How possible is a creative city in Penang? An analysis of architects’ perceptions about creativity and quality of place

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe emergence of the creative cities/creative economies notion has re-visited the role of place and given this concept a new lease of life. Widely contested though, urban policy-makers in both developed and developing countries alike are planning and transforming their cities to become a Creative City. A Creative City harnesses on both its culture and economic prowess found in its urban locale as well as the creativity of the people who choose to live in them. This paper examines the possibility of the island-state of Penang to be a Creative City by looking specifically at the architecture industry, which is a sub-sector within the creative industry realm. The paper discusses the findings based on a survey and several interviews of 35 architectural firms in Penang. As suggested in the findings, Penang is still not ready in terms of talent, amenities and leadership to steer the city on its path to be a Creative City. More pertinently, this paper highlights the need to push and uplift the city's creativity level from currently ‘medium’ to a higher level to withstand global competition for talent and capital.