Zakariya

APPRECIATION OF VERTICAL GREENERY IN A CITY AS PUBLIC

Vertical greenery (VG) is greenery where plants can be grown on, up, or against internal or external walls of buildings or as freestanding structures. Whereas, public art (PA) is a structure or form that contains an artistic expression. It is placed in public spaces. VG has gained tremendous popularity in recent years, and this offers an opportunity to integrate it as a part of public art in cities. A place with a combination of art and aesthetics with environmental principles would become a new urban art that will help extend VG’s survivability and human security in the future. Most research in VG focuses on an environmental and technical aspect that consider its benefits, technical issues, feasibility, acoustic impact, sustainability, system and maintenance. On the other hand, creative methods to approach VG are seldom researched upon especially in Malaysia. Hence, this study explores this possibility from the public’s perspectives. The objectives were to identify public’s familiarity and values of VG as PA, and VG attributes to be as a PA. An online survey was used to obtain public’s perspectives on the integration of VG as PA. The target respondents were the public, whereby the link to the survey was sent out to 400 potential respondents. The survey obtained 117 responses, and they were gathered automatically in an Excel spreadsheet. The data were converted into the themes to generate results. Findings yield positive outcomes in terms of the public’s familiarity of the terminologies (i.e. VG and PA), people’s awareness of VG in an urban environment, and the possibilities and potentials of VG to become a PA in Malaysian cities. It means that VG has extended beyond the environmental benefits to also become an art form for people in a city. Keyword: Vertical greenery, public art, integration, sustainability Date Received: 30 April 2016 Date of Acceptance: 30 October 2016 Mazlina Mansor, Khalilah Zakariya, Nor Zalina Harun, & Nur Izzah Abu Bakar Appreciation of Vertical Greenery in A City as Public Art

Satellite Image Analysis along the Kuala Selangor to Sabak Bernam Rural Tourism Routes

This research focuses on the analysis of land cover map using satellite imagery along the rural routes. The aim of this research is to study the landscape features that can be seen by the tourists around the rural routes. The objectives of the study are twofold: (i) to analyse the land cover types along the rural routes and (ii) to create a tourist map along the rural routes. The method adopted was to use Supervised Classification by creating multiple polygons to ensure that each information is sufficient to create appropriate spectral signatures. The finding shows that 80% of the landscape features along the Point of Interest (POI) are paddy field. According to the analysis using the indicators criteria for choosing the rural routes, this research shows that this area has the potential to be part of a tourism area because it has many historical and cultural elements that can be exposed to tourists. Future research will be a factor analysis on the significance of the criteria to rural tourism attraction.

Design factors contributing to active urban squares in Malaysia

Urban squares are a type of public open space that cater for various activities for the public, such as for events and leisure. The activities in the square are not only contributed by annual events and celebrations, but also daily and weekly informal activities of visitors and tourists. Some squares even become landmarks and focal points of the city. While the design of urban squares has been studied in depth by researchers in other countries, however, local studies that interrogate how urban squares are occupied in Malaysia are still scarce. This research examines three prominent urban squares, which are Dataran Putra, Dataran Merdeka and Dataran Pahlawan, to explore and outline the key criteria that contribute to the activities of the squares. The research objectives are: 1) To identify the spaces, design elements, structures and surrounding area; 2) To map the activities and flow of users throughout the day; and 3) To synthesize the key findings to formulate design strategies for urban squares in Malaysia. The methods adopted for this research comprise of conducting site inventory and photographic documentation, observation and mapping, and semi-structured interviews with 150 visitors. The analysis reveals that there are five (5) key criteria that contribute to an active urban square. The findings from this research are useful for Landscape Architects and Urban Designers in planning and designing urban squares in Malaysia, or upgrading underutilized urban squares. This research concludes that an active and successful urban square can contribute to the city’s livability and quality of life for its people. In order to remain active and successful, urban square designs in Malaysia should meet the needs of the local climatic and socio-cultural factors.

Terminologies that characterize the visual and physical properties of wood carving as cultural heritage

This study aims to investigate the physical and visual properties of the traditional Malay wood carving as cultural heritage component, which has been inherited from the old generation of carvers since 16th century. The objectives of this study are: 1) to identify the tangible and intangible attributes of the wood carving components that denote its cultural heritage value, and 2) to analyse the characteristics and physical properties of the wood components. Personal interview with Malay carvers, field observation, visual and laboratory analyses were conducted to determine the physical and chemical properties of the selected wood carving components from Terengganu and Kelantan. The result of analyses characterized the traditional concepts of carving into transfiguration, transformation, translation, transference, transcendence, transmission, translocation, and transition. Also, the result of laboratory test shows that different types of wood especially Meranti and Cengal were used for the fabrication of carving components. The study found that Cengal-based wood carving has distinctive physical and chemical characteristics thus distinguished it from those found in Meranti-based wood carving. The study suggests the visual and physical characteristics of the carving components characterize their heritage values. These characteristics determine the distinctiveness of the carved components that has become the key determinants to their heritage attributes resulting to significant pieces of work. Future research could be conducted to determine the suitable method for preserving the wood carving as cultural heritage. The Malay traditional wood carving need to be protected to ensure its cultural heritage values are maintained in good condition.

DISPARATINGTHE MEANING OF PUBLIC PLACE OF A HISTORIC CITY.

Nor Zalina Harun. Previous researches have made critical contributions to the understanding of the significance of place to people. This study aims to explore one spectrum of people’s place experience to reveal an understanding of place meaning as it is a complex and multi-faceted phenomenon that comprises of people’s emotional relationships to place. Another concern of the study is to identify the importance of public space in historical cities. Firstly, the paper reviews the relevant literature on place and place meaning, while disparate and integrating concepts of it are encountered through semi-structured interviews with users of public space (n=40) in Melaka (a UNESCO world listed heritage city). The study folds the meaning of one long existed public space that had undergone a series of change, which is locally known as Dataran Pahlawan. Evolved from a seaside esplanade originally known as Padang Pahlawan, the space was gradually transformed in term of functions and physical appearance. The study provided evidence on people’s experience of the place. The changes and the loss of Padang Pahlawan as a memorable public place have not weakened the place identity of the city and its place meaning. To the residents, the Dataran Pahlawan and its surrounding still contributed a panoramic experience and urban enjoyment. There are indeed elements that are commonly recognized with pleasure and care by the users, in which the study shows that the physical changes in some way modified people’s will and awareness towards urban conservation. The study also corroborates additional benefits of Dataran Pahlawan, which are obtained through the very form and nature of the city. It is suggested that the area and its surrounding convey various architectural meanings such as civic and ceremonial ground, a square, a district, a landmark and a node. It is a vision that results of mapping the meaning of the public space may determine its significance and values that contribute to the evocation of place identity in the Malaysian urban area.

“Al-Jamaal” as a concept of Islamic aesthetics: from the perspectives of religion and art

The concept of aesthetics has received a growing attention from Western scholars since the nineteenth century. Over the past centuries until today, there has been substantial research by Western scholars on various arts produced by the Muslims. However, the concept of aesthetics has captured the special attention of researchers from different fields during the past three decades. The meanings of aesthetics in Islam has long been exposed to the approach that integrates to the understanding of the opposed Islamic worldviews. In fact, many scholars attempt to incapacitate the meaning of Islamic aesthetic merely form tangible forms rather than its contents. Thus, this paper aims to explore and discuss “Al-Jamaal” an Arabic term that means “beauty” as an Islamic aesthetic concept that offers preliminary guidelines in defining Islamic aesthetics, particularly in built environment context. The two objectives of this paper are (1) To explore the meanings of aesthetics in accordance Al- Jamaal concept based on literature review, and (2) To discuss the meanings of “Al-Jamaal” concept from the perspectives of religion and art. The study is conducted through a systematic literature review on Al-Jamaal based on the Quranic perspectives and prophetic traditions, and conducting in-depth interviews with 15 key informants with religious and arts background. Based on the findings, this study establishes nine parameters of the Al-Jamaal concept of Islamic aesthetics, which are spiritual, application, the manner of execution, sense of belonging, ethics, linguistic, self-experience, knowledge and personal expression. This study concludes that “Al-Jamaal” represents a broader meanings of aesthetics in Islam

Choreographing the everyday feast: accommodating Malaysian temporary markets in a changing context

Temporary markets are often perceived as places that possess a sense of localness. They may seem to exist on spontaneity and chaos, but in fact rely on certain infrastructures and conditions that enable them to operate. However, as developments continue to progress in cities and suburbs, there will be inevitable changes in lifestyle, mobility and values of public spaces. Temporary markets will be, if they are not already, under pressure from the processes of urbanisation. With these changes expected to happen, how can temporary markets continue to develop with their rich experiential qualities? This paper explores strategies to accommodate prospective temporary markets in Putrajaya, Malaysia, given the condition that the markets are temporary and will have to be relocated in the future. The study employed techniques of observation, mapping, personal experiences and speculative design propositions to understand and test different ways of how the markets might operate in a changing context. The findings revealed that the operations of temporary markets need to be adapted to its context, through choreographing the flows of its spaces, users and activities, and the provision of specific hard and soft infrastructures. The planning of a market involves strategies at multiple scales.