Exploring the Guideline Criteria for Malaysian Garden Design Concept

Abstract

The Malaysian Garden concept (MGC) is guided by principles and criteria reflecting traditional Malay design elements and contemporary approaches. Previously, the criteria of the guidelines provided by the National Landscape Department (NLD) for Malaysian Garden design can be used as a reference to evaluate the implementation and design enforcement of public parks in Malaysia. However, the effectiveness of these guidelines in achieving the desired aesthetic and functional goals of Malaysian Gardens needs to be clarified. As Malaysia undergoes rapid social, cultural, and environmental changes, the existing guidelines must be more relevant and applicable. Thus, there is a need to critically examine and compare traditional and contemporary approaches to Malaysian Garden design and evaluate the effectiveness of current guideline criteria in achieving desired outcomes. The study’s objective is to determine how effective these criteria are in achieving the desired aesthetic and functional goals of Malaysian Gardens and the limitations of these criteria. The study adopted a comparative analysis approach to analyze traditional and contemporary Malaysian Garden designs and evaluate their adherence to current guidelines. The comparative analysis between traditional and contemporary approaches is interesting and valuable. It allows the researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of existing criteria considering current needs and evolving cultural contexts. The study also involves interviewing Malaysian Garden experts and other relevant stakeholders to gain insights into their perspectives on current guideline criteria and potential modifications to reflect current needs better. This study can catalyze development guidelines or recommendations for implementing Malaysian Garden design principles in public parks. Analysis of existing public parks in Malaysia to assess the extent to which they adhere to Malaysian Garden design guidelines and identify areas for improvement. The study’s findings will contribute to developing more effective guideline criteria for Malaysian Garden design that reflect the country’s cultural heritage and current needs.