Penang Butterfly Farm

Finally the long awaited revamped Penang Butterfly Farm! This place has been around for decades with the old dilapidated buildings. I always wondering why the management never thought of sprucing up the premise given that it is one of the major attractions along the Batu Ferringghi Tourist Belt. 

My ponder got answered when the spanking new building was unveiled recently. It has shed its previous unattractive facade after went through a complete makeover. It is like the metamorphosis of the eerie and ugly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

The new facade has interesting display of a huge green wall with various plant species of the tropics. The main entrance now has two decent sculptures of beetle compared to the previous unrealistic giant ant.

The interior has surreal display of lighting that will surely heighten the experience of the visitors. The great all with dome skylight reminisces of a mini Gardens by the Bay of Singapore.

 

Penang Art District

The Penang State Government has identified a 9.2 acres of PDC and state land situated off Gat Lebuh McCallum and Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, a mere 500 metres away from the original proposed site. With a much larger land area without the limitations of existing buildings and structures, the new site provides greater flexibility and new possibilities for the Penang Arts District. 

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng told a press conference today with advisor for Penang Arts Division Datuk Dr Tan Chee Kuan and general manager of PDC Datuk Rosli Jaafar. The Penang Arts District will also drive the revitalisation of the McCallum area, catalysing urban renewal in an area adjacent to the Georgetown UNESCO heritage zone, creating more employment opportunities for Penangites and greater value-added service industry. 

Media Statement by Y.A.B Tuan Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister on 22 June 2016 in Komtar, George Town, Penang PENANG ARTS DISTRICT’S CALL FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION APPLICANTS As an initiative to catalyse the economic impact of the creative industry in Penang, The Penang State Government has envisioned Penang Arts District to be the creative hub of Penang’s contemporary arts and culture. Originally, the Penang State Government was to embark on a project to regenerate and revitalise Sia Boey into the Penang Arts District as previously announced. However, Sia Boey was later identified as a likely site to be transformed into a transportation hub for the planned Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Mass Rail Transit (MRT) interchange under the Penang Transport Master Plan. As a result, due to the likely uncertainty as well as the likely construction period of as much as 10 years, the state has decided that the Penang Arts District will be better served at an alternative location. The Penang State Government has identified a 9.2 acres piece of PDC and state land situated off Gat Lebuh McCallum and Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, a mere 500 metres away from the original proposed site. With a much larger land area without the limitations of existing buildings and structures, the new site provides greater flexibility and new possibilities for the Penang Arts District. 

The new site can cater to the single largest collection of art galleries and cultural museums, creative boutiques, arts schools and workshops in Malaysia. We would of course not forget to populate the scene with hip cafes and trendy restaurants serving local and international cuisines to further enhance Penang’s reputation as the food capital of the region. We are confident that the Penang Arts District will become a must-visit arts destination of Southeast Asia. 

The Penang Arts District will also drive the revitalisation of the McCallum area, catalysing urban renewal in an area adjacent to the Georgetown UNESCO heritage zone, creating more employment opportunities for Penangites and greater value-added services industry. To support the setting up of Penang Arts District, we have appointed Dato’ Dr Tan Chee Khuan as an advisor for this project. Dato’ Dr Tan is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Penang State Art Gallery Committee and a prominent art collector, historian and writer. He has one of the largest private art collections in the state and frequently donates his collections to the Penang State Museum and Art Gallery for the public. I am certain that Dato’ Dr Tan will be able to guide and lead the state in ensuring the success of the Penang Arts District. 

The Penang Arts District team under Penang Conventions & Exhibitions Board (PCEB) has envisioned the venue to incorporate an 80,000 square feet container city and a 3-acre landscaped park. Such container cities have been successfully developed in Christchurch, Seoul, Dubai and Buenos Aires. (Pictures are included in the media kit.) They are quick to build and can be artistically composed and easily reconfigured. They will also reflect Penang’s heritage as an important shipping port. 

As we move forward, we are now excited to call for a Pre-Qualification proposal and submissions this exciting project. Designers, architects and contractors who are interested in participating in this landmark project may download the Pre-Qualification documents online via Penang Arts District’s website, www.penangartsdistrict.com. The project is expected to cost up to RM30 million. There will also be a compulsory briefing and site visit for interested participants on 30 June 2016. The deadline for submission is 23 August 2016. Shortlisted bidders from the Pre-Qualification exercise will then be requested to take part in a design and build tender exercise expected in September 2016. In the meantime, the Penang Arts District team will be running engagement programmes to get in touch with the relevant stakeholders of this project. We invite those who have fascinating proposals, or are interested in a space at the arts district, to contact the team. We look forward to receiving interesting conceptual ideas for the design and build of Penang Arts District. This marks for exciting times ahead as we embark on a journey in transforming Penang into a truly international and most liveable city in the world. LIM GUAN ENG Chief Minister of Penang 

This is indeed an overdue project as Penang has a large pool of artistic talent who have been active in their works behind the limelight. Their presence are elusive due to lack of venue to promote their, not to mention the less enthusiastic public. 

With a venue like the proposed Penang Art District, artists will finally have a proper platform to showcase their works while the public will find it convenient to appreciate art right at their backyard. This project is indeed the music to the ear of the art community in Penang.

New Bird Nest Of China

Phoenix International Media Center locates in the southwest corner of Chaoyang Park; the site area is 1.8 hectares. The total floor area of the building is 65,000m2 with a height of 55m. Apart from the media office, the broadcasting studios and the production offices, the building provides abundant of open spaces for the public to get interactive experiences, which expresses the unique operation concept of Phoenix Media. The logic of the design concept is to create an ecological environment shell embraces the Individual functional spaces as a building-in-building concept. The two independent office towers under the shell generate many shared public spaces. In the east and west parts of the shared spaces, there are continuous steps, landscape platforms, sky ramps and crossing escalators which fill the building of energetic and dynamic spaces. Furthermore, the building’s sculptural shape originates from the “Mobius Strip”. The sculptural shape provides the building a harmony relationship with the irregular direction of the existing streets, the sitting corner of the site, and the Chaoyang Park.

The continuous integrity and the smooth surface of the building express the topological corporate culture of the Phoenix Media. The elevation difference between the southern and northern internal spaces are able to provide quality of sunlight, ventilation and landscape view to the office towers, meanwhile avoiding glare and noises for the broadcasting room. In addition, the elevation difference also avoids blocking the sunshine to the residential building at the northern direction.

In addition, energy-saving and low-carbon concepts are also applied in the building design. Instead of setting drain pipe on the smooth surface, the rainwater will be collected by dropping naturally along the structural ribs into the collection tank which locates at the bottom of the building. After being filtered, the rain water will be recycled to water the artistic waterscape and irrigation for landscape. Other than the aesthetic value of the architectural shape, during Beijing’s windy winter time, the smooth surface and round shape also mitigate the severe street wind effects from high-rise buildings. Meanwhile, the shell also provides a climate buffer space for the functional spaces as an “Green Coat”.

The double layer exterior of the building can improve the comfort in the functional areas, and reduce the consumption of energy. Digital technology is applied to tailor the physical space of the exterior shell and the inside volume precisely in order to ensure the exact matches between seams. The cone-shaped shared space, which is 30 meters high, generates the chimney effect, which provides natural air ventilation to save energy during transitional seasons.

Source: Archdaily

Taxi In The Sky

Many major tourist destinations in South East Asia have it such as Singapore's Sentosa Island and Malaysia's Genting Highlands. Although Penang is well known as a tourist haven, there is no unique transportation other than the heritage trishaw until recently. 

The government has decided to implement Penang Sky Cab project as their next tourism project although the main objectives is to solve the daily traffic congestion problem by integrating this project into the bigger Penang Transport Master Plan.

This is a much anticipated project as it will no doubt further strengthen the ties between the island and mainland Penang.

GEORGE TOWN (April 4): Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB)’s Penang Sky Cab, a 4.8km cable car system first mooted by the state government in March last year to connect mainland Penang in Butterworth and Jelutong in Penang Island, is expected to begin construction in the first quarter of 2018 (1Q2018).

MRCB special project general manager Dennis Tan Hui Long said the project is expected to be completed in 3Q2019. It is estimated to cost between RM500 million and RM700 million, based on similar projects in Europe, the United States and Asia.

However, the Sky Cab project, aimed at adding value, akin to a tourism project, to the RM2 billion Penang Sentral transport-oriented development (TOD), is not a revenue-generating project, said Tan.

“This is not a profitable project. It is the state government’s dream project, but we are not doing it as a CSR (corporate social responsibility) project. It is being done for our own development interest as well because it will complement our Penang Sentral project, which is an integrated TOD like KL Sentral,” he told The Edge Financial Daily last week.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the public consultation session on the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) of the project.

Penang Sentral located on the mainland, connecting both the mainland and Penang Island, will have a hotel and a shopping mall too.

“Therefore, we see the Sky Cab project as a project that can add value to our development,” he said.

MRCB, however, cannot ascertain the exact cost of the project at this juncture because it is still conducting a feasibility study on it, he added.

Tan stressed that the detailed design, and cost of construction and materials have to be taken into account first before ascertaining the final project cost. The cable car system is a new idea and was not featured previously in the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan, which has a 15-year completion period.

“It could be more or less [than an RM500 million to RM700 million estimation]; we cannot say for sure yet,” he said, adding that the group intends to fund the project internally and via bank borrowings.

MRCB expects to submit the DEIA to the department of environment this month before it gets down to the detailed design works, which it expects will be from June to December this year.

Tenders for the cable car system, design, construction and engineering will be called in August and December 2016 respectively. Preliminary designs revealed last year showed that the Penang Sky Cab will have 40 gondolas that could transport up to 1,000 persons every hour on a 15-minute journey and take in the views of the middle of the channel through an observatory tower.

Meanwhile, Tan revealed that ticket fares for Sky Cab for daily commuters had been tentatively set at RM2.50, RM15 for domestic tourists and RM35 for foreign commuters.

“The fare is expected to increase every five years. By the year 2043, the fare for commuters will go up to RM4.80, RM28.50 for domestic tourists and RM65 for foreign tourists,” he shared.

“From our study, we see tourists’ fare increasing by 20% every five years, while the commuters’ fare will rise 40% every 10 years,” he added.

According to his presentation, ridership will grow 5% per annum in the first five years, before decreasing by 2% per annum in the last five years.

“The passenger mix will involve 34% domestic tourists, 26% foreign tourists and 40% commuters. We believe commuters will shift from ferries and the bridge,” he said.

Tan added that 60% of the fare revenue contribution would be generated from foreign tourists, 33% from domestic tourists and the remainder from commuters.

Do not ask the bus driver about the value of your home. Click here at The Edge Reference Price to find out.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on April 4, 2016. Subscribe to The Edge Financial Daily here.

Source: The Edge Property

Penang Refurbished Butterfly Farm

“Lessons from nature have to be free from the confines of the classroom to be meaningful. That’s why I dreamed of an idyllic garden to share my passion.”

Mr David Goh, founder & insect enthusiast

Who would have thought that a tropical eco-system prototype for Clive Farrell’s greenhouse at Stratford-on-Avon, UK in the 1980’s would start an emerging trend in live butterfly exhibitions around the world? Little did we know that a simple hobby in the Goh’s backyard would eventually evolve into a thriving butterfly-breeding business and the place to be in Penang.

Since opening our doors to the public in March 1986, Penang Butterfly Farm – the first tropical butterfly exhibition in the world – has played host to over 4 million visitors. Inspired by our conversations with visitors and academia near and far, we have built on our rich heritage to create the ultimate “Nature Learning Destination”.

It is this same desire to help people live in better harmony with nature that led to our rebirth as ENTOPIA. Imagine nature’s largest classroom and discovery hub, where the butterflies and insects are free to come out to play. This is our very own Entomological Utopia.

Source: Entopia

Penang's Land Reclamation

Due to the shortage of resources in the state, it is only rational for the state government to use reclaimed land to finance the infrastructure projects, according to two key business organisations in Penang.

 

Real Estate & Housing Developers Association (Rehda) Penang chairman Datuk Jerry Chan said it was the only currency available as the yearly revenue of the state could not pay for such infrastructure projects.

“The justification is that the reclamation works and the infrastructure projects will generate jobs and business for Penangites, offsetting some of the negative consequences of the reclamation.

“The state government should look into other ways for the affected fishermen to generate an income from fish farming activities.

“Lacking funds and ready land bank should not be used as an excuse to stunt Penang’s economic growth,” he said.

Chan spoke recently in response to the implementation of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), which would see the development of a light rail transit (LRT) system on the island and the Pan Island Link Highway, deemed to be high-priority projects under the PTMP.

Financing the projects under PTMP would involve reclaiming two man-made islands, located near Permatang Damar Laut and Teluk Kumbar, spanning 930ha and 566ha.

The PTMP has raised concerns from certain quarters, particularly from fisherfolk.

The PTMP is a result of the request for proposal (RFP) called by the state government after the Transport Master Plan Strategy Report was unveiled in 2013. The strategy report has recommended plans till 2030, estimated to cost RM27bil.

The original plan was put up with inputs from AJC Planning Consultants Sdn Bhd, Halcrow Consultants Sdn Bhd and Singapore Cruise Centre.

Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) president Datuk Seri Choot Ewe Seng said the state government needed to resolve the traffic congestion problems as soon as possible, as every minute or hour spent trapped in a traffic jam was a loss in economic terms.

“The business community and the public can only benefit from the project. The advantages will outweigh the cost of reclamation.

“However, the state government must ensure that the cost of riding the LRT is minimal and not a burden to the people,” Choot said.

Property valuation and management company CA Lim & Co principal Lim Chien Aun said the state government should set up a fund using the proceeds raised from selling the reclaimed lands to subsidise the maintenance costs of the proposed infrastructure of the PTMP inclusive of the LRT.

“Otherwise the cost of maintaining the LRT would have to fall on Penangites.

“The LRT qualifies as a state project as reclaimed land owned by the state will be auctioned off to fund its implementation,” Chien Aun added.

However, not all are in favour of the move to use reclaimed land to fund infrastructure projects.

Penang Island City Council councillor Dr Lim Mah Hui said the PTMP was planned till 2065. “The plan overestimates the population growth in Penang, compared with the Department of Statistics population projection.”

Lim said the PTMP focus should not be on building roads and tunnels to move cars, but on moving people through public transport.

“The original TMP Strategy Report envisaged 60% to be spent on roads and tunnels and 40% on public transport. This priority should be reversed with public transport accounting for at least 70% to 80% of the total budget,” he said.

Lim said there were faster and cheaper ways of reducing traffic congestions that had been successfully practised in other countries.

“For example, Penang’s traffic congestions are mainly concentrated during peak hours. These can be reduced considerably by imposing charges on vehicles entering the city during peak hours,” he said.

Meanwhile, state local government, traffic, and flood mitigation committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the rapid growth of towns such as Batu Kawan, Butterworth and Seberang Jaya would boost Penang’s population and the demand for an integrated transportation system.

“The Department of Statistics projects a population of 1.86 million for Penang by 2030, the anticipated higher number of 2.45 million people by that year (as projected in the plan) was derived by applying the same average annual population growth rate of 2.3% (which was recorded in the period of 2010-2020),” he said.

Chow said before the move to charge motorists entering the city during peak hours or ’congestion pricing’ could be implemented, there must be an  effective public transport system in place.

“Singapore for example only enforced electronic road pricing (ERP, an electronic toll collection scheme for congestion pricing) in 1998 after building its first MRT line in 1982,” he added.

The PTMP proposes seven public transport lines for the island and the mainland, including two LRTs, three monorails, heritage tram and bus rapid transit, which adds up to a total of 151km of public transport network.

“There are eight highways, including the undersea tunnel, planned under the highway network, in addition to several local road enhancements in Seberang Perai, which adds up to 71.5km of highways and roads proposed under the PTMP,” Chow said.

Source: The Star

Penang Sentral

Thousands of commuters are expected to benefit when the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) is incorporated into the new Penang Sentral Transport Hub Terminal next year.

 

Northern Corridor Economic Region special adviser to the Prime Minister, Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said the plan to set up the UTC at the terminal was to benefit the commuters in the area.

“Once the 10-storey terminal is completed, there will be a high volume of commuters using the train, ferry, bus and taxi services.

“With the UTC in the building, they can access government services under one roof.

“Since the terminal is also in Butterworth town, it would also provide good access for residents there,” he said yesterday.

Last year, the 10 UTCs in the country attracted some 11.5 million Malaysians. The 11th UTC was opened earlier this month in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Under the National Blue Ocean Strategy initiative, the UTC houses commercial outlets and various state and federal government agencies.

Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) executive vice-president Datuk Ishak Mohamed, who was also present to accompany Zainal in the site tour, said work on the project was going smoothly.

“So far, the project is about 25% complete and everything is on track.

“We expect it to be completed on schedule by early next year,” he said.

Penang Sentral Sdn Bhd, which was specially established to manage and administer the Penang Sentral project, is a wholly owned subsidiary of MRCB.

Source: The Star

Gurney Wharf

 

Spanning close to 60 acres, a new seafront public park is planned for the popular Gurney Drive foreshore with water-fronting public recreation area called Gurney Wharf. This project is the brainchild of the Penang State Government.

Gurney Wharf will be created on land to be reclaimed by Tanjung Pinang Development Sdn Bhd (TPD), a subsidiary of premier lifestyle property developer Eastern & Oriental Berhad (E&O).

A public exhibition themed “My Gurney Wharf” was held at a popular retail mall here for the proposed concept masterplan through a series of curated images, photographs and illustrations.

“Acknowledging the importance of Gurney Drive and the emotional attachment it brings forth in the hearts and minds of Penangites, the State is proud to propose a masterplan concept to create a new iconic waterfront destination for Penang, for the benefit of the people of Penang, and one that Penangites would be proud to call their own,” said Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang.

E&O took the initiative to engage award-winning international consultants at its own cost to prepare the proposed masterplan concept. The consultants—GDP Architects for the overall masterplan, Grant Associates for landscaping and Jerde for retail F&B—all highly acclaimed designers and consultants with an impressive portfolio that includes the Aga Khan-award winning Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (GDP), Gardens by the Bay in Singapore (Grant) and Roppongi Hills, Japan (Jerde).

“Drawing inspiration from some of the world’s best public spaces we aspire to create a spacious, multi-functional public park-in-the-city that is international in standard yet one hundred per cent Penang in spirit.”

The proposed Gurney Wharf concept masterplan encompasses four distinct character areas: Seaside Retail F&B, Water Gardens, Beach and Coastal Grove.

The Seaside Retail F&B celebrates Penang’s vibrant seafront with a waterfronting public promenade, seafront dining facilities including the island’s famed hawker fare and a pier walk.

The Water Gardens area will be defined by lush gardens, ponds and wetlands with its most distinctive feature being landscaped water gardens with innovative storm water filtration systems. Modelled after Singapore’s success with this at Gardens on the Bay, this is a pioneering system in Malaysia which is aesthetically outstanding as it is functional.

At the Beach precinct, Penangites would gain greater access to the waterfront area that includes a public beach as well as a public promenade. Nearly 400 meters of sandy beach will be specially created.

Within the Coastal Grove, a skate park for teens and youth, not far from the casuarinas lining the present Gurney Drive. The existing casuarinas are a trademark of Gurney Drive and will be mindfully preserved.

Lim Guan Eng rounded up by saying “In enabling easy access to the waterfront for everybody, the proposed concept masterplan incorporates two pedestrian retail underpasses with direct access from Pulau Tikus. Conveniences such as underpass lifts and escalators, separate pedestrian walkways and cycling paths as well as ramps for wheelchairs and strollers have also be included in the design. There will also be close to 1500 car park bays above and below ground level.

In compliance with regulatory requirements to ensure public safety, fencing would have to be built along the perimeter of the development site prior to commencement of works. Fencing works is anticipated to start in end-February.”