HASSELL pre-qualified for an international design competition to develop a master plan proposal for the urban environment surrounding the Klang and Gombak rivers in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. An innovative and ambitious design seeking to transform the city centre and its relationship with the rivers was proposed.
The HASSELL proposal focused on creating riverside environments which stimulated development and beautified the watercourses and public realm, creating stronger connections and providing an opportunity for activation and joy.
The project required thinking on many levels, focusing on development, public activity, landscape character, movement and aesthetics in a total solution, to create an urban design blueprint for the future of Kuala Lumpur. To understand an established and complicated city in a short space of time and develop realistic, relevant and inspirational proposals was a key challenge in the short competition timeframe.
The mix of small to large scale proposals was important to address early wins and establish a long term blueprint for urban regeneration around the rivers. A sense of modernity, history and culture was essential to embrace with materiality, established city icons and new infrastructure highlighted to bring this to the fore.
The design creates new boardwalks and bridges, riverside parks, and opportunities for fishing and canoeing. It creates flexible public realm for cultural activities and creates beauty through high-quality landscape and architectural experiences. It embraces Kuala Lumpur's culture and history and looks forward to a future where the city is a dynamic and beautiful place to live, work and visit.
The project is about creating a city which is in tune with its environment and allows the watercourse ecologies and economic development to work in tandem to create a truly liveable city for future generations. By re-embracing the rivers, the people are able to enjoy the landscape in ways not available to them currently. Through cleaner and more active waterways, urban ecology is improved and the city truly comes back to life.
