Guidelines to transform KL’s position in world rankings
Where it all started: Masjid Jamek stands proudly at the confluence of Sungai Klang and Sungai Gombak. Its surrounding will be turned into heritage trails as part of the River of Life effort. - filepic
Practical and innovative urban planning is vital to transform Kuala Lumpur into a city of international standards, said Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib.
“Kuala Lumpur needs to fine-tune its role as a competitive commercial and financial hub,” he said during the launch of Urban Design Guidelines (UDG) at Kuala Lumpur Library Auditorium in Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur.
“According to the World Tourism Organisation, Kuala Lumpur is ranked the seventh most visited city in the world and is the fourth most popular shopping destination in this region.
“Kuala Lumpur City Hall has been preparing guidelines for future developments as well as executing projects in the city centre such as Heritage Trail, River of Life and the upgrading of Masjid Jamek.
“This is in line with developing and beautifying the city to become a more vibrant city for the people. It is also one of the factors that can increase the city’s ranking,” he said.
Research on the UDG started in October 2012 and has been implemented for development applications in Kuala Lumpur.
The guideline was drafted based on four core criteria namely, the land use and physical development, connectivity and mobility, image and identity as well as history and heritage.
The aim for future developments should be made based on eight urban design principles, which are diversity and mixed uses, sustainability, connectivity, visual richness, enclosure and continuity, security and comfort, quality public realm as well as legibility and full of character.
The projects should also observe the overall guidelines, which divided Kuala Lumpur city into seven precincts — KLCC, Chow Kit, Pudu, Civic, Botani, Kampung Attap and Bukit Bintang — and the specific guidelines underlining building regulations, landscaping and heritage-based on the grid of different precincts.
“These guidelines are used as a checklist or a development control tool for developers, architect firms, as well as other stakeholders in the process of applying for a property development.
“We hope that related stakeholders would play their roles in the development of Kuala Lumpur and realise the dream of making Kuala Lumpur one of the top cities by 2020,” he said.
In conjunction with the launch of UDG, there will be four competitions on the guidelines organised by DBKL, namely the artwork, sculpture design, logo design as well as photography competition, to encourage city folk to contribute ideas in the design improvements of the city in order to enhance the image of Kuala Lumpur.