Old areas around Merdeka 118 to be reimagined from young minds through YPLab

• The YPLab initiative this year wants to look at reactivating spaces for the community’s needs through the lens of the younger generation. Transcending beyond its focus on the built environment, participants this time will be challenged to anticipate the needs of the people in the targeted locations as they adapt to the rapid growth resulting from the Merdeka 118 development.

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 21): The time-worn areas surrounding Merdeka 118, the nation’s newest skyscraper, are the focus of new development ideas that will come from young talents garnered from the Young People’s Lab (YPLab) initiative this year.

The selected areas are the vicinity of Kampung Attap, and Jalan Hang Tuah and Kenanga – the key nodes surrounding the Merdeka 118 project located in the heart of the capital city here.

Launched on Saturday (Aug 19), the YPLab initiative this year wants to look at reactivating spaces for the community’s needs through the lens of the younger generation. Transcending beyond its focus on the built environment, participants this time will be challenged to anticipate the needs of the people in the targeted locations as they adapt to the rapid growth resulting from the Merdeka 118 development.

The participants are guided by the theme “Resilience to Growth – from People to People” reflecting the importance of adapting and evolving, emphasising the needs of the future generation who will eventually work, live and play in the areas. 

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YPLab gets young people to propose future city plans that leave no one behind

YPLab is an intervention workshop initiative led by a diverse group of young professionals from the Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP), Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM), Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA), Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID) and Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) – the main organisers this year. EdgeProp.my is the media partner. 

Established as an initiative to support the talent development of students, fresh graduates and young professionals below the age of 40 in the field of architecture, interior design, town planning and urban planning, this programme seeks to establish a platform where young minds can freely express their perspectives on achieving a liveable and sustainable urban environment.

Participants will delve into the analysis and discourse of their visions for the selected urban pockets around Merdeka 118, while preserving the sanctity of the heritage stadiums, Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara.

Anticipate future needs of the communities

Convener from PAM, Wan Siti Hajar Omar told Edgeprop.my that for the first time, the initiative is targeting an area that has already experienced high levels of development. Therefore, the idea is to look beyond the physical aspects of the built environment and to take into account the effects of urbanisation on the communities’ lives.

“We know what happens to the community there now, but they will not live there forever, so what are the needs of the future community?” she asked, adding that YPLab is a suitable platform to tap into the imagination of the next generation to anticipate such needs.

Siti Hajar explained that the participants are required to provide one physical solution to address the built environment and one non-physical solution to address the intangible challenges and cater to the diverse needs of the people in the areas.

Step outside conventional boundaries

The event was officiated by International World Class Sustainable Cities (WCSC) Conference chairman Chan Jin-Wy, in the presence of PAM vice president Ar. Dexter Koh, representing the association as the main organiser this year.

“We challenge thinkers to step outside conventional boundaries. This workshop is to develop the new generation of urban planners and designers. However, the new generation requires guidance. Our role is not to dictate but to stimulate them to think comprehensively,” said Koh in his officiating speech.

Chan noted that the theme for YPLab this year was fittingly adapted from WCSC 2023’s theme of “Resilient Urbanisation”. He reminded the participants of the importance of the element of people in the theme, as resilience is not about systems or the city itself but the people who reside within it.

The YPLab workshop runs in tandem with the WCSC, themed “Resilient Urbanisation: Capturing Responsible Living Towards Green Spaces & Flood Prevention”. This theme underscores the significance of crafting cities that embody sustainability and resilience in the face of urban challenges.

The winning team of this workshop will earn the privilege to showcase their insights at the forthcoming WCSC Conference in September.

Capture heritage elements in modernisation initiatives

For the workshop kick-off, three speakers provided insights and ideas to stimulate the participants. Ar. Ts. Muhammad Qhawarizmi Norhisham from PAM presented his insights on future cities, emphasising the importance of capturing the heritage elements in modernisation initiatives.

Think City Associate of Urban Mechanics, Elisa Hanim, showed the participants the varied social development programmes that had been done to address the communities’ needs in Think City’s projects throughout Klang Valley.

Meanwhile, the third speaker, PNB Merdeka Ventures chief executive officer, Tengku Datuk Abdul Aziz Tengku Mahmud, gave the participants comprehensive insights into the aspirations of Merdeka 118 and the potential transformation the development could bring to the area.

The event ended with a site visit comprising Zone A – the Kampung Attap area, and Zone B – the Jalan Hang Tuah and Kenanga area. The participants, split into teams of four to five, are required to select either a specific building or area within the site or the overall site itself. Each submission must include proposals for the walkway from Hang Tuah Monorail station to the Textile Museum for Zone A and the public open area near Perumahan Awam Sri Sarawak for Zone B.

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