Tag: george town
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A new piece in New Mandala
Just a quick update. I wrote a short op-ed on some of the threats facing Melaka and George Town – Malaysia’s UNESCO-listed historic cities – for New Mandala. For me, the two cities highlight issues of urban governance that are relevant to Malaysia as a whole. The mounting urban crisis in these historic cities highlights a couple…
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Komtar on Failed Architecture
Eyesore or icon, Komtar has come to represent George Town. Its transformation will be a barometer of the direction the city takes in the early twenty-first century. Across the historic centre, homes have made way for spaces of consumption, and old traders have given way to new businesses. The reinvention of Komtar’s main tower, with…
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Get off my lawn: when public parks aren’t so public
Some thoughts on Gurney Wharf, and the increasing influence of private money on public spaces.
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Bricks and mortals: two kinds of heritage, the same sad outcome
The demolition of Runnymede House and eviction of Kampung Siam are two tragedies that tell a similar story.
Dr Soon-Tzu Speechley 