Student’s work featured on The Star, Press Media 2015

Architecture students share ideas on developing communal side of Kuala Lumpur by by YVONNE T. NATHAN

The young people are concerned about excessive development and want to see the nation’s capital developed as a people-friendly city.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Johor Baru Masters in Architecture students collaborated with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to bring fresh ideas for the city and kicked off with proposals on how to redevelop Jalan Ampang.

Around 50 students from the University who were divided into five groups shared ideas on developing the communal side of the mainly corporate area of Jalan Ampang.

The students who were accompanied by UTM senior lecturer Dr Sharifah Salwa Syed Mahdzar, created five “master plans”, detailing proposals to incorporate leisure and social activities in the bustling Jalan Ampang area.

Three of the master plans were displayed for public viewing at Menara DBKL from Oct 3 to 9 as part of the Jalan Ampang Great Street Forum.

The plans titled “Ampang Broadway”, “Corporate Concrete Jungle at Jalan Ampang” and “Walkable Street” focused on creating a pedestrian-friendly city.

UTM final year Masters in Architecture student and the forum’s operation director Amirul Hakim, 24, said one of the main issues Jalan Ampang faced were abandoned buildings.

He said this was mainly caused by the decrease of connectivity due to the construction of the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH).

“The problem is Jalan Ampang is on the edge of the city centre, blocked off by the Klang River and visitors started bypassing the area when AKLEH was built.

“It is also separated from Kampung Baru.

“If we can connect Kampung Baru into the city centre through bridges or underpasses, we can then promote it as a tourist destination, “ he said, when elaborating about the Kampung Baru Pavilion idea.

“Corporate companies can do their part by providing social connectivity through public spaces that look corporate as these are lacking,” said Amirul.

Student Syed Izmir, 24, advocates to fully utilise the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve by integrating and accentuating the city with its natural green surroundings.

“Jalan Ampang has a lot of history and nature is still preserved in this area compared to the Golden Triangle,” said Syed Izmir.

Fourth semester student Daniel Kan Xin Jian, 24, is in the early stages of addressing the need to beef up Jalan Yap Kwan Seng which is connected to Jalan Ampang.

“We plan to solve the contrast between corporate and residential areas by creating a smooth transition of development, infusing different buildings and activities with ‘human magnets’ such as shopping malls or food.

“But it boils down to walkability, so first the streetscape needs to be addressed because like Jalan Ampang, if there are too many abandoned buildings, the street will look like a ghost town,” he said.

Among the other proposals were one-stop bicycle centres, vendors’ square, electric vehicle power centre, reactivating backlanes and a modernised Malaysian Tourism Centre (MaTiC) to assist visitors.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2015/10/22/architecture-students-share-ideas-on-developing-communal-side-of-kuala-lumpur/#PfUtdv08M8rRmDFi.99