Public spaces help build a community, diverse as individuals may be, by being areas that are welcoming, safe, relaxing, comforting, social; and encouraging of various activities.1 Investing in them is all the more necessary if the urban life that is expanding to cover all of society is to be taken full advantage of.
In Penang public realm improvement and conservation projects have been prioritised in tandem with Penang2030, the state government’s vision to create a “family-focused, green and smart state that inspires the nation”. This includes among others, rejuvenation efforts such as the recently opened Sia Boey, the first urban archaeological park in Malaysia, the Penang Green Connectors Project, as well as the North and East Seafront Public Realm Improvement Projects. The latter three are in varying stages of development.
