Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

An architectural thesis

Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

by Foo Yoong Yieeh GS56000

Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

A Thesis Presented By Foo Yoong Yieeh

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment Of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture Faculty Of Design And Architecture University Putra Malaysia

July 2021

©2021 Foo Yoong Yieeh. All rights reserved.

Pretext Could the urban “leftover” space become a productive youth’s social environment that proposes a new place with community engagement?

Public space plays a vital role in the youth’s social development and well-being, but today’s youth face difficulties in accessing urban public space. Curfew laws limit the use of urban public spaces by youth, and such exclusion influences youth development. Rather than keeping youth safe and away from public space, it works as a broken-window policing, which increases the possibilities for youth in engaging risky behaviours at overlooked places. Weak social connections caused by the urban leftover space within the neighbourhood are linked to the high tendency of marginalised youth in engaging criminal activity.

Therefore, the public perception of youth today usually correlates with images of delinquency. The unprivileged young people were targeted and perceived as the greatest threat to communities or the most susceptible to getting involved in criminal justice social services systems. A variety of approaches assume youth themselves should be changed, rather than the oppressive environments. Premised on punishment and isolation most heavily affects vulnerable neighbourhoods and youth, which creates a system of disenfranchised citizens. Hence, the study explores the relationship between the disadvantaged youth and the local community with architectural design. It intends to provide an alternated perspective by reframing justice from forming the local community’s stigmatisation towards the youth’s growing process. The social-ecological approach offers an alternative way to perceive youth who needs to be supported by the setting of our social and physical built environment in adulthood’s transition.

This thesis adopts the strategy of reforming the urban leftover space to become a productive youth’s social environment that proposes a new place with community activation. On the contrary, the proposal tends to offer restorative justice practices for underprivileged youth and active information exchange between the social support community and local neighbourhood. The thesis proposes an alternative model located within the community it serves at Chow Kit, Malaysia.

Reimagine the role of youth in participating in the local social support program to reduce the isolation and stigma associated with underprivileged youth, local neighbourhood, and social support community by creating new relationships among social justice, public space, and the neighbourhood.

Acknowledgement It would not have been possible to write this thesis without the help and support of the kind people around me, to only some of whom it is possible to give a particular mention here.

Foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my family for the support that helped me complete this dissertation. My parents, brothers have given me, as always, their unambiguous support throughout, for which my mere expression of thanks also is not enough.

This thesis would not have been possible without the help, support and patience of my principal supervisor, Ar. Lim Kee Yen, for imparting her knowledge and expertise in this study.

Last but not least, I am thankful to all my teachers and friends who have always been helping and encouraging me throughout the years. I have no valuable words to express my thanks, but my heart is still full of the favours received from every person.

Content Pretext Acknowledgement Content Chapter 01 Thesis background 1 1.1 Youth are the force of our future society 2 1.2 Juvenile delinquency as a symptom of 3 community disorganization 1.3 The causal loop 3 1.4 The problem statement 6

Chapter 02 Ideation & Exploration 7

2.1 Issue: Architecture had become the system of punishment 8 2.2 Theoretical reserach 8 2.2.1 Precedent Study 01: Panoptican,1791 10

2.2.2 Precedent Study 02: Henry Gurney Detention Centre, 1949 10 2.2.3 Precedent Study 03: Justice Hub, 2017 12 2.2.4 Precedent Study 04: Polis Station, 2015 12 2.3 Urban “leftover” space 14 2.4 Literature review: Defensible space theory 14 2.5 Thesis framework 16 2.5.1 Thesis statement 16 2.5.2 N.A.B.C statement 16

Chapter 03 Contextual Engagement 17 3.1 At-risk youth in Malaysia 18 3.2 Site selection criteria 19 3.3 Macro context analysis 22 3.4 Underprivileged youth at Chow Kit 24 3.5 The socio-ecological framework 26 3.5.1 Social structural environment 28 3.5.2 Community environment 28 3.5.3 Peer network environment 30

3.6 Urban socio-puncture strategy 32 3.6.1 Socio-ecological programme framework 32 3.6.2 Proposed program intention 36 3.7 Case studies 37

3.7.1 Case study 01: Restore Oakland, California by DJ+DS 37

3.7.2 Case study 02: Red Cross Volunteer House, 38

Copenhagen by COBE

3.7.3 Case study 03: Food Port for West Louisville, 38

Kentucky by OMA

Chapter 04

Contextual Manisfestation & Design Aspiration

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4.1 Selected site 40 4.2 Urban fabric discontinuity 40 4.3 Urban “leftover” space as Border Vacuum 44 4.4 Concept abstraction: Mutation 46

4.4.1 The presence of youth and the absence of public 46 4.4.2 Mutation 01: Making the invisible visible 48 4.4.3 Mutation 02: Urban border deconstruct 50 4.4.4 Mutation 03: Spatial pattern organism 52

Chapter 05 Architectural Manisfestation 53 5.1 A story between the youth and the urban “leftover” space 54 5.2 Permeability activation 56 5.3 Spatial interlocking 58

Chapter 06 Conclusion 77 References 79

Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

CHAPTER 01:

Thesis Background

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1.1 Youth are the force of our future society According to the World Health Organization (2018), youth as a person aged between 15 and 24. They are an important source of inspiration for the future. In just a short period, they will become the leaders of our societies, businesses and nations (The Globalist, 2002).

Figure 1.1: Definition of youth

Youth is a stage of human development from puberty to adulthood. Hence, it is a critical stage of human development as it is involved in their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development throughout their lifetime (Marluci Menezes et al., 2019). During the period of puberty, youth can explore their own identities as individuals within communities and society. Socioenvironmental impacts are playing an essential role in providing positive youth development physically.

However, the problem of juvenile delinquency is reported to be on the rise from time to time. The involvement of youth in delinquency is an act of risky behaviours that threatens the well being of families and communities (Jessor, 1998). The unsupervised youth are at risk for becoming crime victims, or engaging in other risky behaviour during the hours after school (Newman, S. A., Fox, J. A., Flynn, E. A., & Christeson, W. 2000).

Figure 1.2: The raise of Juvenile Delinquency in Malaysia from 2014 to 2018 Source: Prison Department of Malaysia

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

1.2 Juvenile delinquency as a symptom of community disorganization Figure 1.3: Local community disorganisation

Figure 1.4: Urban restriction on youth’s spatial freedom

Figure 1.5: Youth are excluded from the dominant public space through controls, afforded only with “leftover” spaces (Childress, 2004).

Weak social connections within the neighbourhood are linked to higher juvenile delinquency rates because they lead to social disorganisation. On the contrary, the lack of bonding among residents in helping each other regulate youths’ behaviour in the neighbourhood is part of the community disorganisation that results in the youth being unsupervised or overlooked, then involves in conflicts with others. Hence, low levels of informal social control create a high tendency of marginalised youth in engaging criminal activity. Urban public space had become their second place in the daily living environment. Although public space plays a vital role in youth’s cognitive, social development and well-being, youth appropriation of public space is usually seen in particularly charged ways, attributing these public spaces a sense of difference with adult’s space (Lieberg, 1995). Gahill (1990) stated that some view youth in public spaces as a form of resistance to adult power and others as a threat to public order.

Curfew laws limit the use of urban public spaces by youth, and such exclusion influences youth development. Young people are seemingly invisible in the urban landscape (Travlou et al., 2008). Youth have no obvious right to spaces of their own (P. E. Owens, 2002).

1.3 The Causal Loop In general, the role of public spaces is changing from previous decades. The public spaces have no longer built for spontaneous social meetings (P. E. Owens, 2002). Most of our social gatherings are more likely to exist at coffee 3

shops, supermarkets, and shopping malls. Public spaces are instead designed as transitional spaces to support specific activities such as transportation. However, youth still need public space to be served as social gathering spaces. Some researchers stated that public spaces are the only places where youth can claim themselves (P. E. Owens, 2002). Larson & Richards (1993) and Nightingale & Wolverton (1993) found that youth must stay alone comfortably to use their free time productively, construct their self-identity and self-esteem, and become productive members society. Youth need to get together with peers to socialise to form their self-identity, self-esteem, and social competence (P. E. Owens, 2002). Hence, public places provide important venues for such activities. An appropriate public space within the urban neighbourhood is vital in helping youth to meet these developmental challenges. However, most of the youth today are facing challenges and difficulties in accessing urban public space.

They are often the victims of spatial, social restrictions that limit their ability to explore and be themselves in the local community. They often have nowhere to go, where they often come into conflict with other groups (Lieberg, 1995). Rather than keeping youth safe and away from public space, it works as a broken-window policing, which increases the possibilities for youth in engaging risky behaviours at unsecured or overlooked places. They are excluded from the dominant public space through access limitation and rules, afforded only with “leftover” spaces. It can be emotionally traumatic and leads to physical confrontations or potentially ignite a cycle of incarceration at an early age (Wolff, N., & Shi, J., 2012).

The unsupervised youth are at risk of becoming crime victims or engaging in other risky (Newman et al., 2000).

Lacking enough public spaces for young people to hang out and socialise with peers create a damaging impact on youth development.

Foo Yoong Yieeh

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Moreover, the youth justice had slowly become one of our standard on defining the youth. The age of criminal responsibility had indirectly reflected the public spectacles in perceiving the role of youth in our society. Unsupervised young people who did get involved in the criminal activities that lead them towards the justice system were sometimes provided with court-ordered interventions depending on the court’s level of offence and disposition.

As they are young offenders, they were allowed to correct their aggressive behaviours through the reformation.

Delinquency is specifically used to describe youth’s antisocial behaviours considered unlawful in Malaysia (Abdullah et al., 2015). From a legal perspective, the age group was mainly used to define Juvenile Delinquency in Malaysia (Kassim, 2006). According to the Prison Act 1995, a juvenile was described as a prisoner between 14 and 21. They will either be detained in prisons or received reformation programs in Henry Gurney School. On the contrary, the young offender’s criminal responsibility is 4

Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 1.6: The age of criminal responsibility under Juvenile Justice in Malaysia.

Figure 1.7: The existing intervention approach for ar-risk youth reformation

Figure 1.8: The existing prevention approach for ar-risk youth reformation

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started at ten years old till 18 years old under The Child Act 2001 and The Child Protection Act 1991. Thus, from a legal perspective, juveniles’ definition can be described as a group of young people under the age of 21 years old and have criminal responsibility at the age of 10. The Prison Department of Malaysia has developed and implemented a rehabilitation module that provides attitude building, knowledge, and skills development as the main objectives (Kassim, 2006). Youth is being tried to be changed and shaped by adults into productive members of society. It ensures that the juveniles can be rehabilitated to be expected individuals again (Kassim, 2006). On the other hand, the prevention approaches such as positive youth development programs provided by the community organisations usually target unprivileged young people who are perceived to be the greatest threat to communities or the most susceptible to getting involved in criminal justice social services systems (McDaniel, 2017). Thus, these youth are deemed ‘at-risk’ by providing opportunities for them to learn self-confidence and resiliency to “transition successfully into adulthood” (Kreager, 2008) without getting involved in the criminal justice system.

Both approaches sent a message to youth that they are feared and expected to make a poor decision.

Both directions assume youth themselves should be changed, rather than the oppressive environments they live in (Ginwright & Cammarota, 2002). The existing initiatives lack addressing the underlying factors associated with why youth make these poor decisions.

Then, youth is targeted to be transformed, but the environment. It was merely up to adults in positions of authority to guide youth down a more productive path.

The media create perceptions of juvenile delinquency through the optional angle of stories that side with the powerful and privileged. Images of youth forwarded by the media prompt and reinforce those images. They are often presented negatively by unfavourable articles

in the popular press and political discourse. Thus, the numerous deviant labels attributed to youth create a skewed vision that may lead to other abnormal behaviour (Pickard & Pickard, 2020).

Figure 1.9: Stigmatisation on youth which portrayed negatively by media and popular press.

Consequently, young people feel less inclined to partake in law-abiding behaviour, having been categorised, and embraced the concept of an ‘outsider’ (Creaney, 2012).

Thus, young people are marginalised, representing the class biases in youth crime construction in contemporary societies (Pickard & Pickard, 2020).

Young people are not merely forgotten in our cities, rather than being actively rejected by public space settings and only afforded with the urban “leftover” space. Whether they are viewed as nuisances or criminal threats, young people are often the victims of spatial, social restrictions that limit their ability to explore and be themselves in the local community. The tangible impact and intangible impact had become a causal loop in our living environment, affecting the social rights of youth within their local community and daily lifestyle.

1.4 The Problem Statement Young people experience difficulties and challenges to conceive a community without a direct connection among peers and without a place allowing such social interactions (Cicognani et al., 2015). They are excluded from the dominant public space through access limitation and rules, afforded only with “leftover” spaces. It can be emotionally traumatic and leads to physical confrontations or potentially ignite a cycle of incarceration at an early age. Therefore, this study explores the possibilities of reframing the social networking between youth and local society with “leftover” space revitalisation in building communication channels to activate a good neighbourhood.

Figure 1.10: The causal loop between tangible impact and intangible impact towards youth’s living environment.

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CHAPTER 02:

Ideation & Exploration

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2.1 Issue: Architecture had become the system of punishment In our current environment, youth justice is the primary justice system that provides reformation for the underprivileged youth to fit into our community. However, justice had no longer take any public responsibilities, but creating a punishment system that eventually created stigmatisation on youth and segregated them from the local communities.

2.2 Theoretical research

There is a history of ideologies directly shaping the surveilled environments. The thesis explores architectural design based on the relationship development between architecture and surveillance, transforming the idea from isolation and segregation towards active community engagement.

The relationship between an ideology of justice and its resultant architecture is evident through a series of historical and contemporary precedents. This thesis’s work is aligned and starts with the architectural design concept, The Panoptican as the early carceral environmental design idea, and moves towards current post-carceral designs.

This section presents the development of each precedent study’s ideologies and a program diagram illustrating the connections between internal programs such as inmate housing and administration and the relationships between the facility and the external city.

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Legends:

Figure 2.1: Precedent study 01 – The Panoptican, 1791

Figure 2.2: Precedent study 02 – Henry Gurney Detention Center, 1949

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2.2.1 Precedent Study 01: Panoptican, 1791

- Surveillance and Control The design of the Panopticon in 1791 was based on an ideology of surveillance and control. The Panoptican is an architectural concept design for institutional buildings, most commonly associated with prison. Utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham develops it as a building that would serve as a system of control. The surveillance tower was centrally located, with cells organised radially around the tower. The physical barrier created isolation and a self-surveillance system, as the prisoners felt perpetually watched by the tower, but had no way of knowing whether they were being watched at a given time.

2.2.2 Precedent Study 02:

Henry Gurney Detention Centre, 1949

- Direct Supervision The Henry Gurney Schools were established in Malaysia under the Juvenile Courts Act 1947 to care for young offenders. It is the detention centres that incorporated the idea of Direct Supervision. These centres’ rehabilitation programmes are divided into four stages: Orientation Programme, Strengthening Self-Personality Programme, Vocational Training, and Pre-free Programme. Adopting a similar surveillance and control concept, all the programmes are organised in clusters around a common space with a central monitoring station, allowing inmates to spend more time in the common space shaped by the physical barrier around.

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Legends:

Figure 2.3: Precedent study 03 – Justice Hub, 2017

Figure 2.4: Precedent study 04 – Polis Station, 2015.

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2.2.3 Precedent Study 03: Justice Hub, 2017 - Urban connection and Restorative Justice The Justice Hub proposal reimagines the prison system as a series of smaller corrections institutions located in the neighbourhood area. Justice Hubs are facilities that are more responsive to the needs of detainees, officers, lawyers, visitors, and community members. It helps create a healthy environment and support rehabilitation for incarcerated or detained individuals while simultaneously providing neighbourhoods with new public amenities.

Design new spaces for residents’ engagement to increase community connections and reduce the offenders’ fear and stigmatisation.

2.2.4 Precedent Study 04: Polis Station, 2015 - Social Interaction The research project by Studio Gang sought to reimagines the police station’s relationship to the city as a space for bringing people together for positive interactions and social connection. The space was shaped to offer the social dynamic between police officers and community members by offering a community-centred approach to public safety. It lays out a series of physical and programmatic steps that can be taken to adapt the existing infrastructure of police station buildings to become civic assets that support new, community-based models for public safety.

The community become an intangible barrier that creates natural surveillance for their neighbourhood area.

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 2.5: Idea transformation base on precedent studies.

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Research question: Could the urban “leftover” space become a productive youth’s social environment that proposes a new place with community engagement?

2.3 Urban “leftover” space

Figure 2.6: Defensible space theory Territoriality aspect.

The capacity of the physical environment to create perceived zones of territorial influence

Figure 2.7: Defensible space theory - Natural surveillance aspect.

The capacity of physical design to provide surveillance opportunities for residents and their agents.

Figure 2.8: Defensible space theory - Image and milieu aspect.

The capacity of design to influence the perception of an environment’s uniqueness, isolation and stigma Foo Yoong Yieeh

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A vacant leftover spaces pose a threat to public security and often exhibit traits of neglect by the property owner (The National Vacant Properties Campaign). They can range from unused vacant lots to samll spaces between adjoining buildings and often attract trash and debris.

Many of these spaces pose a threat to environmental health,housing, neighbourhood development, economic opportunities, and at times to public safety within cities (Wilkinson, 2011). The idea of leftover spaces used to be stated as ‘lost spaces’ as they seemed to have no significant positive influence towards the surrounding environment.

These spaces were ill-defined, without measurable boundaries and failed to connect elements in a coherent way. The urban “leftover” space that intervenes between adjacent objects and often become problematic for the physical and social fabric of the city. There is a need to search for transformational opportunities.

2.4 Literature Review:

Defensible Space Theory, Oscar Newman (1972)

The idea is that crime and delinquency can be controlled and mitigated through environmental design. Sociospatial aspects of design may encourage further development of active citizenship in terms of just how ‘active’ residents may feel, and how much of a ‘citizen’ they might regard themselves to be. Perhaps is the way in which criminals decode the environmental cues that may be associated with differing levels of informal social control (Crawford, A., & Evans, K. 2017).

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 2.9: Ideation manifestation. Our living environment had influenced mainly by our intangible perception towards youth. It then shaped our tangible environment, reflecting how we live and what we choose to exist. Every youth’s voice should be treasured and included in our local society as they are part of our essential social assets. The architectural approach should be perceived as a shelter, not just protecting the disadvantaged youth but also preserve every voices and idea from them. Reimagine spatial neutrality of our urban “leftover” for effective dialogues between youth and public needs to exist to enhance the social justice of our living environment.

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2.5 Thesis Framework 2.5.1 Thesis Statement

Developing the local community activation at the urban “leftover” space with mutual bonding between youth and supportive adults to support the social justice of disadvantaged youth.

2.5.2 N.A.B.C Statement Need

Reframing the social connection of the urban leftover space within the local community, in order to support the social justice of youth.

Approach Figure 2.10: Reframing the impact of justice from forming the stigmatisation of youth in the local community towards the youth’s growing process.

To reform the urban leftover space to become a productive youth’s social environment that proposes a new place that strengthens youth’s self realisation and sense of dignity within the society.

Benefit

Promote active youth involvement within the local community to encourage youth as part of the local society in order to form up youth’s sense of belonging.

Competition

The vacant “leftover” spaces trapped by the urban infrastructures and buildings in the urban area.

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CHAPTER 03:

Contextual Engagaement

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3.1 At-risk youth in Malaysia In Malaysia, the youth who age between 15 years old and 25 years old was about 5.2 million in 2010 which is roughly 19 % of the total population (Department of Statistics Malaysia 2020). Based on the World Youth Report (2005), estimated that 25% of the youth population would be classified as at-risk youth.

Figure 3.1: Annual Crime Safety Report from 2010 to 2017

Figure 3.2: The urban transformation of Klang Valley Foo Yoong Yieeh GS56000

According to the report of the delinquency issues among juveniles, it is increased from time to time (Kassim, 2006).

Kuala Lumpur is perceived as home and at the very heart of Malaysia’s rapid urban development. However, according to the Annual Crime and Safety Report, Kuala Lumpur was listed as a high-threat location for crime (OSAC, 2020).

Crime is an issue of concern in the country and often finds the attention of the media. Over the past decades, urban communities have experienced unprecedented social, economic, and political transformation. Global capitalism has contributed to the exodus of jobs, higher levels of inequality, and the urban poor’s marginalisation.

Urban youth have been significantly affected by this transformation and the concomitant social and economic conditions (Ginwright & Cammarota, 2002).

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

3.2 Site selection criteria

Figure 3.3: Site selection criteria

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 3.4: Urban Morphology of Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. In 1908, the general area of Chow Kit is low dense and is relatively low density residential area. Right after the National Independence Day, the area started to be developed as a higher density neighbourhood, larger numbers of building mass is constructed along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Currently, sudden high rise buildings had started appear surrounding the medium-low density area creates a fragmented image of the area. Commercial land use being the most in the area creates an imbalance of city structure.

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3.3 Macro context analysis Chow Kit is a sub-district of Kuala Lumpur, not far from the Golden Triangle area. In 1908, the general area of Chow Kit was a relatively low-density residential area.

The area started to be developed as a higher-density neighbourhood right after National Independence Day. Then, vast amounts of buildings were constructed along with Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Currently, sudden high-rise buildings that appear in the medium-low density area create a fragmented image of the area.

Figure 3.5: Key plan

Commercial building use being the most in Chow Kit, which creates an imbalance of city structure. Chow Kit as a whole has long had a reputation for being a place that is not family-friendly due to the imbalance of the resident population. There were many drug addicts in this area, mainly due to the homeless who became involved in drugs, and the place was known for its ‘red light’ area and entertainment outlet. The low-rise commercial district is the core of Chow Kit, which acts as a radical development pattern. Residential zoning is marginalised a certain distance away from the primary traffic. Many of the outsider tenants inhabit the commercial district, which is reported as a high-risk zone.

Figure 3.6: Location plan

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Figure 3.7: Neighbourhood context in Chow Kit

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3.4 Underprivileged Youth at Chow Kit

Figure 3.8: Population of Chow Kit in 2020

At-risk youth at Chow Kit was exposed to negative social upbringing either accidentally or unknowingly, having been forced into these predicaments (Aliaas et al., 2012).

The children and young people with the undocumented birth certificate who grew up at Chow Kit facing such challenges that had long existed within their daily living environment. Lack of documentation causing local authorities’ difficulties in identifying the difference between local children of illegal immigrants, refugees, or asylum seekers (Aliaas et al., 2012). The ineffectiveness of identification includes lost, trafficked children or young people brought in from many different areas globally, either as sex slaves or cheap force labour (Paradigm Shift Project, 2010). This dilemma quickly denies them from receiving fundamental social rights and privileges (Patt, 2010). Lack of capability to foresee their future had become the main factors causing them to engage in illegal behaviour like drug use and prostitution.

Figure 3.9: Challenges faced by underprivileged youth at Chow Kit Foo Yoong Yieeh

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 3.10: Proposed site analysis study with the socio-ecological framework.

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3.5 The socio-ecological framework

Figure 3.11: The Social-Ecological Theory by Bronfenbrenner & Ceci (1994). Alternate perspective perceives young people in terms of their relationships with their immediate social environment

The social-ecological framework provides an alternate perspective that perceives young people in their relationships with their immediate social environment.

From this framework’s standpoint, youth’s actions, interactions, and identities are formed by factors and processes operating at various levels, simultaneously and across time. An environment for young people is a sole setting and a constellation of interconnected settings. Their development unfolds and is shaped through progressively closer or more in-depth engagement with others (France et al., 2012). Bronfenbrenner (1994) described the regular interactions with the youth in meaningful ways and fostered a relationship that grows through increasingly complex interactions or networking. The theory identified the importance of deep interactions among youth and the local community that could effectively direct youth development and affect the outcomes such as youth’s social-behaviours.

Moreover, it offers a practical perspective to explore and understand the implications for effective ways of working with youth. A relationship-focused approach was used to support positive youth development within the environment. According to Bronfenbrenner (1994), the social-ecological theory offers a practical framework for perceiving a young person in the process of youth development, as embedded within a set of five interrelated ecologies or “nested” systems. Bronfenbrenner (1994) describes the social-ecological system as below:

Figure 3.12: The Social-Ecological Approach interpreted from Bronfenbrenner & Ceci (1994) Foo Yoong Yieeh

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1.Microsystem - The Immediate Environment consists

of activities, social roles, and interpersonal relations that the individual directly experiences in a given setting.

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 3.13: Local social support services

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2.Mesosystem - Connections between a youth’s close

settings, including family and neighbourhood ties.

3.Exosystem – Connections or interactions between

the settings that surround the youth. An external environment that indirectly influences the individual’s life, such as a neighbourhood.

4.Macrosystem – A social-cultural setting and

comprehensive patterns that embed the microsystems, mesosystems, and exosystems of the environment. It provides availability of resources, opportunities, and options to youth.

The Social-ecological approach was perceived as an extension framework of the theory to examine youth’s social-behaviour. It recognises that behaviour change can be achieved through static activities that target four levels: individual, peer networks, community, and social structure, which reflected the Microsystem, Mesosytem, Exosystem, and Macrosystem, respectively.

This framework was conducted as part of the site investigation to analyse the effectiveness of different social environments that influence youth engagement within the local community at Chow Kit, Malaysia.

3.5.1 Social structural environment Although Chow Kit is an urban area with a higher social issues rate, multiple social support services focus on addressing the local social issues within the social structure context level. It increases the collaboration possibilities and potential in the local community. However, several challenges faced by local social support services:

Figure 3.14: Potential partners or collaborators in Chow Kit

1.Lack of Information Exchange: Local NGOs tend to work among themselves, and lack of collaboration and sharing of resources among NGOs creating less bounding within the social structure.

2.Lack of Funds: NGOs had no longer received funding from the Federal Government to aid its efforts in 2015.

Sustainability is crucial in ensuring the continuity of activities in a program or an organisation.

Figure 3.15: Potential clients

3.Shortage of Resources: There are multiple social issues in Chow Kit. Lack of manpower and civic amenities which causing certain informal social services ineffectively.

3.5.2 Community environment Foo Yoong Yieeh

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Local adults, youth, and workers are the largest population who appeared at Chow Kit. The local community activities 28

Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 3.16: Active Zoning in Chow Kit

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largely neglected the youth’s active zone. The main activities are located at the centre of Chow Kit. During the night, the high-risk area around Lorong Haji Taib threatened the local youth and was deemed “at-risk.” The networking between youth and community is isolated, causing the youth’s active zone to be marginalised and unsupervised.

Low rise commercial district are the core of Chow Kit which act as radical development pattern. Residential zoning is marginalised certain distance away from the main traffic. High density of outsider tenants inhabit within the commercial district which is reported as the high risk zone Figure 3.17: Urban form of Chow Kit

Figure 3.18: Building Use in Chow Kit

Furthermore, the residents in Chow Kit spend a significant amount of time in the neighbourhood area and often identify more strongly with those specific areas than the city as a whole. Based on active zoning analysis conducted from 09 November 2020 to 12 November 2020. Most of the youth at Chow Kit, either during the nighttime or daytime, are mainly gathered at Jalan Chow Kit and Sunway Putra Mall area. These two spots are retail spots that offer entertainment and commercial activities to catch the attention of passers-by. However, it is a certain distance away from the local community activities such as the local night market. The local community lacks social bonding and interaction due to the lack of shared activities.

Issue: The networking between youth and community is isolated which causing the youth active zone is marginalized and unsupervised.

3.5.3 Peer network environment A local activities analysis was conducted through the site observation, according to Jan Gehl’s three categories of outdoor activities (Gehl, J. 2007). According to Jan Gehl’s three outdoor activities, outdoor activities can be classified into necessary activities, optional activities, and social activities. Necessary activities are the activities that people have to do on the street, such as walking. Optional activities are those people pursue only in favourable conditions and only if time and place allow it, such as stopping, sitting, and waiting. Then, social activities are activities that depend on the presence of others for social interaction. It is fundamental to the social needs of people in the streets.

The local activities offered insights into the processes of interaction between people and between people and their environment. The outdoor activities are evident in socioFoo Yoong Yieeh

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Figure 3.19: Local activities analysis in Chow Kit

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physical relations to physical designs, such as landscape features, walkway interface, and shophouses’ visibility.

They are also apparent in spatial relations, which connect the urban network. Different types of activities required different physical settings to facilitate, and the physical environments needed for different types of activity are significantly different from each other.

Figure 3.20: Walkway density analysis in Chow Kit.

Figure 3.21: Active time zonning in Chow Kit

Furthermore, the movement patterns resulting in the walkway density analysis showed Chow Kit as a transition area currently. Most of the street was mainly occupied for necessary activity without providing enough public spaces to enhance social interaction value. The physical networking lack of promoting the engagement of the local community. The urban fabric of Chow Kit shows less connectivity between the districts. High-density area mainly located along the Jalan Raja Laut but lack quality public space features to fulfil optional activities and social activities. Experiences on the street are less appreciated due to certain physical conditions, the weather, and urban design features of the local contexts. Chow Kit has a few diverse communities, and their way of life is somehow different from each other, and they are quite segregated from each other.

The various communities identified on-site are the local communities, the foreign workers, and the tourists. The pedestrian behaviour and movement pattern study found that the urban public space’s living quality in Chow Kit is relatively low, lacking enough common social activities.

3.6 Urban socio-puncture strategy Forming the networking among the local NGOs and local organisations to elevate natural surveillance among the local community. Resolving the local social issues through the local community empowerment and collaboration. Providing a social service base within the neighbourhood area to promote the engagement of residents and disadvantaged youths. Reforming local identity towards community-led revitalisation. A socialfriendly neighbourhood which is surrounded by high rise business district.

3.6.1 Socio-ecological programme framework Figure 3.22 Community Oriented Social Support.

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Throughout the understanding of the social-ecological theory, youth’s behaviour is affected by various factors, both at the individual and beyond. Not only is human behaviour influenced by the environment we live in, but also we adapt to the environment around us for the betterment of human welfare (Lindheim & Syme, 1983).

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city Figure 3.23: Preliminary program study.

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The Social-ecological approach was perceived as an extension framework of the theory to examine youth’s social-behaviour.

Reinterpreting the socio-ecological approach from the linear form of direct impact to a circular form of interactive implication. Each of the social environment is correlated that actively engages youth’s social-behavioural needs within the local community. The idea development of reinterpreting the socio-ecological approach provides a study framework in justifying the preliminary programs.

Every program is manipulated in reflecting diverse youth’s social environment. The framework offers every program’s direct influences and creates informal impacts to fulfil youth’s social-behavioural needs.

The building programs proposal focuses on three different target users, the local community, youth, and local social support community. The socio-ecological approach offers the program strategy in forming various interactive activities for different target users. On the other hand, the proposed programs enable the collaborations between the local community and local social support programs, promoting active engagement of community-led social support services. Hence, the approach aims to build a positive relationship between the local community and the local marginalised community.

Figure 3.24: Idea development of socio-ecological program strategy

Figure 3.25: Building programs synthesis with the socio-ecological approach.

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Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city Figure 3.26: Proposed building programs with local social support needs driven.

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3.6.2 Proposed program intention The proposed programs intends to integrate the local needs by bridging the gap among the communities. Three different ways of activity interaction will be carried out to form the social networking with the building programs.

1.Informality Figure 3.27: Local Youth Programmes:Youth Experimental Theatre. The youth from local youth center drew upon their own experiences and their friend’s to convey the message of child abuse in the experimental theatre show, 7 Voices. It is a local advocacy programmes on child abuse and children’s rights. It created a channel to deliver the message from the local youth to the public in raising the awareness of the local social issues

A youth-oriented programs which focuses on elevating the exsiting youth programs such as local youth theatre performances and extra-curricular classes provided by the local youth support organisations. The purpose of the building programs is to provide a social friendly environments between the local youth and general public to practice positive social environments that affects youth’s individual and peer network environments.

2.Formality

An information exchange platform provided for the local social support services and communities. The civic amenities is important in creating the active environments to practice community oriented social services. An alternated platform for the local marginalised community who able to communiticate with the social services instructor and seek for infomation from the proposed social platform actively.

3.Interactivity

Figure 3.28: Local social support programs Foo Yoong Yieeh GS56000

A community oriented activities to practice social support programs among the local neighbourhood and marginalised community. The proposed activites tend to cultivate a friendly social structural environments that focuses on assisting the local food giving programs to attract the local residents take part in the urban farming actyivities. The local resident is welcomed to take part as the local social support committee.

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3.7 Case studies 3.7.1 Case Study 01:

Restore Oakland, California by DJ+DS

- Restorative Justice Restore Oakland is a community advocacy and training centre designed by nonprofit architecture and real estate development firm Designing Justice + Designing Spaces.

Restore Oakland form a typology and infrastructure that facilitate restorative justice and advance economic opportunity, and it’s providing an innovative model for a baseline approach to ending mass incarceration.

Such empathic spaces offer a paradigm shift in how environmental design address crime and offer access to resources.

It is a new type of community where local victims feel heard and supported, conflicts are resolved, and communities are strengthened. The design developed a community engagement with restorative justice practitioners and the youth that the facility serves by offering conflict resolution outside of the carceral system.

Figure 3.29: Restore Oakland, California by DJ+DS

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The design objective is to provide a new local economy and justice system where everyone belongs and thrives.

The design approach is rooted in restorative economics— the model that all residents, including people who have been incarcerated, working people, immigrants and people of colour, must shape and benefit from economic development for our communities to truly prosper.

3.7.2 Case Study 02:

Red Cross Volunteer House, Copenhagen by COBE

- Community Social Support The Red Cross Volunteer House is intended for involvement and commitment and is an important meeting place for anyone wishing to help people in need.

The building is a celebration of the overarching goal of creating incentives for civil engagement in the world.

Figure 3.30: Red Cross Volunteer House, Copenhagen by COBE

The shared goal for everyone involved in the process was to end up with a building that gave back new quality to the street, the park and the surrounding urban space by adding something extra. The outside of the building is transformed into a vibrant public space for the local neighbourhood to meet up informally. The roof of the building is now the Red Cross’s face to the world and a unique meeting place that acts both as a terraced stand and as stairs while also offering an attractive and inviting space to the many thousands of volunteers and, equally, to passers-by and the rest of the city. Urban life is invited up and into the building, where the inside’s activities are put on display through carved-out openings in the large roof surface.

3.7.3 Case Study 03:

Food Port for West Louisville, Kentucky by OMA

- Neighbourhood Food Production The food port acts as a catalyst to activate the surrounding neighbourhoods, exemplifying one of the complex urban relationships between architecture and food. It integrates several key programs that serve and provide for all the food chain stages that will engage directly and informally with the public.

Figure 3.31: Food Port for West Louisville, Kentucky by OMA

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The design proposes a new model for the relationship between consumer and producer that several key programs serve and provide for all stages of the food chain, including a kitchen incubator, urban farm, recycling facility and programs that will engage directly with the public, such as classrooms, a demonstration farm, and local retail. Outdoor spaces include a market plaza, a food truck plaza, and an edible garden. The building is organised to allow for systematic expansion in the future.

The program’s diversity reflects the entire food chain and a new foodscape of public spaces and plazas where producers and consumers can be together.

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CHAPTER 04:

Contextual Manifestation & Design Apiration

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4.1 Selected site The 2.2 acre selected site located within the local neighbourhood which is also between the urban riverwalk and the local community of Chow Kit. The underused land, which is mainly served for the elevated LRT line and outdoor car park, had segregated the urban connection of the local community and urban fabric. The urban “leftover” spaces created less human activity and reduced the sense of community and place of the local neighbourhood.

The railway protection zone that crossed over the major land area had limited the development of the surrounding area. Due to the environmental design limitation, the surrounding neighbourhood and community are mainly affected and causing an inactive social environment with a low sense of community. The building mass is formed based on the local neighbourhood’s visual permeability and the urban networking to reconstruct the underused land become high sociability and accessibility social space.

Along with the linear social space, various urban nodes and shared plaza are formed to function as informal social space for the local community.

Figure 4.1: Site plan

4.2 Urban fabric discontinuity Figure 4.2: Railway protection zone

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The surrounding context remarked the youth’s daily social trail which offers recreational (urban park) and entertainment outlet (Sunway Putra Mall). However, the transportation corridor disrupt the social continuity and caused the fragmented neighborhoods. The location of the selected site mark as their daily pass by place is playing an important role in their daily social environment.

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Figure 4.3: Site Photos

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Figure 4.4: Contextual relationship

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Figure 4.5: Urban “leftover” space as border vacuum

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4.3 Urban “leftover” space as Border Vacuum

Figure 4.6: Jane Jacobs. An American-Canadian journalist, author, theorist, and activist who influenced urban studies.

In The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jacobs defined a border as the perimeter of a large single-use territory or corridor often a transportation corridor(Jacobs, J. 1961). Roads and railroad tracks are the most common examples; in addition to highways, vacuum-inducing transportation infrastructure includes parking lots, arterial roads, sunken and elevated corridors, all of which all tend to produce wasted space that seals off pedestrians.

The urban border is easily perceived as a negative space which affect the urban regeneration to vitalize the existing communities and new communities. Transportation corridors like railroads ;imited opportunities for crossing them to get from one district to another. The crossings are often unpleasant or perceived to be dangerous that they discourage casual crossing. Many corridors thus tend to disrupt the continuity of the urban fabric, and the resulting fragmented and isolated neighborhoods can lose their economic and social connections with the rest of the city.

Figure 4.7: The Death and Life of Great American Cities, 1961

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Intersecting of axis and visual permeability

Establishing visual continuity & surveillance

Reimagine context movement pattern

Adjoining pocket space increase sociability

Linear datum in forming quality social space

Adjacent space & in-between social space

Figure 4.8: Conceptual development sketches.

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4.4 Concept abstraction: Mutation Mutation as a theoretical concept in evaluating the socioecological framework to reinterpret the position of urban “leftover” space in our urban development. The idea aims to use the socio-ecological approach and youth’s social environment interpretation to perceive the urban “leftover” space as a youth’s active social environments in bridging the relationship with the general public.

4.4.1 The presence of youth and the absence of public Figure 4.9: Idea resolution sketch

Translating the intangible activities and sense of place to various form of lines and shapes to break down the sense of border which created by the existing railway structure in the local community. The contextual and architectural manisfestation tend to manipulate the intangible social environments that occurred in youth’s daily activities. The intangible spatial essence is more vital to be investigated in forming the sociocultural impacts to solve the issues of urban “leftover” space.

The architectural exploration aims to rearrange the territorial position of urban “leftover” space in forming a new relationship between the youth and the urban “leftover” space.

Figure 4.10: Youth’s social environments interpretation

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Mutation 01

Figure 4.11: Conceptual massing model - Mutation 01

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4.4.2 Mutation 01: Making the

Visible

Intuitive exploration through studying the intangible impact towards the urban leftover site by connecting adjacent site context. Translating the form of intangible elements into the geographical and spatial texture in exploring the environmental possibilities.

“Leftover” Space as Transitional Space Figure 4.12: “Leftover” space as transitional space

The ‘street’ acts as a transitional space where movement creates the potential for social interaction. (Audibert, D. K. J. 2015)

Accessibility aspect in youth’s social environment

Accessibility relates to the public space design’s ability to serve and allocate the people and youth’s static activities within the local community networking.

Social Structure environment - Developing relationship integration Public space is able to promote participation of all young people and earning the community’s respect.

Figure 4.13: Accessibility aspect in youth’s social environment

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Community environment - Promoting social interaction Capability of public space in encouraging youth involvment at all levels of community activities.

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Mutation 02

Figure 4.14: Conceptual massing model - Mutation 02

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4.4.3 Mutation 02: Urban border deconstruct Due to the land limitation, higher building mass will create the perception that is out of human scale, it reduces the sense of welcoming. The deconstruct approach intends to expose the internal accessibility and functionality to create connection to the urban “leftover” site.

“Leftover” Space as social Space Figure 4.15: “Leftover” space as social space

The ‘street’ acts as a transitional space where movement creates the potential for social interaction. (Audibert, D. K. J. 2015)

Sociability aspect in youth’s social environment

Sociability can measured through the public space’s capacity to serve the static activities between the general public and youth.

Peer Networks - Elevating self-development Public space to offer opportunities for youth to make own decisions & cope with the consequences.

Figure 4.16: Sociability aspect in youth’s social environment

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Individual - Building self-awareness Developing public space with educational impact in addressing issues perceived as important by young people.

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Mutation 03

Figure 4.17: Conceptual massing model - Mutation 03

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4.4.4 Mutation 03: Spatial pattern organism

Figure 4.18: Youth’s social environments as living orhanism

The spatial investigation tends to adapt the youth as an unpredicted character who is changing and transforming all the time. The spatial planning and manisfestation is needed to adapt the characteristics in changing the spatial experience and functionality according to the time zonning framework of youth. Therefore, a space design for youth is needed to carry out the multifunctionality and creativity to accommodate the needs of youth.

The transitional space as the social Space

Spaces could be experienced through different functionality and time zoning. The social meeting spaces is vital to accommodate different scale of social interaction which reflects the creativity and potential of youth involvements with the public.

Spatial motion interpretation

Figure 4.19: Spatial experience and patterns as living organism

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The socio-ecological approach as the spatial design generator to create the motion of the space planning in reflecting the development of youth with their needed social environment.

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CHAPTER 05:

Architectural Manifestation

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5.1 A story between the youth and the urban “leftover” space Due to our urban rapid development, the youth issue and urban “leftover” space were created unintentionally.

Both of them shared same situation which had been overlooked by our society and urban development.

Hence, the thesis is exploring a possibilities of the urban “leftover” space as a youth’s social productive space.

The architectural manisfestation is trying to narrate a story that happenned between the youth and the urban “leftover” space. The thesis is trying to elaborate the role of architecture in redefining such space. Architecture as the channel to deliver the message from youth to the general public, urban “leftover” space as an active platform to rehabilitate the relationship between youth and our society.

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A

A

N

Site Plan scale 1:700

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Figure 5.1: Urban “leftover” space as new urban recreational park Gombak River

River corridor

Traffic way

Public Plaza

Recreational Park

Local neighbourhood Boundary line

Boundary line

Site Section A-A scale 1:700

Figure 5.2: Site section A-A

5.2 Permeability activation Remapping the social interaction movement by connecting the local neighbourhood context. A community linkage to approach the key public spaces and the introduction of public activities as part of activating the local community.

Place-making intervention to bridge the gap of local community active zones in promoting neighbourhood activation.

The central plaza fuctioned as a multipurpose spatial features that accommodate daily optional activities and performing space for varios social meeting events. It is a public space to offer neccessary activities, optional activities and social activities to the local community.

The height of the building mass is controlled to match with the surrounding building context. As a new civic buildings for local neighbourhood and public at the urban “leftover” space.

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B B A

C

D

A

C

N

Ground Floor Plan scale 1:200

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D

5.3 Spatial interlocking Active riverwalk frontage creates a sense of welcoming in connecting the river corridor and central urban area, reimagining the underused urban space to serve as productive youth’s social space with community-oriented social support programs. Urban life is invited up and into the building with multiple meeting spaces for the local community, social support workers and youth.

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The urban corridor as new urban structure to bridging the absence of the public and railway commuters from the railway station to the urban center district. The ground space is free to be accessed by the public from the city center area, public transport station and local neighbourhood. It is designed as the extension of the river corridor with providing multiple recreational space for youth during their free time or after-school time. A food hall and f&b spaces are design along the new urban corridor that cross over the site to increase the socioeconomic value of the urban “leftover” space. The ‘leftover’ space provides vatious of community focus space for the local neighbourhood to practice daily social activities and community oriented social support events.

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Props Makelab

DIY Space

Youth Interactive Park

Community Plaza Community Pavillion

Peacemaking room

Section B-B

scale 1:200

Figure 5.3: Section B-B. A community pavilion act as the extension of the local urban playground. A big canopy design to provide shaded resting area where the communication can be happened under a big roof.

Figure 5.4: Youth interactive park

Figure 5.5: Community pavillion

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Figure 5.6: Food hall

Figure 5.7: Experimetal Theatre Hall during daytime Foo Yoong Yieeh

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B A

C

B

D

A

N

C

Basement 01 scale 1:200

Figure 5.8: Central yard and community engagement space for restorative justice

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D

B A

C

B

D

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D

First Floor Plan scale 1:200

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Night: Performance Arena

Evening: Outdoor Classroom & Theatre

Night: Open-air Cinema & Stage

Daytime: Sunken Plaza & Youth Activity Space

Figure 5.9: Experimental theatre space for different active time zonning. The central public space as the multifunctional focal area to support different form of social interaction and all-day long activities. The interactive façade create extension audience space and performing stage for various entertainment purpose.

Give the youth voice through architecture

1. Night: Open-air Cinema &Stage

The white façade function as the projection screen for the local community entertainment purpose

2. Night: Performance Arena

Extended audience space to increase the possibility of public participation with the local events

3. Evening: Outdoor Classroom & Theatre

An informal learning space for local social support services to assist the street child learning programs

4. Daytime: Sunken Plaza & Youth Activity Space

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As a recreational space for local community and youth activity space to support their extracurricular activities after their school time

Daytime: Sunken Plaza & Youth Activity Space

Evening: Outdoor Classroom & Theatre

Night: Open-air Cinema &Stage

Night: Performance Arena Figure 5.10: Experimental theatre space for different social meeting events Foo Yoong Yieeh

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B A

C

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D

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2nd Floor Plan scale 1:200

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D

Figure 5.11: Outdoor Classroom & Theatre

Figure 5.12: Open-air stage

Figure 5.13: Performance arena Foo Yoong Yieeh

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Figure 5.14: Youth social pocket space.

Gombak River

River corridor

Traffic way

Boundary line Youth Social Justice Center

Youth’s social pocket space

Lounge Community farming

Seed library

Exhibition lounge River corridor

Drop-off

Food Hall Basement parking Basement parking Basement parking

Figure 5.15: Site section C-C

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yard

Local neighbourhood

Boundary line

Urban Corridor

Site Section C-C Scale 1:700 Foo Yoong Yieeh

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Ordinary space that designed for youth lack of enhancing the scale and perception of youth in their daily social interaction.

Twisted space in creating multiple floor height of commons space to enhance spatial participatory surveillance through interaction.

Transitional space as the social space to break through the barriers of different floor level to encourage active youth involvement.

Figure 5.16: Youth social pocket space for different youth’s social meeting. An internal social terrace space to break through the levels to create a youth-friendly common pocket area where allow them to explore in different space. Increase the possibility of social interaction between the youth and social support instructor in this information sharing platform.

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Third Floor Plan scale 1:200

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D

Air delivery deck

Youth’s social meeting space

Visitor lounge

Youth social justice center Youth’s pocket reading space

Community farming terrain

Entrepreneur working area

Seed library

Entrepreneur working area

Exhibition lounge Storage

Soup kitchen

Lecture Hall

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Drop off

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B A

C

B

D

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Fourth Floor Plan scale 1:200

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D

Figure 5.17: Community oriented farming program. The community farming terrain as the community catalyst where the youth and local community is able to works together and create youth-adult partnership with the local social support instructor. The food valley and overall building is only can be seen after crossing by the existing infrastructure, which create a continuous skyline profile with the urban central area at the back.

Figure 5.18: Community farming terrain

Air delivery deck

Youth leadership training center Vocational training workshop Food giving administration

Case intake management

Horticulture workshop

Exhibition lounge

An interactive community oriented food production program that offers common activities for the local community and youth. Food become a common language that communicate the space from outdoor to indoor at different levels.

Soup kitchen / Culinary workshop

Basement parking Basement parking

Food Hall

Community farming terrain

Lecture Hall

Basement parking Entrance lobby

Drop off

Figure 5.19: Community oriented food production program Foo Yoong Yieeh

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Fifth Floor Plan scale 1:200

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D

Figure 5.20: Exploded axonometric study Foo Yoong Yieeh

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CHAPTER 06:

Conclusion

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The thesis started with a background study which focused on the youth issue that occurred in our urban development. The ideation of the research study provides an alternated perspective in perceiving the juvenile delinquency as a symtom of community disorganisation. The proposition of the thesis would like to redefine the role architecture in practising the restorative justice and promote community engagement, instead of become part of the punishment system in our existing youth justice.

Moreover, the existing youth justice had indirectly created the stigmatisation of underprivileged youth in our society that limited the spatial freedom of youth in the urban public space. The youth is excluded from the dominant public space through access limitation and rules, afforded only with “leftover” spaces. It can be emotionally traumatic and leads to physical confrontations or potentially ignite a cycle of incarceration at an early age. Hence, the architectural investigation of the thesis aims to explore the possibilities of the urban “leftover” space become a youth productive social space within the local community.

The research study contributed a theoretical framework to revitalised the urban “leftover”space in bridging the social gap between the general public and youth in the city with socio-ecological approach. The reinterpretation of youth’s social environments was reflected and translated to the architectural abstraction in remapping the social environments of youth with the local community. Through the manipulation of intagible elements of urban “leftover” space, the impact of border vacuum can be resolved with a positive youth social environment. The architectural manisfestation form a possibility of urban “leftover” space regeneration to rehabilitate the relationship between the underpriviliged youth and the general public. Architecture as a channel to deliver the message from the youth to the society, it played a vital role in reducing the stigmatisation of underpriviliged youth in the local community and redefining the urban “leftover” space as a positive youth social environments in our urban area.

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Foo Yoong Yieeh

GS56000

80

Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city

Reimagine spatial neutrality between the public and youth in the city Master of Architecture Faculty Of Design And Architecture University Putra Malaysia 81