INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND SPATIAL DESIGN TOWARDS WELL-BEING: AN ENQUIRY ON CUSTODIANS OF YOUTH INSTITUTIONS IN PENANG

Abstract

Well-being is one of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which has been emphasized by the Convention on the Child’s Rights for children below 18. Yet, mental health issues have shown a rapid climb in Malaysia. Acknowledging that mental health, physical well-being, infrastructure planning, and spatial design are intertwining subjects, this study attempts to comprehend the relationship between the psychological influence of physical space on end-users’ well-being and to determine the significance of physical space in perpetuating end-users well-being. Also, the study attempts to enlighten the design aspects of physical space that are influential to end-users’ well-being. Custodians of Penang youth institutions (involving two juvenile institutions and two orphanage shelters) were probed using semistructured interviews. The study found that choices of colors, presence of daylighting, utilization of indoor landscape, open spaces concept, ventilation, and sense of privacy are the critical physical aspects to be considered during the early stage of infrastructure planning and spatial design for youth institutions.