PAGE 2 | NEW SUNDAY TIMES
APRIL 7, 2013
MALAYSIA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARDS MLAA
MALAYSIA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AWARDS MLAA
LANDSCAPE...
More Than Just Beauty By LAr. Dr. Suhardi Maulan
organised by
Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM)
World Landscape Architecture Month 2013
President LAr. Mohd Fadrillah bin Mohd Taib Vice President Assoc. Prof. LAr. Dr. Osman bin Mohd Tahir Honorary Secretary LAr. Dr. Nor Atiah binti Ismail Assistant Honorary Secretary LAr. Charles Teo Kae Siang Honorary Treasurer LAr. Sharipah binti Mohamed Assistant Honorary Treasurer LAr. Danial bin A. Hasan Committee Members LAr Mohd Nazri bin Saidon LAr. Abu Hassan bin Wahab LAr. Abd. Aziz bin Othman LAr. Zainudin bin Ya LAr. Sabarudin bin Buang LAr. Noriah binti Mat LAr. Sharon Lee Chee Wee LAr. Meor Saadon Sofian bin Mior Razali LAr. Sahar bin Samsuri Auditors LAr. Samsul Rohaizad bin Mohd Jemoner LAr. Wan Salamatul Juita binti Wan Hashim Immediate Past President Dato’ LAr. Ismail bin Ngah Northern Chapter Liaison Officer: LAr. Phua Chin Eng Southern Chapter Liaison Officer: Assoc. Prof. LAr. Dr. Ismail Said Sabah Chapter Liaison Officer: LAr. Kartini Datuk Arif Sarawak Chapter Liaison Officer: LAr. Sinsoon bin Jabu
Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards (MLAA) 2012 Special Thanks to Intl. Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Amcorp Properties Berhad Amcorp Prima Realty Sdn. Bhd. Gemilang Juga Sdn. Bhd. Bandar Eco Setia Sdn. Bhd. Setia Indah Sdn. Bhd. UEM Land Cahaya Jauhar Sdn. Bhd. Perbadanan Putrajaya Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan Walrus Design Sdn. Bhd. OTLA Design Partnership Aroma Tropics Sdn. Bhd. Just Right Design Sdn. Bhd. Tajul LandArt Malik Lip & Associates Sdn. Bhd. Pentago Landscape Sdn. Bhd. Urban Design Group Sdn. Bhd. Mentari Design Praxcis Design Sdn. Bhd. Tropics Design Alam Haruman Design EKM Landscape Architects Magni Concept Sdn. Bhd. Laman TBG SKA Landscape Architects BL Consultant Team Alamscape Sdn. Bhd. Konsep Inovartis Clouston Design (M) Sdn. Bhd. Design, Training & Consulting Unit, UPM Researchers & Students Putrajaya Wetlands LAr. Mohd Fadrillah Mohd Taib LAr. Dr. Suhardi Maulan LAr. Sharipah Mohamed LAr. Charles Teo LAr. Kamariyah Kamsah, FILAM LAr. Meor Saadon Sofian Mior Razali LAr. Phua Chin Eng LAr. Siti Zabeda Mohammad LAr. Zainuddin Ya Prof. LAr. Dr. Mustafa Kamal Mohd Shariff LAr. Nurulhuda Hayati Ibrahim MLAA2012 Organising Committee ILAM Council Members 2012/2014
ILAM President LAr. Mohd Fadrillah bin Mohd Taib
Around the world, April is observed as “World Landscape Architecture Month”. In collaboration with this event, NST recently had the privilege to speak with the President of the Institute of Landscape Architects of Malaysia (ILAM), LAr. Mohd Fadrillah Mohd Taib. During the discussion, topics ranged from the recently held annual Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards to the benefits that landscape architects can contribute to the environment, local and national economies, tourism industry and the well-being of the nation’s growing population.
Community participation at Taman Wetlands Putrajaya
Urban pocket space
Green spaces for recreational purposes at residential precinct
The Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM) has sucessfully organised the annual Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards (MLAA). Can you tell our readers about the significance of the MLAA? The Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards is a design and planning competition for members of our profession, whereby we recognise the outstanding work being doing across Malaysia and in the ASEAN region.
people to see but also to be used for positive activities such as jogging, playing games and taking nature walks, which also improve health. In my opinion, our housing areas should not only have neighbourhood parks but also ample walkways with spaces for exercise and socialising. The challenge now, of course, is to ensure that these elements are not only happening in luxury housing estates but also in the medium and low-cost housing areas.
What is the meaning of “landscape”, from your perspective? In Malaysia, many people have a perception that landscape is only about trees and shrubs, but “the landscape”, in our context, refers to any enviroment or outdoor space that people see and interact with on a daily basis. Trees and shrubs are part of the term “landscape”, yet so are our parks, urban plazas, roads, mountains, rivers, cities and wetlands.
What impact does landscape architecture have on the local economy? The idea of landscape architecture being able to increase property values is not only limited to housing developments but can also be applied to offices and institutional developments. Currently, the government also recognises the importance of landscaped areas in tourism activities via its “Garden and Park Tourism” initiatives. At the moment, the demand for landscape and garden products is also increasing and this allows small and medium industries such as consultancy services, nurseries and fountain and pool suppliers, to thrive. So, I would like to stress here that our industry does have a significant impact upon national growth domestic product values.
How important is it to have landscape architects involved in land planning and design? Landscape architects consider themselves to be “stewards of the land”. Therefore, the main role of these professionals is to ensure new developments do not destroy pre-existing natural areas and that solutions can be found that work in harmony with the unique structure of any given site or piece of land to enhance its profile. How important is it for a development to have a good landscape planning and design? For ILAM, and all landscape architects, we believe that landscape planning has many benefits and values to offer and these are not just important; they are, in the long run, priceless. With the MLAA, we are making a strong, positive statement about the value and benefits of landscaping from different perspectives; environmental, aesthetic, health and well-being, economic and social. Can you elaborate about these values and benefits? s %NHANCE "IODIVERSITY 3URROUNDINGS By planning soft landscapes, we are actually increasing biodiversity. Such areas will have more plants and these plants will create new habitats for the local wildlife. Careful landscape plannning, which considers protection, conservation and restoration of natural landscapes and zoning, also aims to provide a cleaner environment and better air quality. s )NCREASE !ESTHETIC 6ALUES There is no doubt that landscaping increases the aesthetic value of a space. Just imagine a city without plants, a lack of ample walkways or no waterfront or riverside relaxation areas. Studies have shown that greener cities are preferred by residents in comparison to hard, grey concrete jungles. People believe that landscaping and a happy shade of “green” can enhance their lives. Furthermore, it is more likely that a house facing a green area would have a higher market value and be sold more easily, compared to a house facing a less attractive view. s "ENElTS TO (EALTH 7ELL "EING In relation to health and well-being, many studies looking at restorative environments have pointed out that people who engage in or are exposed to green spaces have a better quality of life. A classic study by Roger Ulrich (Professor of Architecture at the Centre for Healthcare Building Research at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden), further asserts this claim that patients in a hospital who can see landscape elements from their beds recover faster. Furthermore, landscapes also improve micro climates, reduce urban heat and improve quality of air. s 2ECREATIONAL 3PACES By providing spaces such as public parks, we are actually providing areas not only for
What less tangible benefits can be derived from a well-landscaped public area? Landscape architecture is an agent for improving social interaction. As Malaysia becomes more urbanised, a demand for public spaces such as parks, plazas and even roadside walkways will increase and these are unique platforms for improving human contact. Malaysians from all walks of life and ethnic groups need and use landscaped spaces and regardless of our growing desire for online social media; one cannot deny that people do need a place to meet and greet. ILAM has been in existance for more than 30 years. What challenges has it faced in that time? The main challenge that landscape practitioners face in Malaysia is people’s perception of landscaping, which is often confined, as we mentioned earlier, to “planting trees and shrubs”, which is not strictly true. The landscape we consider is very much associated with the environment at large and the public must be informed that by undertaking good landscape design, we are actually protecting and improving the environment. As a result, our rivers, hills, wetlands, city greenery and urban public spaces will all be much better managed. By really knowing what landscape architecture is all about, the landscape agenda can be a priority for the country. How do you think this challenge can be overcome? Related government landscape and environmental agencies at the federal, state and local levels should actively promote, guide and enforce landscape development and activities. This guidance should come in the form of an Act that would govern the entire profession and its practitioners. By having such an Act, the profession can improve in terms of professionalism and the quality of services provided. This, in turn, will improve the quality of designs that we deliver. I hope all readers will note that we believe it is very important that public spaces be planned and designed by a professional landscape architect, for the sake of public health, well-being and security. So, what is your hope for the future development of your profession in Malaysia? My hope is that the issues and problems mentioned earlier, regarding perception and recognition, can be solved. I would like to take this opportunity to urge the main players in landscape industries, be they from universities, government agencies, private practitioners or builders, to work together to develop a strategic agenda to improve landscape quality and development in Malaysia, for the sake of all Malaysians. I would be excited and heartened to see everyone supporting our efforts by attending our events, participating in eco-friendly activities and going out and enjoying the wide variety of public spaces created for the nation.