AAA726 PLANNING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

ASSIGMENT (PART 2 – INDIVIDUAL)

CLEANSING THE ORDEAL : CREATING A BETTER KL

Prepared by:
`Aini Az-Zahra` Bt Hj Ismail
2021259034
Wangsa Maju : From Rubber Estate to One of the Largest Township in Kuala Lumpur.

Wangsa Maju is one of the largest townships and a constituency in Kuala

Lumpur, Malaysia. Focusing on low-cost housing. The residents of PPR Wangsa Sari
at Seksyen 1 have been suffering from various issues including narrow roads due to
illegal extension and improper planning that lead to lost space for public parks and
green zone. Further from the issues discovered by the group assignment, I will
emphasize on how the impact of need of open spaces driven to diminished social
interaction among residents at PPR Wangsa Sari.

From the president of committee members, Encik Md. Noh B. Md. Zain, familiar
known as ‘Abang Otai’, in general PPR Wangsa Sari was completed by 2009 after a
long time abandon afterward was bought by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) from a
private developer before converting under PPR Scheme Housing. Based on building
guidelines, there are required 10% open area and recreation area for apartments
consist of 70% functional area and 30% of includes perimeter planting. Be that as it
may, it is exceptionally likely that this housing project of 650sqft per unit come with 3
bedrooms for more than 250 families has been complicated from the early stages of
its planning since the occupation from 12 years ago there is not sufficient green range
given for the residents except for a children's playground space. Open area given
basically work for on ground parking area. The vice president of committee members
Encik Mazlan B. Abdul Latif who is the key voice fighting the right of the residents
share his concerns towards the safety of the residents regarding the issue. He
expressed that most youngsters will play on the road or else they have to pay court
rent in the event that they need sports exercises. Same goes to the elderly who are
trying to find green zones for leisure activities due to outdoor space activity constraint.
Included with the issue of unlawful expansion by encompassing workshop, expanded
the enduring of the PPR Wangsa Sari residents and more reduced the opportunities
for residents to have social interaction.

For PPR Wangsa Sari Resident, they have begun garden project at pocket area
on ground level namely ‘Kebun Bandar Damai Sari’. However, the resident hope that
the illegal extension of factory which occupied within setback of the housing area could
be handled or demolished so they will have more space for garden project. As of now,
the resident committee members need to persistently take after up with the local
authorities with respect to the issue. In addition, from Metro News 23 April 2021,
president of Lestari Alam, Encik Rashdan Rashid said he was currently in talks with
the residents to register their names with DBKL so that the farming could be legalized.

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Several residents also expressed their happiness over the project and hope to see
some behavioral change from the residents around the area towards strengthening
the bonding. Furthermore, another idea of having community gardens is to reduce the
need to purchase vegetables at the market which can save on household expenses.
Hence, residents do not have to use motor vehicles to go to the market or to the shop
to get supplies of vegetables. Indirectly, carbon emissions can be reduced. This
advantage can be the added value as Section 1 Wangsa Maju was chosen for the pilot
project of the first zero-carbon township initiative by DBKL.

A comprehensive ethical approach for human nature interaction is the

awareness that we cannot neglect in order to create an ideal city that has a strong
sense of community. Subsequently, other than trusting and holding up for the local
authority to take action on the illegal extension at the housing area, alternative or other
potential areas can be proposed for the growth of social interaction.

For the primary approach, I am considering more advantages on social

interaction can be achieve through a few other locations surrounding the residential
area to rejuvenate as activity spaces instead of as it were centering on one area.
Based on site observation, the front area of the housing area has the potential to create
a second community garden for indoor and outdoor. See Figure 6,7,8,9 & 10. With the
concept of planter box or small box garden will easily design on the small area. An
additional alternative for farming activities is indoor farming. Mushrooms are one of
the types that mature under fluorescent lights. Thus, the mushrooms cultivate program
can be proposed to allocate it at a temporary structure. Too, considering on vertical
garden, the alternative can be proposed is the hydrophobic home pocket garden
where the resident can find at the corner of the hallway at floor level.

Indicating to Nowon Energy Zero housing complex in Nowon-gu, northeastern

Seoul Korea, a project on urban farming bonds communities. With limited open spaces
they find alternative solutions to enhance social interaction through program like indoor
community mushroom farm. The vertical farm require the residents together grow,
share and sell the mushrooms, donating the profits to local charities and welfare
centers. Other than that, they create basic programs like small box garden located on
rooftop and space between close knit building. Lee Byung-hun, a city official in charge
of the urban farm projects stated that “the main focus of these projects is not supplying
food, it is about the social experience the urban farms can bring to residents.”

Referring guidelines from the Federal Department of Town and Country

Planning, Peninsular Malaysia (FDTCP) ‘Community Farm’ is an agricultural activity
carried out by local people voluntarily on a piece of land. The minimum appropriate
size for a community garden is 929 square meters (10,000 square feet). However, this
area can be reduced according to the suitability of the site. Also, Community Farm is
not necessarily in the neighborhood. It can be developed within 800 meters of the
green neighborhood boundary which is suitable for walking distance.

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 Due to pandemic Covid19, another consideration should be taken within
discernment towards the role of open spaces or community farms to upgrade social
interaction. Based on a survey by educational practices in Klang Valley region,
concluded that there ought to be architectural intervention in providing pocket garden
friendly housing design and planning to make pocket gardens successful. It
recommends ratio each house have a minimum of 3m² of the pocket garden. The
findings also recommend pocket garden be created into a community vegetable
garden in the park to foster better relationships among the community. Moreover,
residents will have the choice to introduce hydroponics and rooftop gardens due to
limited land area in order to find the solution in implementing pocket gardens within
the limited open space area.

For a down to earth approach which appear higher potential to propose is with
regard to the statement from Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah stated
in News The Star 17 May 2021 that “with such infrastructure, we hope to encourage
people to walk and exercise more, and drive less. People should only resort to driving
if it is absolutely necessary and there will be less pollution and clean air for a healthier
society,” he clarifies the detailed plans of Wangsa Maju the pioneer of zero carbon
township. Part of the work incorporates constructing a network of pedestrian
walkways, jogging tracks and bicycle paths, upgrading aging railings along the
residential area as well as the Sungai Bonus jogging and cycling track behind the PPR
Wangsa Sari.

Responding to the statement, Encik Mazlan emerges the thought of proposing

a linkage connecting the PPR Wangsa Sari housing area and the garden. This will be
another solution for open space issue for PPR Wangsa Sari resident, there is a
potential green area behind the residential area separated by Sungai Bunus which is
currently being redeveloped by DBKL to convert into landscaped gardens. By having
a bridge, the access to the garden will be direct hence attract the resident for healthy
outdoor activity.

A journal article by (Peschardt et al. 2012) who studied the use of small public
green open space for socializing, rest and restitution using survey in Copenhagen,
Denmark stated that ‘short distances to nearby pocket parks are basic criteria of such
spaces and it not only contributes to the social benefits of the residents, but also have
health, environment, recreational and relaxation or mental benefits.’

Another solution is to propose on a roughly 1.2acre open space which currently

serves as an open parking area. In fact, numerous abandon broken vehicle left there
making the area unattractive. The idea is to remain the function as parking area but
also to revive for community garden project along with recreational areas such as
futsal court to serve for youth and elderly community.

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 To support the idea in general, we can refer to one of the goals of Kuala Lumpur
Structure Plan 2040 which is healthy and vibrant, mentioned that Kuala Lumpur’s
existing limited natural environment is an important asset to balance the impact of
urbanisation as a city with the highest rate of urbanisation in Malaysia.

In conclusion, the issues of lacking social interaction at PPR Wangsa Sari can
be solved by proposing to have several locations surrounding the residential area for
the community garden project, the bridge connected to redeveloped garden across
Bunus River behind the housing area and rejuvenate open parking area for a
multifunction area for farming, sports and parking. The proposal will give an alternative
to the community to develop more activities within the community. Residents Wangsa
Sari also looking forward to the first zero carbon township planning as their residential
area was included under the project zoning hence will gives much opportunity to
enhance the social interaction and bonding among the community. Lastly, the value
of open spaces is very significant especially for the urban neighbourhood because it
is not only a place where people join nature but also communicate with each other
socially, culturally and green open spaces design has a great role to lead people to
activities that are shared as a type of social interaction.

References:
1. Pembangunan Kebun Kejiranan. Panduan pelaksanaan Inisiatif Pembangunan Kejiranan
Hijau. Jabatan Perancangan Bandar dan Desa Semenanjung Malaysia. Kementerian
Kesejahteraan Bandar, Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan.
2. Salih, S.A., Ismail, S. and Mseer, A. (2020), "Pocket parks for promoting social interaction
among residents of Baghdad City", Archnet-IJAR, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 393-408.
https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-11-2019-0261
3. Sanusi, A. N. Z. ., Abdullah, F., Othman, R. ., Azmin, A. K., Yusof, Z. B. ., & Asif, N. (2021).
The Role of Home Pocket Garden to Achieve Quality of Life during the Pandemic Era.
Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 6(18), 271-281.
https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i18.3079
4. Nochian, Ashkan & Mohd tahir, Osman & Maulan, Suhardi & Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi.
(2015). A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC OPEN SPACE CATEGORIZATION USING
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC OPEN
SPACES. Alam Cipta (International Journal on Sustainable Tropical Design Research and
Practice). 8. 29-40.
5. Beautification of Sungai Bonus set to start in July. Metro News By Bavani M. Friday, 23
April 2021
6. Damai Sari Urban Farm Bernama interview @ PPR Wangsa Sari. Bernama News
@Wilayahhijau.com 29 March 2021
7. Lee Suh Yoon. Urban farming bonds communities in Seoul. The Korea Times. 10 Oct 2018.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2018/10/281_256714.html
8. Wangsa Sari PPR residents concerned about nearby industrial activities. Bernama. 4
Disember 2020. https://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/wangsa-sari-ppr-residents-
concerned-about-nearby-industrial-activities-271546

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 SITE IMAGES

Figure 1. View from main road lead to the entrance of PPR Wangsa Sari

Figure 2. Signage to PPR Wangsa Sari showing that it under Kuala

Lumpur City Hall authority.

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 SITE ISSUE

Figure 3. Current garden project in constraint space next to the illegal extension from nearby factory which built
on the housing setback area.

Figure 4. The committee members looking forward for

the opportunity to extend the garden area thus can
attract more participation from the residents.

Figure 5. Resident name the project as

Kebun Bandar Damai Sari.

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 PROPOSED SOLUTION 1
Add new locations surrounding the residential area for the community garden project

Figure 6. The temporary structure already received licences from Kuala Lumpur City Hall to
operate can be proposed for indoor mushroom farm project. Intergrade with landscape & small
box garden idea could give more welcoming moods along the front road of PPR Wangsa Sari.

Figure 7 Figure 9

Figure 9 & 10.

Potential front area
for pocket garden
with small box garden
idea.

Image 10

Figure 7. Café waiting area is an example of spatial relationship between

residents as it often a place for conversation among PPR Wangsa Sari
Residents.

Figure 8. ‘Abang Otai’ and his wife Puan Hamidah John in front of their
Figure 8 garden concept Café & Spa. The responsible person to uphold the
bonding among residents. 7 I 10
 PROPOSED SOLUTION 2
Bridge

Public Garden

Bridge

Figure 11. ‘proposing a linkage across Bunus River connecting between the PPR Wangsa Sari housing area
and the redeveloped garden.

PROPOSED SOLUTION 3
Redevelop Open Area

Open
Parking Area

Figure 12. Currently serve as parking area for the residents. Approximately 1.2acre potential open area to
redeveloped for Community Garden project together with recreational area such futsal court to serve for youth
and elderly community. 8 I 10
 CASE STUDY
Project on urban farming bonds communities
Nowon Energy Zero housing complex in Nowon-gu, Northeastern Seoul Korea

Figure 13. To create an urban farm in their Figure 14. Residents at Nowon Energy Zero housing
leftover spaces, have to snuggled between complex in Nowon-gu, northeastern Seoul, tend small box
close knit buildings or on a roof. Image is a gardens.
rooftop community garden in Seodaemun-gu,
northwestern Seoul.

Figure 15. show a community mushroom farm is located under

Sanggye Hyundai Apartment Complex in Nowon-gu, northeastern
Seoul.

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 KUALA LUMPUR
STRUCTURE PLAN 2040

GOAL 3
HEALTHY AND VIBRANT CITY

STRATEGY 1 STRATEGY 2
INTERGRATION OF NATURE IN ATTRACTIVE AND CREATIVE CITY
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

INCREASE IN VERTICAL GREEN ACTIVATION PROGRAM FOR

DENSITY OPEN SPACES THROUGH
THEMED ACTIVITIES

COMMUNITY GARDEN

POCKET GARDEN
PPR WANGSA SARI

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