Chap.12

Arts & Crafts

Arts & Crafts by Maszura Abdul Ghafar, Muhammad Najmi Zesdyzar, Intan Maizura Mohd Hanafiah & Muhammad Hanif Ashraf Zul

Arts & crafts is an important aspect for residents of Kajang. Three conceptual philosophical propositions are put forth under the topic of arts & crafts. They are “Interactive Art”, “Active Visual Engagement” and “Interactive Learning” which respectively serve the following brands: Liquitex, KL Sketch and K’nex. “Interactive Art” hinges on user experience and effectiveness of mindfulness-based art therapy while “Active Visual Engagement” is based on visual accessibility and active engagement. The final proposition “Interactive Learning” is based on interactive social interaction’s pocket park and adaptive reuse of the local urban heritage.

In Muhammad Hanif Ashraf Zul’s representation of Liquitex, he proposes effective pedestrian green pocket spaces locations within the building vicinity whilst mindfully mended local community with art and nature therapy. In Muhammad Najmi Zesdyzar’s representation of KL Sketch, he proposes community’s commercial and greetings open spaces at street view level on the ground floor. These indicate as extensions of community nodes to induce utmost active local visual accessibility. In Intan Maizura Mohd Hanafiah’s representation of K’nex, she proposes interactive retailer-consumer platform and community spaces that adhere bespoke involvements between the community, the retailer and the products itself. From the conceptual philosophies related to arts & crafts, the trend is to create unique interactive user spaces to adhere greater contextual engagement with pedestrian within human visual angle.

Active Visual Engagement | KL Sketchnation

Muhammad Najmi Zesdyzar

ACTIVE VISUAL ENGAGEMENT is a combination of Visual accessibility and Active engagement. Visual accessibility is having adequate access to the information given by that visual object. Active engagement is a proactive participation from a targeted group. The design enables visual clarity towards the heritage buildings and landmarks at the project site, spatial access for wheelchair-bound participants, and auditory access to visually impaired participants. Active engagement is by providing landscape spaces with movable and modular parts.

Exploring flexible ways to switch modalities of urban community gardens as a convivial space and a resilient space (Hou, 2017) by giving the open spaces around the site different functions. Focusing on commercial, educational and Transit-Oriented Development, the appointment of function is determined by identifying the immediate surrounding context that the respective open space is facing. The commercial open space becomes an extension for the commercial node, the educational space accommodates the surge of schoolkids, and the Transit-Oriented Development open space greets pedestrian coming from all major pathways into the site. Redirect the urge of using urban kiosk illegitimately into a productive activity (Natapov & Grinshpun, 2020) by providing a canvas-like pedestrian pathway connecting the site to the nodes around Kajang in the form of ground murals.

Interactivity in Learning | K'Nex

Intan Maizura Mohd Hanafiah

Pocket park helps promote social interaction between multi-ethnic and all income class in the commercial area. Moreover, a walkable safety pedestrian system enables the people of Kajang town to access the public park more easily and safely. Furthermore, parking facilities such as car parks at commercial areas helps reduce the circulation issue of traffic congestion. Besides that, a flood warning alert system with water level as variable helps mitigate the climate issue of flash flood. Lastly, an adaptive reuse approach on the residential urban heritage allows for the conservation of heritage in urban context.

Interactivity in retailing design and spaces is defined as a direct involvement between the community and the products itself. This way, the community get to familiarize with the product better through a first-hand experience at the flagship-retail store. On the other hand, ubiquitous learning environment is defined as a continuous learning practice where knowledge can be gained outside of the conventional classroom. The design approach for my project is to promote enhancement of motor skills and gaining of knowledge for the children of Kajang society, through an interactive platform and a community spaces where the public will be able to share their knowledge.

The Gentrification | Liquitex

Muhammad Hanif Ashraf Zul

Effective model for interactive art focusing on user experience research due to the advancement of Affective Interface technology of digital Arts. Second, The effective of mindfulness-based art therapy for symptoms of mental health about the benefits of mindfulness to relieve symptoms. Next, The unawareness in Environmental Protection of the case of light pollution from traffic. Therefore, implement to include the various kind of art to enhance user.

Willis et al. (2004) focusing into the implications for the design and modelling of effective pedestrian environments. Therefore, this theoretical has been applied where the building is has a sense of welcoming and easy to be access. Third aspect that has been applied is the Lee & Maheswaran (2011) about an evidence-based approach to urban planning where the search of academic was conducted for studies of the health effects of green space. It is designed by integrated both pocket box and pedestrian.This to give the people to experience the art and nature. Lastly, Hamdan, H., Yusof, F., Marzukhi, M. A., et al. (2018) highlight about social well-being, strengthen neighbourhood and increase the quality of life. This aspect is to respect to the community around the site by orientating the building following to the point of attraction around at the site.