Hive of activity: Visitors flocked to the Urban Village built in Medan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur, during WUF9.
PETALING JAYA: The ninth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF9) took its theme, Cities 2030, Cities for All: Implementing the New Urban Agenda (NUA), to heart.
Not only did WUF9 manage to gather the largest congregation of NUA stakeholders in the history of the WUF, it also marked the first time a declaration was made by the end of the forum’s proceedings on Feb 13.
WUF9 concluded with the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Cities 2030, which acts as a show of commitment by WUF9 participants to increase the scale and localise the implementation of the NUA so that it can help accelerate the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The declaration was presented at the closing ceremony of WUF9 in front of participants and various dignitaries.
Open spaces: Kuala Lumpur mayor Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz (in orange) visiting the Urban Village in Medan Pasar.
Television personality and activist Ras Adiba Radzi and Youth delegation of Malaysia Jasmin Irisha Jim Ilham presented the declaration on behalf of all the participants.
The declaration was described as “a call for the deployment of all efforts, means and resources available towards the operationalisation of the concept of cities for all, ensuring that all inhabitants, of present and future generations, without discrimination of any kind, are able to inhabit and produce just, safe, healthy, accessible, affordable, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements to foster prosperity and quality of life for all”.
“Its adoption is supported by key enablers capable of unlocking positive transformation,” the declaration stated.
A total of 10 recommendations were made in the declaration, touching on matters such as the need for dialogues between all stakeholders involved in creating sustainable and inclusive urbanisation, the need for data collecting and monitoring to enhance the decision-making processes, and the adoption of accessibility and universal design as core principles in the implementation of the NUA.
WUF9 Urban Village
WUF9 was not confined within the grounds of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, as an Urban Village was built to showcase how design can be used in urban interventions to create a better public realm for urban residents.
The Urban Village was built within the historical Medan Pasar area, which was chosen due to its easy accessibility by pedestrians and public transport.
One of the concepts showcased in the Urban Village was micro-housing, which reimagined what a neighbourhood could be.
Smaller, eco-friendly houses were set up amidst shared spaces such as an urban garden, an outdoor theatre and a play area.
The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry, in a statement, said the idea of communal living in urban areas was developed based on the idea of the kampung lifestyle of the past.
“It was based on the spirit of sharing and neighbourliness in a community environment, similar to the Malaysian kampung lifestyle of helping each other.
Sustainable living: A microhouse prototype set up in the Urban Village in Medan Pasar.
“Communal living offers a balance of private and common space designed specifically to encourage community interaction. Residents typically make decisions together in a collaborative process,” said the ministry.
Apart from shared communal spaces, co-working and commercial spaces can also be built into the integrated village model.
Another idea introduced along with the Urban Village was that of parklets and kerblets, referring to small seating areas or green spaces built on or alongside a pavement, often in a former roadside parking space, for public use.
In conjunction with WUF9, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) converted several street level parking spaces into parklets, while Think City converted a parklet and two kerblets in the hopes that these installations would become permanent fixtures in the city.
These installations were also in line with DBKL’s strategy of reducing the number of vehicles in the city centre and encouraging the use of public transport.
“They are designed to provide a public place for passers-by to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the city, in places where either public open spaces are lacking or where the existing sidewalk width is not large enough to accommodate vibrant street life activities.
“A parklet is a low-cost intervention that takes over existing parking spaces on the street, turning them into small social spaces,” said the ministry.
