Urban Conservation Planning Courses 2012–2015

Designed for planners and architects “Urban Conservation Planning in Malaysia” was a series of three short courses that emphasized internationally recognized urban conservation planning methodologies, including tools and techniques employed in the context of conservation and planning. Approximately twenty participants were selected for each course. The first two courses were held in George Town, Penang, in 2012 and 2013, and a third course was delivered in Kuala Lumpur in 2015.

The courses were taught in a highly interactive format, in which formal presentations were complemented with site exercises and guided, small-group discussions. Participants were given access to a wide range of complementary teaching materials (e.g., session outlines and technical notes) created by a team of instructors, both from within and outside Malaysia.

A values-based approach to heritage conservation was emphasized. The courses used the Australian Burra Charter (1979, with later amendments) as a basis for teaching conservation methodology. By using this respected charter, widely employed throughout Asia and elsewhere, instructors helped participants understand the challenges and practicalities associated with documenting historic places; understanding significance and the writing of a Statement of Cultural Significance; developing policy based on that significance; and managing historic sites in accordance with those policies.

The courses also related this approach to the realities of contemporary Malaysian planning methodologies, so that participants could see connections between what they use in practice and a conservation-focused methodology.