SOCIAL STUDY CULTURAL STUDY

32, 365, 999 75, 000 18,600 THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN: The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.
Malaysia’s Population in 2020 The ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society
Estimated number of HOMELESS
CHILDREN in Malaysia
Estimated number of REFUGEE
CHILDREN in Malaysia
Street Children of Chow Kit
CHOW KIT’S CULTURE IN THE MORNING
“In of an advanced Kuala Lumpur, sits an undignified Chow Kit Road. A sore thumb High density
sticking out with prostitution, drugs and homelessness.” --- node

SOCIAL SEGREGRATION Medium density

node

Low density node

Home is where their mothers From marriages between locals Runaways from abusive homes. 1. 1. MRT Chow Kit
work as prostitutes and foreigners and no valid Many of them reported a back- 2.Chow Kit Wet Market
documents, they are unable to ground of family dysfunction. 3. Jalan Raja Bot
enroll in schools become “street 4. Jalan Raja Alang
6.
kids” 5.Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
3.
6. Lorong Haji Taib
8. 7.
SOCIO-CULTURE ISSUES 5. N 7. Chow Kit Dry Market
8. Tiong Nam Night Market
2. 4.

THE HAVE THE HAVE NOTS

Different nodes identified by the street children
about their surrounding environments and where
they usually hang around.
The CONTRAST between the have and the have nots can be clearly seen in Chow Kit.
Source: Kuala Lumpur Street Children Learning
THE MARGINALIZED PEOPLE OF CHOW KIT Centre contextual studies and presentation boards,
Author.
PROSTITUTION GANGSTERISM HUMAN TRAFFICKING

CHOW KIT’S CULTURE IN THE NIGHT

High density
node

Medium density
8. node
SEX WORKERS THE UNFORTUNATE CHILDREN HOMELESS
Chow Kit is famous and has They live in dingy homes along the Unfortunate people stricken by THIEVERY HOMELESS DRUG ADDICTS AND Low density node
been known as one of the streets of Chow Kit, often times their poverty found beside the streets ALCOHOLICS
major red light districts in KL, mothers are drug addicts or sex of Chow Kit can be seen eating
often driven prostitution, workers. These children sometimes scraps and begging for food. 1. 1. MRT Chow Kit
poverty and drugs. have to steal food to survive. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 2.Chow Kit Night Market
3. Jalan Raja Bot
6. 4. Jalan Raja Alang
3. 5.Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
6. Lorong Haji Taib
7. N 7. Chow Kit Dry Market
5.
2. 8. Grand Seasons Hotel
4.

The streets of Chow Kit are quiet at night due to the

DRUG ADDICTS
At night, Chow Kit becomes a domain of
drug addicts and drug traffickers. They are
found in narrow streets and shady places.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS + REFUGEES POOR GARBAGE MANAGEMENT current situation of COVID-19. Apart from that, accord-
VEHICLE CONGESTIONS AND VANDALISM POOR DRAINAGE SYSTEM ing to Mr Nazmi and Ms Lila of Yayasan Chow kit, the
They are often exploited by organized crimes
into vice activities. They usually end up Too many cars for the roadway -- No sense of belonging -- Poor infrastructure children are taken back from the streets by their parents
homeless and take odd jobs. Many are due to inadequate mass transit or have gotten back by themselves to their homes.
blamed for various crimes. options or other reasons -- Poor maintenance -- Poor maintenance

VIEWS URBAN WALL AREAS TO IMPROVE

1. VIEWS TOWARDS KL CITY
AREAS TO The views towards the life and activities of
EXPOSE/ USE the people around the bustling city of KL
is important to create a connection from
Areas around the site which has strong the city to the site.
and distinct character to the town of
Chow Kit which can ve used to improve
and influence the building design.
2. SHOPLOTS AROUND THE CORNER
The shoplots and buildings around the site
preserves the charming neoclassical archi-
tecture buildings that contains the heritage
and history of Chow Kit.

3. LIFE OF THE CITY

Pockets of spaces of the streets and around
N the site where the people of the town of
Chow Kit perform their daily activities.
VANDALISED HOARDING EXISITING BUILDINGS WITH LITTER AND TRASH AT THE
POOR CONDITION. SIDDEWALKS
VIEWS IN TO SITE 4. GREENERY
II Greenery around the site creates pleasant SERIAL VISION
N visuals and shading to create a more attrac- 1
tive and relaxing walk to the site.

IV 1.
AREAS TO HIDE WORN AND TATTERED BUILDINGS
Workshops and storerooms are filled with The route down the staircase of the MRT
Areas around the site which are
litter such as rubbish and wood planks overhead bridge gives it a sense of arrival.
unpleasant and does not contribute to
the experience of the site.
2
VIEWS OUT FROM THE SITE
2. VANDALISED WALLS AND FENCES
II
The shoplots and buildings around the site
preserves the charming neoclassical
architecture buildings that contains the Series of zebra crossing forms a regular markers
heritage and history of Chow Kit. were identified under the MRT Chow Kit.

IV 3

3. CONSTRUCTION SITES AND N

PARKING LOTS
N The construction site and the parking lot
look chaotic and messy hence disturbing
the atmosphere of the site.
The line of trees along the sides of Jalan Sultan
Azlan Shah form a series of natural markers.
PRECEDENT STUDIES PROPOSAL
PRECEDENT STUDY 1: PRECEDENT STUDY 2: WORKING TRANSIENT DISPLACED HOMELESS NGO SEX IMMIGRANTS ELDERLY
THE GARY COMER YOUTH CENTER SPORTS AND LEISURE CENTER IN CLASS GROUP YOUTH WORKERS

SAINTCLOUD User Groups Spatial Concepts (Programming)

Architects: John Ronan Architects
Location: Greater Grand Crossing, South Chicago, United States Architects: KOZ Architectes The spaces designed for children requires a
Area: 75000 ft² （6967.73 m²） Location: Saint-Cloud, France thorough understanding of the anthropometrics as
Year: 2006 Area: 1600 m² well as types of learning behaviours that best
Year: 2009 works for them. Most of the street children have
difficulty in adjusting to the community at large, yet
Food Culture Training Social space Charity Accomodation Education
alone a learning environment. In order to resolve
Needs this particular issue, a new learning method is
required for the children to be at ease in their
learning process. And since the level of formative
learning are almost non-existent for most of the
street children, a more relaxing and interactive
learning setting was administered into the design
NATURAL LIGHTING process shown in figure 6. This is of course derived
WASTE REDUCTION
Skylights along the rooftop garden brings Pathways within the courtyard garden are from observing their daily behaviours as well.
daylight into the central gym and cafeteria made of lightweight composite materials such A PURE COLOUR SCHEME
A CONCRETE RIBBON Programs Workshops Temporary Food Trucks Culture Hub Charity Events Craft shops Outdoor social
spaces. as recycled lumber and plastic. The building uses colour very openly and
Accomodation and eatery and fundraising space
The building is a vertical pilling of activity
assertively. Colour coding helps locate
spaces wrapped in a ribbon of concrete
from the outside the areas created on the
providing unity to the whole. Spatial Concepts (Design Strategy)
inside.
Most of the street youth have difficulty in adjusting to the community at
large, yet alone a learning environment. In order to resolve this particu-
lar issue, a new learning method is required for the youth to be at ease
in their learning process. The level of formative learning are almost
non-existent for most of them, a more relaxing and interactive learning
INSPIRING PROGRAMS GREEN BUILDING
setting was administered into the design process derived from observing
Elevated courtyard allows food production Rooftop garden harvest and recycle rainwater their daily behaviours as well.
and educational function of urban agriculture while reducing the urban heat island effect.
and outdoor farming.

NATURAL VETILATION
Ventilation of the building is integrated
with the elevated courtyard for passive
climate control in winter.
VISUALLY CONNECTED SENSE OF COMMUNITY
Large glass partitions are used to channel natural light
throughout the space to promote a sense of community
in different program spaces, as well as visual security
and safety for the children.
SPACES TO BE FILLED
All corridors, access ramps and
passageways, are wide and spacious,
up to 3 times the regulation size for
flexibility and fluid layout.
COLOURED FACADES
The main facade is made of tinted glass
with a colour gradient from red to green.
The other 3 facades are more homoge-
neous, albeit coloured too.
CONCLUSION
The public are to be made aware of the issue of the street children of Chow Kit, and only then the current predicament of the street children’s lives
can be changed.
The proposal to have a Street Youth Learning Centre in city centre will symbolize the progression of the government towards having
youths unblemished from major social problems. The intention is addressed at the educational assimilation of living skills, basic acquired knowl-
edge, eastern ideals and practices while imparting social community ethics that is envisioned to negate this malady at its very roots - through the
cognitive experiential re-education of the street children.
This will also represent a new approach to vocational schools or similar educational institutes in cohesive programming of spaces. Malaysia has
the authority to conduct such a program for the better. It is with rich pluralistic races, beliefs and cultures that can be seen as an integration of a
project truly defining a collective effort of young Malaysians for Malaysians.