“The Penang South Island competition required the design of a masterplan for three completely new islands – totaling a size of 18.210.000 m2 - on reclaimed land off the south coast of the main Penang Island.
Our vision for the development, which we called ‘Alunan Penang (‘Rhythm of Waves’), is a novel prototype for ubran living that takes a responsible and viable stance towards the environment, while providing opportunities for Penang to grow and serve the existing communities who live and work in the area.
Using a holistic approach, this new man-made archipelago combines the use of water, nature and community to create a healthy and vibrant environment for both locals and newcomers.”
Our vision for the development, which we called ‘Alunan Penang (‘Rhythm of Waves’), is a novel prototype for ubran living that takes a responsible and viable stance towards the environment, while providing opportunities for Penang to grow and serve the existing communities who live and work in the area.
Using a holistic approach, this new man-made archipelago combines the use of water, nature and community to create a healthy and vibrant environment for both locals and newcomers.”
“UNStudio’s masterplan for Alunan Penang proposes a participatory culture focused on placing people at its centre, enabling tools for collaboration and integrating a bottom-up approach across policy-making, data, infrastructure and architecture. The masterplan is designed to facilitate new and harmonious encounters, relationships and ways of working and living together, blending people from all walks of life; from local families, fishermen and tourists, to young entrepreneurs.
Our vision is to create equal opportunities in terms of employment, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, real estate and affordable housing for the whole spectrum of the community. A central part of this is also providing solutions to blend the old with the new and to safeguard traditions on the island.
In this regard, we paid special attention to the role that local fishermen play in life here. To maintain this tradition in the development, we foresee bringing the fishermen’s culture and communities to two new wharfs that are strategically positioned at key locations in-between each island - the most protected places on the coastline.
A dedicated new Fishermen's Community Centre and Wharf with new, improved facilities is planned with easy access and distribution of their catch to nearby markets and restaurants. Their boats are also kept safe with new storage and refueling facilities that will be owned and managed by the fishermen’s association.”
Our vision is to create equal opportunities in terms of employment, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, real estate and affordable housing for the whole spectrum of the community. A central part of this is also providing solutions to blend the old with the new and to safeguard traditions on the island.
In this regard, we paid special attention to the role that local fishermen play in life here. To maintain this tradition in the development, we foresee bringing the fishermen’s culture and communities to two new wharfs that are strategically positioned at key locations in-between each island - the most protected places on the coastline.
A dedicated new Fishermen's Community Centre and Wharf with new, improved facilities is planned with easy access and distribution of their catch to nearby markets and restaurants. Their boats are also kept safe with new storage and refueling facilities that will be owned and managed by the fishermen’s association.”
“Penangites have a culture of strong communities and of spending time outdoors; through UNStudio’s design this lifestyle is empowered and taken to the next level.
As part of this, we introduced a central ‘Lifeline, an extended zone of public green space that runs through the heart of the new islands and radiates out towards their shorelines. This continuous, unifying gesture connects all three islands to the hilly habitats around Penang Island.
In addition, an alternating series of urban canopies and natural green shading is introduced to the public realm, alongside a microclimate of neighborhood greenery and water that enables the adjustment of temperature and humidity. Introducing climatic sensors within the canopies could take the adaptability of the system to the next level of urban comfort and public health.
These solutions seamlessly blend into the natural and architectural landscape and aggressively target CO2 neutrality with renewable energies.”
As part of this, we introduced a central ‘Lifeline, an extended zone of public green space that runs through the heart of the new islands and radiates out towards their shorelines. This continuous, unifying gesture connects all three islands to the hilly habitats around Penang Island.
In addition, an alternating series of urban canopies and natural green shading is introduced to the public realm, alongside a microclimate of neighborhood greenery and water that enables the adjustment of temperature and humidity. Introducing climatic sensors within the canopies could take the adaptability of the system to the next level of urban comfort and public health.
These solutions seamlessly blend into the natural and architectural landscape and aggressively target CO2 neutrality with renewable energies.”
“By creating a lake on the north side, a network of canals in the middle and a mix of sandy beaches and marinas on the south, our masterplan proposes a diverse coastline. This approach helps to maximise the collection of fresh water, while solving flooding issues on the main island and minimising the environmental impact of the total reclamation in the region.
The new islands therefore become a protective filter for the whole of Penang, with the sea defence at the exposed seafront protecting the main and new islands against storm surges, tsunamis and any future rise in sea levels.
By enclosing the southern waterfront, the new inner lake will have more stable and regulated water levels. This lake can remain saline, thereby retaining most of the existing salt-water ecosystems, or be turned into a freshwater reservoir that presents an opportunity to introduce a rich new ecosystem to the archipelago.”
The new islands therefore become a protective filter for the whole of Penang, with the sea defence at the exposed seafront protecting the main and new islands against storm surges, tsunamis and any future rise in sea levels.
By enclosing the southern waterfront, the new inner lake will have more stable and regulated water levels. This lake can remain saline, thereby retaining most of the existing salt-water ecosystems, or be turned into a freshwater reservoir that presents an opportunity to introduce a rich new ecosystem to the archipelago.”
“Our masterplan for the Penang South Islands includes a large tech campus, designed to attract world-leading tech companies, as well as to nurture the entrepreneurial young local workforce. It is envisaged that Penang’s tech growth will come from two complementary directions – top-down by the investment of global tech leaders and bottom-up by the leadership of young local tech entrepreneurs.
To boost connections between Alunan Penang and the rest of the state, our masterplan leverages the existing light rail transit line, but also introduces bridges, panoramic cable car connections and fast ferry routes to Penang Island’s capital, George Town, and to the mainland.”
“In line with the Penang2030 vision and with the help of technology, UNStudio’s proposal increases the civic participation and engagement of Smart Citizens as the development grows over the next 25 years.
This is manifested through the introduction of an innovative digital masterplan platform that monitors critical data indexes like energy consumption, mobility efficiency and real estate market saturation, and engages citizens and stakeholders into providing valuable feedback.
Referred to as “the stack”, this system will stimulate new digital concepts and urban systems, such as community-owned energy production, services to promote active lifestyles for senior citizens and data platforms for public good.”
This is manifested through the introduction of an innovative digital masterplan platform that monitors critical data indexes like energy consumption, mobility efficiency and real estate market saturation, and engages citizens and stakeholders into providing valuable feedback.
Referred to as “the stack”, this system will stimulate new digital concepts and urban systems, such as community-owned energy production, services to promote active lifestyles for senior citizens and data platforms for public good.”
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Credits
UNStudio
Ben van Berkel, Astrid Piber with Marianthi Tatari and Kristoph Nowak, Panos Chatzitsakyris, Georgios Siokas, David Schwarzman, Lawson Spencer, Alba Pelaez, Rebekah Tien, Rugile Ropolaite, Bao An Nguyen Phuoc, Huey Chan, Beata Giermasinska, Dana Behrman, Cagdas Delen, Pedro Silva Costa, Giulia Carravieri, Machteld van Hulten, Yunfu Duan
UNSense
Ben van Berkel, Ren Yee, Connor Cook
Collaborators
A61 (Local Architects)
Witteveen + Bos (Coastal Engineering, Land Reclamation)
Systematica S.r.l. (Mobility and Transportation)
Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl (Landscape)
Transsolar (Sustainability)
SBP Schlaich Bergmann Partner (Structural Engineering and Bridges)
Strelka (Digital Masterplanning)
Perunding Prisma Sejati Sdn Bhd (Traffic - Local)
Perunding Kos T & K Sdn Bhd (Cost - Local)
USM Prof. Zulfigar Yasin (Marine Biology - Local)
Fanli Marine and Consultancy Sdn Bhd (Ecology - Local)
SNA Consult Sdn Bhd (Civil and Structural Engineer - Local)
HYDEC Engineering Sdn Bhd (Hydraulic Engineer - Local)
Rahim & Co (Financial Advisor - Local)
USM Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saidatulakmal Mohd. (Socio-economic Advisor - Local)
JPR Sdn Bhd (M&E - Local)
Praxcis Design Sdn Bhd (Landscape - Local)
Visualizations
A2 Studio (Stills and animation)
Jerry De Mars (animated diagrams)
Physical Model
Golden Success Amt Sdn Bhd-
UNStudio
Ben van Berkel, Astrid Piber with Marianthi Tatari and Kristoph Nowak, Panos Chatzitsakyris, Georgios Siokas, David Schwarzman, Lawson Spencer, Alba Pelaez, Rebekah Tien, Rugile Ropolaite, Bao An Nguyen Phuoc, Huey Chan, Beata Giermasinska, Dana Behrman, Cagdas Delen, Pedro Silva Costa, Giulia Carravieri, Machteld van Hulten, Yunfu Duan
UNSense
Ben van Berkel, Ren Yee, Connor Cook
Collaborators
A61 (Local Architects)
Witteveen + Bos (Coastal Engineering, Land Reclamation)
Systematica S.r.l. (Mobility and Transportation)
Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl (Landscape)
Transsolar (Sustainability)
SBP Schlaich Bergmann Partner (Structural Engineering and Bridges)
Strelka (Digital Masterplanning)
Perunding Prisma Sejati Sdn Bhd (Traffic - Local)
Perunding Kos T & K Sdn Bhd (Cost - Local)
USM Prof. Zulfigar Yasin (Marine Biology - Local)
Fanli Marine and Consultancy Sdn Bhd (Ecology - Local)
SNA Consult Sdn Bhd (Civil and Structural Engineer - Local)
HYDEC Engineering Sdn Bhd (Hydraulic Engineer - Local)
Rahim & Co (Financial Advisor - Local)
USM Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saidatulakmal Mohd. (Socio-economic Advisor - Local)
JPR Sdn Bhd (M&E - Local)
Praxcis Design Sdn Bhd (Landscape - Local)
Visualizations
A2 Studio (Stills and animation)
Jerry De Mars (animated diagrams)
Physical Model
Golden Success Amt Sdn Bhd-
