Future
The Butterworth neighbourhood is separated from the sea by a highway that connects the mainland and technical/industrial ports/passenger terminals. The highway restricts access to the locals and degrades the waterfront of Butterworth. The local docks are going to be expanded to the north by reclaiming the land. There is a new highway that is going to connect George Town's promising areas to the mainland. Therefore, there is an opportunity to rethink the ongoing projects and use the new upcoming opportunities to nurture the local community and address the issues of sustainability and resilience.
We propose to reconnect the city to the waterfront by reimagining the highway and the future of the waterfront. By creating artificial islands and connecting the new district by pedestrian-oriented streets we propose an exiting urban realm that is both playful and creates a high-quality living environment.
We propose to claim a part of the existing docks for the technological park with a commercial waterfront. This will create an innovation district with a vibrant atmosphere and unique access to good straightaway from the Butterworth Docks that are proposed to be shifted down the south along the existing railway. The deepwater docks will feature dining experience that will attract visitors from all over Penang Bay.
The residential quarters will remain mid-rise and compact to create communities and sense of space. The sizes of the road network are 130 by 130 meters on average that is proven to be optimal for a pedestrian-oriented city.
All quarters will be connected via public park & beach with unique islands that are used as flood barrier as well as catalysis for new activities, starting from picnics and ending by sports activities. All islands are connected by a series of boardwalks that define the experience.
Commercial buildings
The future retail experience is most likely going to be hyper-personalized. With robots delivery or other technology interference, the act of shopping will be more about the experience. Therefore, the building typology would be unique-shaped and aspire to navigate a visitor's emotions.
Technological park
To keep the talents, it is crucial to provide them with opportunities to develop, research and explore. The technological parks have grown in numbers over the past years as the governments and corporations realize the competition over "brains". It is also important to provide great urban experience, possibilities to socialize and meet the like-minded people. The technological park is located to provide access to the beach, waterfronts, commerce, historic districts and so on.
Residential buildings
The residential buildings have retail ground floors to provide amenities at a walking distance. The compact nature of the quarters allows to form new connections, create communities, and increase the overall well-being of the residents.
Resilience
The climatic changes and rising water levels create a substantial danger for the coastal cities. Architects and engineers all around the world are attempting to address the problem by using the built environment. We are proposing to create a series of artificial islands. They will have automatic water barriers connecting them but also serve as a point of attraction and a playground for the residents. They could be used for sports, leisure, music festivals, promenades or even to build iconic buildings such as a floating mosque.
