Preserving the Characteristics of Urban Heritage: An insight into the concept of Malaysian Royal Towns

Royal towns in Malaysia are the finest examples of traditional Malay towns, which are strongly associated with the long history of Malay Sultanates in Malaysia. This study aims to identify the significant characteristics that perhaps homogenously shared by the Malaysian Royal Towns to be inferred as the symbol and identity of the place. The study begins with thorough literature reviews of historical Malay manuscripts for some insights into how the traditional Malay towns were during the early 14th to the 19th century. From this, the study managed to identify three prominent characteristics that shaped the whole physical images of Malaysian Royal Towns. These characteristics are known as the king’s palace, traditional Malay settlements known as kampongs and lastly, traditional Malay fortification system. Nevertheless, these characteristics are being threatened due to improper planning and modernisation of the Royal Towns. A conventional conservation approach, however, seems insufficient to address the whole idea of a Malaysian Royal Town. These identified characteristics, in this case, are interrelated and thus required in-depth study of each Royal Town to investigate the traditional knowledge lies within the culture and a new comprehensive in-depth method of conservation and preservation in order to sustain the image of the place as a cradle of the Malay civilisation.

Ethnology : an alternative in indigenous landscape planning and design

Physical development has jeopardized the traditional living environmetn of many Indigenous communities. Encroachment upon natural forest areas by major development for infrastructure, housing schemes and new townships has led to the dislocation of many indigenous communities from their original landscapes. Government resettlement and relocation initiatives and programs for indigenous communities, as a consequence of these landscape changes, have exposed indigenous communities to modern lifestyles and values that gradually impact upon their intrinsic cultural values in knowledge and practices, especially for young generations. This research paper reviews how ethnological knowledge may give invaluable insights into how environments influence or dictate Indigenous community responses and decision making for re-settlement. In addition, ethnographic approaches offer potential for use in landscape research methodologies to describe cultural realities. A quality understanding of Indigenous culture and community associations with environment will hopegully inform and contribute to the success and sustainability of landscape planning and development in these context

The ethnobotany of the Semelai community at Tasek Bera, Pahang, Malaysia: an ethnographic approach for re-settlement.

Plants and environment play important roles in the Semelai’s living culture. This association and dependency upon plants and other natural resources, however, is deteriorating due to the depletion of these resources. Fieldwork was conducted in Tasek Bera, Pahang, Malaysia, with the objective of interrogating the ethnobotany of the Semelai, an Indigenous community locally known as Orang Asli Semelai who have lived within these wetlands territories for more than 600 years. The Tasek Bera is being one of RAMSAR's internationally protected and monitored habitats and contributes to the significance of this Indigenous community being studied. Participant observation, in order to have indepth understanding, was carried out where a selection of respondents was questioned about their knowledge and expertise. This ethnographic research was directed at investigating and evaluating Indigenous knowledge and environmental heritage which started within the ambit of ethnobotany. This thesis offers insights to the reader from a multi-disciplinary perspective that engages in a wide body of interdisciplinary works including sociology, landscape planning, architecture, anthropology, ethnobotany and ethnology. Taking ethnology to its most general definition, the sub-discipline refers to investigation of the socio-cultural distinctiveness of a community. This thesis investigates the associations and inter-relationships of this particular Indigenous society with their environment to determine their decision-making processes and rationale that characterises their culture. This thesis explores how Indigenous knowledge, perceptions, values and activities that are embedded in the ethnology of the Semelai can and should be incorporated into present Indigenous settlement design and planning in order to sustain this Indigenous group’s intrinsic values. Spatial mobility among the Semelai is of interest in ethnological study, as this process is related to transformations of the landscape and the environment. The novel approaches used in this study could be used in future landscape methodological studies and analysis about human culture. They however require an indepth understanding of the people who are using the space rather than what designers and planners think that they should have. It is therefore hoped that insights from this dissertation may inform agencies involved in the planning and development policies of Malaysia and may also to offer a valuable window into the world of the Semelai’s ethnology.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, 201

Gender variations in wellbeing indicators between urban and mountain landscape environments

The issue of variations in physiological indicators of wellbeing based on gender serves as incentive for natural landscape environment interactions. This study examined gender variations in blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate between contact with low-altitude urban (pretest) and mountain landscape environments (posttest). To attain the goal of this study, 38 respondents (16 males, 22 females) participated in the seven-day experimental study. Pretest and posttest measures of blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate were elicited from both male and female respondents at the urban environment within the first three days and at the mountain landscape environment the following three days. Results show that both male and female systolic blood pressure increased at the mountain landscape environment while their diastolic blood pressure reduced marginally. There was no difference in gender response in terms of pulse rate. Conversely, male respondents experienced reduction of respiratory rate at the mountain landscape environment while female respondents experienced increase. Findings suggest that the only apparent difference in gender response is in their respiratory rate. The extent to which gender might be related to physiological wellbeing through contact with natural mountain landscape environment is revealed. Hence, a platform is set for policy makers and governments for the creative harnessing of mountain landscape environments

A sustainable urban farming index assessment model for evaluating food productivity that applies multi-criteria decision-making methods — A case study in Malaysia

Governments need a reliable farming technique to feed the ever-growing population of the world, which is sustainable and responsive to the environment, ecosystem, society, and economy. Urban farming can significantly protect urban lands while balancing the natural environment for self-reliant food production. The essential need for a tool able to quantify and evaluate the performance of the urban farm's sustainable food production has persuaded us to develop the Sustainable Urban Farming Index Assessment (SUFIA) Model. The research has applied the critical literature review and identified three criteria and fifteen sub-criteria handling sustainable farming, and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) measured the weights. AHP revealed reducing air pollution (WC1.1.=29.3224), soil health and water cleaning (WC1.2.=29.2454), and food sovereignty (WC3.1.=25.6442) are critical in food productivity. The model was implemented to a case, Zenxin Organic Farm, for validation. The case earned Grade C, means, Zenxin Organic Farm is a usable urban farm while some features need substantial improvements regarding soil health and water cleaning, dynamic site design and selection, and supportive community environment. The model is a universal and multi-functional decision support tool that helps urban managers, local authorities, and policy-makers to minimize urban's food production impairments through a systematic and consensus-wise decision-making mechanism

Designing a healthy learning environment in the library with extensive green roof

Extensive green roof technology has the benefits of supporting a healthy learning environmental design for university students. This paper discusses the use of extensive green roof system in a library through a landscape architecture studio project in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The university main library building, Sultanah Zanariah Library, is selected as the study area because it has extended flat roof façade on each building level. The objective of the project is to investigate the potential of having a green roof at the library. Currently there is no attempt to improve the visual condition of the library’s extended roof space. Thus, in order to enhance the visual condition of the roof, the design project conducted a short design program which identifies the overall design methodology and carried out an inventory and analysis of the library premises. The inventory and analysis stage gained preliminary understanding of the library’s current physical conditions, site issues and identified the potentials and constraints of the area. Fifty five respondents answered questionnaires on how they perceived the library if green elements were placed on the extended roof. The design process provided design rationales, solutions and recommendations to create a healthy learning environment in the library with the design of a green roof. This study not only helps students to acquire an understanding of green roof concept but also how it could influence the creation of a healthy learning environment in the library

Planning and design considerations for birds and butterflies diversity of small urban parks: A case of Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

While most previous research has been conducted in large urban parks, the potential of small parks as urban habitats remains largely unexplored, particularly in tropical regions. The purpose of this paper is to provide landscape architects, planners, park managers and municipalities with recommendations for planning, design and management with the aim to enhance small urban parks’ biodiversity. Physical characteristics, vegetation and human factors are the important features that were highlighted using empirical data from nine small urban parks in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia sized between 0.5-3.5 hectares. Birds and butterflies are used as ecological indicators because they are relatively easy to identify and show clear responses to environmental change. Pearson’s correlations and multiple regressions, followed by an analysis of the Akaike’s Information Criterion were conducted to study the relationships between the measured variables, and to identify which of the variables have a significant effect on bird and butterfly species richness and abundance. The results demonstrate that the percentage of canopy cover, park size and native vegetation are the best predictors of bird species richness and abundance. Meanwhile, the butterfly species richness and abundance can be best predicted by the percentage of canopy cover, shrub species and native vegetation. Based on these results and the identification of key features for bird and butterfly richness and abundance, nine recommendations are provided to improve biodiversity of small urban parks: (1) set minimum areas for a small urban park; 2) inclusion of water elements to support a wider range of species; (3) the application of internal patch-corridor-matrix features; (4) attention to the aspect of cleanliness and appearance of small parks; (5) the proportion of open and shaded areas; (6) the planting composition of trees, palms and shrubs should be designed not only with aesthetic functions, but also for biodiversity; (7) the vertical and horizontal layers of vegetation structures; (8) providing natural buffers for wildlife protection; and (9) creating unmanaged patches in sunny areas by using wildflowers

A treatment wetland park assessment model for evaluating urban ecosystem stability using analytical hierarchy process (AHP)

The increased impervious and built-up urban areas threat ecosystem stability through major environmental problems, such as surface runoff, flooding, and wildlife habitat resource depletion. Hence, urban ecologists and planners are attempting to enhance the capacities of wetlands parks in urban ecosystem stabilization. They need an assessment tool to evaluate and quantify the performance of wetland parks on these issues, hereof this study has developed the Urban Wetland Park (UWP) index assessment model. The research conducted three phases; the requirement study to identify the features of wetland park design, formulating index model using Analytical Hierarchy Process method, and model validation using expert input. The UWP model identified eighteen features clustered into three criteria and fifteen sub-criteria and then determined the weights of features. For model validation, the UWP model was applied in Putrajaya wetland park. The UWP resulted with grade B (Good) for Putrajaya wetland park. It means the Putrajaya wetland park performs well in ecosystem stabilization, although the experts recommended few minor improvements regarding site selection (WC1.1.= 0.588), multi-cell and multi-stage design (WC1.5.= 0.604), depth proportion (WC1.6.= 0.652), and biodiversity (WC2.1.= 0.691). Study proposed the UWP as a universal decision support tool to help urban authorities, urban planners and ecologists to assess the ecosystem stabilization of wetland parks.Scopu