Kuching - an urban portrait

A beautiful city where a river runs through. The city on one side, forest and villages on the other side, there also stand a beautiful fort, pokes through the tree canopies, they watch the changing faces of its other side thinking its own side is always the same - timeless and thought that modernity will never know how to cross the river. These two distinct sides form one of the most beautiful setting of all cities. However, the city will be changed forever.....

About this Site

Kuching, state capital of Sarawak is Malaysia's most pleasant city famed for its old world charm and beautiful setting is currently threatened by badly planned bland development. This relentless development will result the city losing its unique character as well as livelihood of the its people.

These three most important areas are affected :
1. The oldest fresh produce and wet market - Ceko Market precinct
2. The water front precinct
3. The old quarters

The purpose of this blog is give critical review to the current developments and raise public's awareness to understand the important of traditional markets; raise appreciation of the importance of the history and heritage of old quarters and to reconnect public sense of place of their own city.

This blog also questions (applicable to all cities and society) what we mean by beauty, what it means to a city; what does a city need; where it stands in the region and how it represents itself. What and where is the sense of place for the residents, and in what way in today's world we should live.

Perhaps Kuching is just a small city, its mistakes are thus not treated significantly and won't attract regional attention but it is hoped that this blog could acts as a good reference for many other cities around the world amidst uncontrolled urban development.

Please support by passing on this blog site.Thanks [Desmond Ong]