CAELUM

Project idea

Do we ever question whether the building by-laws and land regulations we rely on are truly complete, or whether they simply reflect the limitations of the era in which they were created? In Malaysia, our planning and land administration systems are largely founded on a two-dimensional understanding of land. While these frameworks have been effective in regulating conventional development, they often struggle to address contemporary urban challenges such as increasing density, ageing buildings, fragmented ownership, and the need to preserve existing communities.

These limitations become particularly evident in the case of Sea Park Apartment, where unresolved land ownership disputes have persisted for decades. The conflict exposes a critical gap within the current legal framework, which offers few solutions beyond land sale, demolition, and redevelopment. As a result, the dispute remains unresolved, placing the long-term security of residents at risk. Responding to this condition, this thesis explores the possibility of a new legal framework—known as the Spatium Title—that recognises airspace as a developable asset. By enabling development above existing buildings, the proposal seeks to create new opportunities for urban regeneration while protecting existing communities, demonstrating an alternative approach to redevelopment that does not rely on displacement.

Project description

A series of architectural and regulatory guidelines regarding spatium development have been developed to support layered and inclusive urban growth. This thesis focuses on testing and applying the proposed guidelines, with Sea Park Apartment selected as the case study site. The established guidelines are adapted and contextualized to address the specific local conditions and challenges of the research area. Rather than being adopted directly, the guidelines are refined and implemented within the legal, construction, and spatial frameworks of the case study, ensuring their relevance and applicability to the Malaysian context.

Technical information

According to the studies, a series of architectural and regulatory guidelines regarding spatium development have been developed to support layered and inclusive urban growth. As a continuation of these studies, this thesis focuses on testing and applying the proposed guidelines, with Sea Park Apartment selected as the case study site. The established guidelines are adapted and contextualized to address the specific local conditions and challenges of the research area. Rather than being adopted directly, the guidelines are refined and implemented within the legal, construction, and spatial frameworks of the case study, ensuring their relevance and applicability to the Malaysian context.