Park & Greenery
90
Jeti Lama Rain Garden Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Penang The Butterworth Baharu Regeneration Master Plan identified a 1000-square meter informal car park within the Jeti Lama heritage precinct of Pekan Lama as a potential site to be converted as a green space. Based on public consultation, there was a strong sentiment value for the car park to be retained. The challenge was to craft a space that could balance the objective of creating a green refuge, while at the same time, respecting the sentiments of the local community. Water was seen as a key recurring element at Jeti Lama, manifesting itself from the perimeter monsoon drain to the myth of telaga (water well) that has long disappeared. A Rain Garden was then proposed, with phytoremediation plants to absorb petroleum hydrocarbon and other form of runoff pollutants from the car park. A lone, dignified wooden sampan sits within the Rain Garden, it is a homage to Jeti Lama fishing enclave which gave way to progress and development. The language and materiality of the design pays homage to the Straits eclectic style that was notably absent in Butterworth. The telaga is re-imagined as a domestic hand-pumped water feature, serving as an interactive children’s water play highlight. Jeti Lama Rain Garden now functions as a car park within a garden. It also serves as the main stage for multiple events like the internationally acclaimed Butterworth Fringe Festival.
Project Title Jeti Lama Rain Garden, Butterworth, Seberang Perai, Penang Official Entrant Permata Green Sdn. Bhd. Client | Owner Think City / Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Prai Landscape Architect Permata Green Sdn. Bhd. Contractor Chuan Yang Construction Sdn. Bhd. Engineer Gin Consultant (C&S) / GH Tag Consultancy (M&E) Photography Credit Jordan Lye Photography