World’s First Intelligent Garden City
In Ebenezer Howard’s Garden Cities of Tomorrow published in 1902, the author writes about the creation of new towns of limited size, by a permanent belt of agricultural land.
If Howard were alive today, he would be astounded to see a concept first thought up by him, being brought to the next level – much grander in scale and more diverse in terms of ideas. Malaysia’s first Intel-ligent Garden City, Putrajaya is the trendy and futuristic location for the country’s central Government.
Here, we see a convergence of the past, present and future – of heritage, design and technology. For example, fibreoptic cables and minarets are both the personality of this city, as are modern stylised bridges amongst our natural heritage of fauna and flora.
Everywhere around the world, city planners continuously seek to strike a balance between the quality of life and the need for better city planning, better housing and better public services. Countries such as New Zealand and Canada have their Garden City in Christchurch and Vancouver respectively. With Putrajaya, Malaysia planned for a garden city that was stylish, real and authentic, and equipped with the latest technology to be a model of efficient Federal administration. Maybe it was a tall order, but it was not impossible, as is clearly evident. Fully integrated and self-contained, it is a showcase of excellence in distinctive design, technological advancement and city planning innovation.
Malaysians can lay claim to having created something never before seen in the world. Contrasting features such as stylish buildings and open spaces come together to make it an embodiment of how technology can exist in harmony with nature. Not surprising, of course, considering that Putrajaya was conceptualised based on three simple ideologies that cover the spiritual, social and natural – man and his creator, man and man, and man and nature.
Like a person who wears many hats, Putrajaya has many objectives: vital development catalyst due to its role as model city, nerve centre of the nation, and ideal place to live, work and engage in sports and recreational activities.
Putrajaya’s version of modern city living is in tandem with the Malaysian Government’s goal of nurturing a caring and tolerant society and its policy of ensuring continued growth in the Klang Valley by providing a more balanced development away from Kuala Lumpur, the latter still the country’s financial and commercial capital.
Futuristic, yet charmingly rustic structures share space in an orderly fashion on 4,581 hectares of land. This combination evokes a ‘resort feel’ – lending to a refreshing environment for work and play. Some 40% of the meticulously-designed capital is preserved for nature. Parks and botanical gardens, manicured hills, large bodies of freshwater wetlands teeming with wildlife like swans and flamingoes are hallmarks of Putrajaya. The nature spots with their 60,000 trees and shrubs would make an ideal site for scientific exploration, although most visitors would be happy enough to appreciate them for their scenic value alone.
The former Prime Minister, best known for his Vision 2020 that targets a developed Malaysia, first unveiled Putrajaya on June 4, 1999, as a shining example of its grand vision for the future. The legacy of his early planning forms the framework of Putrajaya today.
Putrajaya has since come to symbolise the branding of Malaysia. That it is an ambitious plan is without a doubt. The US$8.1 billion city is still undergoing construction – much needs to be done. Lead developer Putrajaya Holdings, in partnership with four property developers – Peremba Sdn Bhd, SP Setia Bhd, Hong Leong Properties Bhd and E&O Property Development Bhd – is responsible for developing the residential precincts outlined in the Putrajaya Master Plan.
Named after the country’s founding father and first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj (the suffix ‘jaya’ means ‘success’), the city features its uniqueness, which is further enhanced by another model intelligent city.
Together Putrajaya and Cyberjaya symbolise Malaysia’s aspirations to be a key player in the global ICT arena.
Already making a huge impression on visitors are the stylishly designed buildings where Government offices are housed. These sit along the fringes of Putra Square, surrounded by a massive man-made lake. It was envisioned that Putrajaya would attract banks, securities houses and media organisations hoping to escape Asia’s more congested capitals. Embassies are represented in a diplomatic enclave in the northern end of Putrajaya.
High-tech schools, fishing grounds, jogging paths and artificial lakes – these are among the features that are to be incorporated into the system. Some smaller details are already functional: viewing platforms built on hills, futuristic street lights and irrigation ditches dug into grassy knolls.
Schools, healthcare facilities and public amenities are being built in the city over the next decade. Advanced communications and transportation infrastructure will keep Putrajaya well-linked. A golf course, sports stadium, cultural centre and shopping malls – all these should come together to make Putrajaya vibrant and visually exciting but certainly nothing can compete with the impressive sight of the pink-domed Putra Mosque boasting the world’s tallest minaret at 116m.
Putra Mosque is truly a sight to behold and is one of the most modern mosques in the world. This sandstone mosque,which incorporates Malaysian, Persian and Arab-Islamic architectural designs, overlooks a giant man-made lake.The entire complex can accommodate up to 15,000 worshippers and has also been designed for conferences, seminars and symposiums.
Whilst Putrajaya is the Federal administrative centre of the nation, it was also designed as a residential suburb for thousands of civil servants. Already available are a golf course, sports stadium, cultural centre and shopping mall – designed to fit into the overall concept of the city, as well as to provide fun and interesting recreational activities for the residents.
Source : http://www.putrajaya.gov.my
