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GURUPIAH MURSIB: The conformity
of contemporary architecture

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worldwide and the inherent
loss of local identities

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is a paradox of the century.

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Hello.

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My name is Gurupiah, and I'm
from the MIT-UTM Malaysia

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Sustainable Cities Program.

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In this video, I'll be
presenting the significance

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of local involvement
in continuing

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architectural identity within
rapidly globalized cities.

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Malaysia is experiencing
rapid development

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from little villages
into mega cities, steered

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by a series of grand
transformation plans,

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such as the 2020 vision.

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One consequence of
rapid development

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is the disappearance of local
architectural values embodied

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in the functional built
form, the living culture,

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and their relationship
with the environment.

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The transformation of Malaysian
local architectural identity

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can be seen in
government-led developments

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and is epitomized by the new
federal administrative center,

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Putrajaya.

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There and elsewhere, the
government's attempts

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to define identity
through architecture

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have been characterized
as top-down and exclusive

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in approach.

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Instead of elevating Malaysia's
local architectural traditions,

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the top-down approach
to asserting identities

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turns to lead to mimicry or
copying of architectural styles

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from other parts of the world.

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Meanwhile, some attempts
for a local identity

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are trapped in
prestige and parody.

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The challenge of
preserving local identity

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poses several questions.

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How do we ensure the continuity
of architectural identities

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in the face of
rapid development?

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Would a more inclusive approach
to the formation of identity

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be the way forward?

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One project that exemplifies
the struggle of a local identity

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in Malaysia is Kota
Iskandar, the Johor new state

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administrative center, located
outside Johor Bahru, the state

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capital.

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Intended as the economy catalyst
project for Iskandar Puteri,

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the site for Kota Iskandar was
offered by a land developer UEM

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Land, a joint venture between
this state of Johor and UEM

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Land was created.

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A jointly appointed
property developer

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was entrusted to design,
build, and manage the project.

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Working within tight budget,
time framework, work on site

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began in 2004 and was
completed in 2008.

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UEM Lands' development
strategy for Kota Iskandar

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was dominated by
outside consultants.

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The criteria of having
strong project references

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and proven track record
sidelined local consultants.

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For the master plan process,
the only local involvement

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was a user requirement survey.

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No engagement with
local professionals.

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No engagement with
the local community.

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No design competition.

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And no public forum.

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These were not
required by contract,

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and involved more time
and cost to execute.

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Although stakeholder
workshops were held,

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but did not provide any real
opportunity to offer feedback

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on the design of the buildings.

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The urban design and
architectural concept guideline

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made it clear that this project
was intended to showcase

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Johor's cultural heritage.

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Johor's two main leaders, the
Chief Minister and the Sultan,

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had different
design preferences.

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Committed to preserving
local identity

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through cultural heritage,
the Chief Minister

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had traditional Johor
architecture in mind.

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The Sultan of Johor,
on the other hand,

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suggested we get to [INAUDIBLE]
administrative building

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as the reference
for Kota Iskandar.

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Designed by a British
consultant in 1942,

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the building is an Anglo-Indian
structure with traces

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of various Islamic styles.

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But to avoid the stigma
of colonial architecture,

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the design team and several
state governments' officials

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made a study tour to
the Alhambra Palace

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in Spain, a 14th century
Moorish-Andalucian heritage

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site.

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The resulting Kota
Iskandar master plan, this,

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compromise of two identities.

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First, a
Moorish-Andalucian identity

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for the central axis,
which includes the state

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legislative assembly building,
and the state secretariat

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office, and the main plaza.

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Second, a Johor
traditional identity

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for the state office complex
is at this site clusters.

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The Moorish-Andalucian
identity came up

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off a process that was
top-down and exclusive.

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All the projects
were exclusively

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awarded to the architect
member from the master planning

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team who was a non-local.

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There was no base selection.

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There was no opportunity
for local engagement.

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There was no local feedback.

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For the Johor
traditional identity,

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the process was more
inclusive and locally engaging

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because the chief minister
asked for involvement

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from local consultants.

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One local consultant submitted
[INAUDIBLE] that were twice

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rejected because his track
record and project references

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were not comparable
to a larger firm's.

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To overcome this obstacle,
he formed a joint venture

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with another passionate
local consultant.

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To understand the local
value and aspiration

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in forging identity, the new
team sold out a heritage expert

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from a local university.

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In comparison, a
process that led

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to Johor traditional
identity was more inclusive

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and locally engaging.

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It engaged a local consultant.

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It was a joint venture
with a local partner.

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It saw the local
heritage expert.

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It studied local design values.

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The outcome of the
top-down down and

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exclusive Andalucian identity
is impressively grand,

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but foreign to Johor.

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A tower mimics
that of [INAUDIBLE]

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but has pseudo-Andalucian
detailing, and copies

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of Alhambra arches and columns.

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MOHD TAIUDDIN RASDI: Now
here in the modern times,

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we simply take things
at its end form.

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And so a building,
like the Alhambra,

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supposed to represent great
Islam, so we just transplanted.

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I wouldn't even use
the word replicating,

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it would be like copying
something from the past.

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And I think it's too much
of a copy, of an imitation.

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GURUPIAH MURSIB: The
uncritical direct copy

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of foreign identity results
in designs unsuitable

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for the local climate.

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What do we see?

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Huge skylights, too hot for
Johor's equatorial climate,

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which require costly
technology to reduce heat gain.

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Courtyards that are made
of heat radiating surfaces.

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Gardens without shade.

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Vast open space makes for an
unbearable sun-baked plaza.

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CHAU LOON WAI: If we really
consider our tropical climate,

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which is generally
warm and humid.

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So if we want to make places
comfortable for people,

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then this needs to be really
taken into consideration

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in the design in how we
arrange buildings, in how we

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plant trees, provide shading.

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GURUPIAH MURSIB: Even though
these foreign forms produced

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unsuitable design
for the climate,

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they prevail in Malaysia's
administrative and public

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architecture.

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By contrast, the more
inclusive and locally engaging

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process for capturing
local identity

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translates Johor
identity in modern forms.

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RA'ALAH MOHAMAD:
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

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GURUPIAH MURSIB:
Reinterpreting local identity,

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as opposed to adopting
foreign styles,

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pave the path to cultural and
environmental sustainability

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today.

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THE design creates functional
contemporary forms,

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accommodates the social
features for office culture,

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and responds symbiotically
to the environment.

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A-frame porches make friendly
and welcoming entryways.

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Multi-level verandas cater
space for meeting and greeting

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under generous roof shade.

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Common lobby features
drama of traditional farms

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in space and volume.

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Layered roofs allow
greater ventilation

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and frame a visual experience.

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Delightful overhangs provide
ample weather protection.

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And craft tradition
extended expressive

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contemporary detailing.

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The Chief Minister, the
approving committee,

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the master planner, and most
of the professional community

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were impressed.

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Inclusive engagement
and design methodology

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were quickly adopted as a
benchmark for the remaining

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design puzzles.

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Comparison between the
two identity processes

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in Kota Iskandar shows the
importance of local value

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and the role of
local involvement

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in continuing local identity.

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Here are some key lessons.

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Include local consultants
and local experts

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to allow for deeper
intrinsic attitude

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and approach in
incorporating local values.

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Practice, a transparent
and open-bid process,

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to promote competitiveness and
to prevent design complacency.

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Consider local
citizen involvement

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for sense of commitment
and attachment.

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In order to reflect the culture
and values of the population,

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planning process must move
from exclusive to inclusive.

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This is vital for cultural and
environmental sustainability

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in developing cities today.

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It is our responsibility to
make sure our cities do not

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end up looking the same.

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Help preserve our local
heritage and values.

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[MUSIC PLAYING]