Proposal 8 : Homey Island Center

By: Nor Mazlina Binti Masli, Nurul Nabilah Binti Abdul Rahim, Nur Syafiqah Binti Munauwar.

Introduction of Report

The purpose of this report is to provide ideas and suggestions on the design of a suitable site area for the planning of the central planning area in ​​Kuah Town Centre, Langkawi. This is to produce elements that need to be applied to create an innovative, effective and creative design in providing a development that is relevant to the concept of development in the study area. Thus, a balanced development concept is developed in terms of the appropriate aspects to generate ideas and strategies relevant to the existing development of the study area.

Site Backgrounds

The study area of the central area planning is located at the Kuah Town Centre, Langkawi. It is the state of Kedah, in district of Langkawi and town in Kuah. The area started from the southern end of the island at the point of the Jetty and extends all the way north to the center of Kuah City. After that, it moved west to cover the district of Kelibang. The distance from the nearest City is about 16.2 nautical mile from Kuala Perlis. The size of study area is 810 hectares or 2001.6 acres. 

                                                                             

Figure 1: Key plan of the study area

Figure 1.1: Location plan of the study area

Figure 1.2: Site plan of the study area

Introduction Concept

Liveability in creating towards sustainable and harmony lifestyle. Liveability is a various of element in society. The environment and the shared experiences that create a community. It is focus on human experience and specific to place and time. 

Vision

Kuah as a Homey Island Center by 2035.

 

Goal

Shaping the image of Kuah as a harmonious, responsive and accommodating town for both local residents and visitors. 

Objectives:

-To provide places for harmonious living and urban spaces that are pleasant and cheerful. 

-To add more cosy accommodation and upgrade existing tourists' accommodation. 

- To enhance commercial areas, tourists' attractions and supportive amenities.   

Findings

• The unsufficient of affordable house for people live in that area to have comfortable and harmonious living needs. 

• The space of parking not enough at Jetty Kuah to accomodate the numbers of local residents and visitors arrival visiting the place. 

• There is no attractive landscape attraction to create a lively environment with the arrival of many visitors. 

• The image of colour for historical facade of commercial buildings does not reflect the environment of people interest to the place.

• There are facilities and amenities that are not well maintained as the needs of the people at Dataran Lang can affect the harmonious environment of the local residents and visitors. 

Introduction of Development Plan

T The concept of homey island center from the combination of sustainable city, smart communities connected and transit oriented development. The idea of concept is to provide the best facility for the local people and visitors. Besides that, the design of the element of land use such as commercial area, residential area and tourism area are in position to make sure the interception with sharing space or facilities and create a responsive and harmony interaction between the local people and tourists. 

                        BUBBLE DIAGRAM HOMEY ISLAND CENTER

                                                                   Figure 1.3: Bubble Diagram 

Concept Idea

The concept idea is incorporate all the element to create a Homey Island Center. 

The bubble diagram of Homey Island Center. This consits of 6 main elements for this concept. The main elements are housing, transportation, commercial, facilities, recreation and green area. These suggestions are based on the vision, goal and objectices of the concept. Then, it expands to form the main relationship from each of the elements. 

Element of Concept

Mixed-used development

• Accessibility
• Residential Area
• Facilities
• Commercial
• Open Space/Recreation Area
• Landscape/Green Area

Accessibility

The main accessibility connected to the mix-used of development in this concept. 

Residential Area

Built an affordable housing to provide a new harmonious living for the local people. 

 

Facilities

Provide a new free standing building facilities for parking area for arrivals of local people and visitors. 

Commercial

Conserve a facade buildings of commercial area with reimaging a new image of colour for the building structures to appear a new look for attraction of visitors. 

Open Space/Recreation Area

Preserve an area to brings out an attractive view to attract more people coming to the place. 

Landscape/Green Area

Brings out a new look which conserve the place with attractive image of landscape for good view to the visitors. 

                                                            Figure 1.4: Concept Plan Site Zone 1 

Type of Development Involve in Bandar Kuah

i. Preservation

• Preservation (P1)

For preserve green area near Jetty Kuah will be maintained to support the environment of nature at Pekan Kuah. According to the conversation in Australian, the South Australian is one of the city keep the track on green space. These green spaces provide multiple benefits for human to be preserved. The concept of city is create to have well managed, accessible and maintained with appropriate resources to ensure availability and long-term quality. The preserve area for green space will be much better when well managed took place near Jetty Kuah. 

• Preservation 2 (P2)

The preserve area at Dataran Lang by maintaining and providing suitable landscape for better experience during the visiting. According to Charles A. Birnbaum, preservation planning approach on cultural landscape. It is related to the concept for enhance the tourist's attraction to the place. The image of landscape preservation revealed the aspect of country's origins and development to help Dataran Lang get attractive view from visitors. 

ii. Conservation

• Conservation 1 (P1)

For conservation at Taman Lagenda with rebranding the image of landscape because the poor of maintainance and unmanage of landscape. According to Australian Government, the begins marked of conservation to improve in working conditions and increased leisure time. The interaction with nature led more people to appreciate the significance of the place. The appearance image of attractive landscape produces the good attraction to visitors.    

•  Conservation 2 (C2)

The commercial area need to conserve along the main road with reimaging the image of buildings colour by giving a new look on historical facade to attract more people. This is to brings out attractive image of the commercial buildings. That for reflect the environment of the buildings in getting attraction of people interest to the place.

iii. New Development

• New development 1 (ND1)

The new development to provide a free standing building parking for vehicle such as buses and cars. The concept is providing a multi-level car parking space at Jetty Kuah to overcome the traffic conjunction and improve the facilities for the visitors and local people especially during peak hour. This can give a good accommodation and traffic flow during peak hour and special occasion such as holidays. 

• New development 2 (ND2)

The providing a new residential area with affordable housing for the local people. The types of affordable housing such as terracce house. The concept is build an affordable housing area to overcome the issues of unsufficient of affordable houses at that area. This is also a place to create a harmonious environment with having a cosy place to live much pleasant and cheerful. 

Benchmarking

Homey Island Center related to the liveability. Liveability in the Australian City. According to the Lorraine Chaffer, Australian is an assessment of what place is like to live in, using particular criteria, for example environmental quality, crime and safety, education and health provision, access to shops and services, recreational facilities and cultural activities. A liveable city is also defined as being ''safe, attractive, affordable and sustainable where people can live in appropriate housing. 

                                                                            

Figure 1.5: Liveability in the Australian City
Source: https://www.agta.asn.au/conf2015/presentations/Chaffer_L.pdf

                                                                                                 

A collection idea of the city

- The factors that influence the decisions people make about where to live and their perceptions of the liveability of places. 

-  The influence of accessibility to services and facilities on the liveability of places.

-  The impacts influence of environmental quality on the liveability of places.

-  The influence of social connectedness, community identity and perceptions of crime and safety on the liveability of places. 

The strategies to enhance the liveability of places

The strategies to enhance liveability related to the liveable streets and community. The nature of the street we life can influence our quality of life. In the Australian Urban Design Protocol, a liveable community is comfortable, vibrant, safe and walkable. Liveable strees are comfortable, welcoming and safe places where people can life, play socialise, travel and shop. These streets bring people together and foster a strong sense of community. ''A livable streets is a roadway designed to accomodate the needs of all users such as drivers, transit vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians of all kinds. 

A Focus on Liveability

The great places to live should have that followings:

- Sociability

- Access and Linkages

- Uses and Activities

- Comfort and Image

                                                

Planning Ideas and Strategies

Make a place feel like Homey Island Center concept.  

Strategy 1 - Build a new development of an affordable housing in mixed-used development.

Idea - Provide the place for harmonious living.

                                                                                                                                                

Figure 1.6: Affordable Housing View
Source: http://zonrumah.com/pah03/

The important things is to provide a new residential area with affordable housing for the local people. The types of affordable housing that provide is terrace house. The reason this houses are provided because it is one of the needed to people have a new comfortable place to live. Furthermore, it is also to overcome the issues of unsufficient of affordable houses at that area. 

                                                                      

Figure 1.7: Illustration of Housing Layout
Source:  http://zonrumah.com/pah03/

                                                                        

                                                                            

Figure 1.8: Perspective View of Affordable Housing
Source: https://www.facebook.com/hartanahperumahankgmk/

          

Strategy 2 - Provide a new development of efficient free standing building parking facilities at Jetty Kuah.

Idea - Accommodate the arrival of vehicles visiting the place. 

                                                                       

Figure 1.9: Perspective View of Multi-level Car Parking Complex
Source: http://biblus.accasoftware.com/en/car-parking-design-types-examples-and-architectural-model-3d-bim/

The new developments such as provide the multi-storey car park at Jetty Kuah are needed to accommodate the high volume of vehicles. This is because the existing parking lot can no longer accommodate the number of vehicles where most vehicles are now parked at the curb. In addition, the existing car park has also become a car parking for car renters. This is because, there is no special place for the dealers who rent these vehicles to park their vehicles. The development of this multi-storey car park is also to reduce and prevent traffic congestion.

                                                                         

Figure 2: Illustration View of Multi-level Car Parking Design
Source: http://biblus.accasoftware.com/en/car-parking-design-types-examples-and-architectural-model-3d-bim/

The design of multi-level car parking is one of the alternative that helps to accomodate the number of people and add the existing car parking at Jetty Kuah. Based on our concept, this design of car parking create for overcome the space at that area.

                                                 

Strategy 3 - Create the conservation area for an attractive greenery view to appear the environment.

Idea -  Give a new life to Taman Lagenda.   

                                                                          

Figure 2.1: Greenery View
Source: https://ecoworld.my/ecobusinesspark2/concept.html

Figure 2.2: Origins View of Taman Lagenda
Source: photo from site area
 

The Taman Lagenda should rebranding the image of landscape. This is because the poor of maintainance and unmanage of landscape. Besides, it serve people with various types of activities. It is one of attraction place that visited by tourist and local people. Thus, Taman Lagenda is also can become a nice place to be visited that give the people pleasant environment.                                                                             

                                                  

Figure: 2.3: Illustration of Greenery View
Source: http://www.bangkokarchitect.com/project/mandai-resort-singapore/

Strategy 4 - Brings out to conserve a new look on facade building at commercial area.

Idea - As new landscape beautify the environment of the building.

                                                                            

                                                                       

Figure 2.4: Perpespective View of Reimaging Commercial Buildings
Source: https://techinc.org/2018/02/05/introducing-the-link/11x17-perspective-view-main-entry-02/

                                                                                                                                                            

There a lot of commercial area with historical facade that need to be reimaging with suitable colour of building. Commercial area along the main road with reimaging by give a new look on facade to attract people. This is because the image of the building can give a clear and easy direction of the accessibility to commercial area. The suitable strategy are needed also to help the commercial area which generate the economy of city. 

Strategy 5 - Preserve Dataran Lang to get appearance of attraction. 

Idea - Brings an attractive view to attract more people.

                                                                                                                                                   

Figure 2.5:Perspective View Image of Attraction
Source: https://www.archdaily.com/805639/6-low-cost-techniques-to-activate-underused-urban-space/58a820ace58ece2d69000286-6-low-cost-techniques-to-activate-underused-urban-space-image

                                                                         

                                                        

Figure 2.6: Origins View of Dataran Lang
Source: photo from site area

    

One of the place that visited by tourist and local people that need to improvement is at Dataran Lang. Therefore, this place should upgrade their facilities and amenities to give a more comfortable atmosphere for the people to visit. The place can also give people the better environment during the visiting.

Schematic Plan

- New Residential Area

                                                                            

Figure 2.7: Schematic Plan of Affordable Housing

      

The new residential area of the concept for Homey Island Center is to provide a new comfortable and harmonious place to live for the local people. 

- New Free Standing Building Car Parking Facilities

                                                                                

Figure 2.8: Schematic Plan of Multi-level Car Parking Complex

The new free standing building car parking facilities of the concept for Homey Island Center is to provide a new place to accommodate the parking space for the arrival of vehicles. 

Detailed Proposal Layout

New Development:

- Built an Affordable Housing 

                                                                     

                

Figure 2.9: Detail Layout of Affordable Housing 

- Provide Multi-level Car Parking Complex

                                                               

Figure 3: Detail Layout of Multi-level Car Parking Complex

 

Master Plan 

- Overall Site Area (Zone 1)

                                                                            

Figure: 3.1: Overall Site Area (Zone 1)

L

•      Affordable Housing 

                                              

                                

Figure 3.2: Master Plan of Affordable Housing

•      Multi-level Car Parking Complex                         

                                                                                 

   

Figure 3.3: Multi-level Car Parking Complex

Conclusion

    As a conclusion, homey island center created a concept relate to liveability for giving harmonious environment to local residents and visitors. The concept is build for solving the findings of choosen site area in zone 1. Based on that, the development of plan of our concept is create to bring out the idea to have a good attraction to visit the place. The bubble diagram is create to develop idea for filling the place with suitable elements that relate to our concept. While, the concept plan have been create to consider the design of the place for preservation, conservation and new development area.

    Furthemore, the ideas and strategies is build for brings up the design element for our concept. There are 5 ideas and strategies that we brings out in the minds for design the element feels like the concept of homey island center. The ideas and strategies that is propose for enhance the attraction of the local residents and visitors visiting to the place. Therefore, our concept of homey island center is one of the concept created to design the place with suitable elements for giving more attraction to local residents and visitors. Besides, the design helps to enhanced the attractive image of landscape for the place. Thus, The concept is designed to feel like homey island center.

References

Birnbaum, C. A. (1994, September). Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning Treatment and Management of Historic Landscapes. Retrieved from nps.gov: https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/36-cultural-landscapes.htm

Car parking design: types, examples and a 3D architectural BIM model. (n.d.). Retrieved from Biblus.accasoftware:http://biblus.accasoftware.com/en/car-parking-design-types-examples-and-architectural-model-3d-bim/ 

Chaffer, L. (2015). Place and Liveability. Retrieved from agta.asn:  Portal: https://www.agta.asn.au/conf2015/presentations/Chaffer_L.pdf

Hartanah Perumahan. (n.d.). Retrieved from facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hartanahperumahankgmk/

Melanie Davern, A. F. (2017). Higher Density Cities Need Greening To Stay Healthy And Liveable. Retrieved from theconversation: https://theconversation.com/higher-density-cities-need-greening-to-stay-healthy-and-liveable-75840

National Heritage Places - Royal National Park and Garawarra State Conservation Area. (2006, December). Retrieved from environment.gov.: http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/royal-park

Teres 1 Tingkat: Taman Sejahtera, Indera Sempurna, Kuantan, Pahang. (n.d.) Retrieved  from zonrumah:  http://zonrumah.com/pah03/