As the saying goes, children are the future. And as another adage claims, it takes a village to raise a child. 

What, then, does it take to build a village? And where can they congregate in our modern world? 

In Malaysia, communal spaces tend to be largely commercial, centred around retail shops and not much else. While fun, these spaces can be expensive and thus exclusionary, as well as restrictive. 

Then, there are parks. There are a handful of recreational parks in Malaysia, but as of late, the one that takes the cake in my humble opinion is PARC in Subang. 

How, exactly, has this project been built with the community in mind? 

Designed with the community in mind

An award-winning community initiative by Sime Darby in collaboration with EPIC Homes, PARC is also known as Project A Reka Cipta. 

A juggernaut in the property industry, Sime Darby hardly needs an introduction. EPIC Homes, on the other hand, is an interesting nonprofit organisation that builds homes to help transform lives and impact communities.

Tucked in SS12, PARC is a sustainability-driven community hub, designed for people from all walks of life. The objective, as their website describes, is for visitors to “experience a future-forward way of living with nature and community.”

“We’re here to make sustainability and community living accessible and fun,” the website elaborates. “In other words, this space is meant for you. So go ahead, play, get fit, makan-makan, or just chill out, while giving back to the community and nature.” 

With that emphasis on community, PARC offers a variety of spaces that can be used for a myriad of activities and events. There are local vendors around to offer some grub, a playground for children, as well as outdoor seating where pet owners and their furry friends can relax.

PARC also hosts various pop-up events such as bazaars and markets regularly on the weekends. For example, they hosted an event by The Village Souk in November that engaged with families and kidpreneuers, with a market and food bazaar to boot.

There are also many indoor meeting spaces to facilitate workshops, classes, and the like—all of which point toward the communal mission of the space.

Nice things for nice behaviours

First impressions are everything. And for many of us humans, we are visual creatures who ultimately judge a book by its cover, to a certain extent. 

There’s also the psychology of shared space, which is grounded in the idea that humans have an innate ability to navigate and adapt to their environment. In that theory, clear and consistent design cues can help guide habits.

In simpler terms, nice designs can help people behave nicely. 

From the openness of the space, to the family-centric ambience, PARC presents itself as a very safe and friendly environment which in turn attracts the same kind of attitude from visitors. The tall ceilings, gentle colours, and surrounding nature helps provide a sort of airy, peaceful, and calm aura.

Another thing is all the amenities such as recycling bins and water-refilling stations. These add a level of convenience that gently guides your behaviours to be more sustainable, keeping the community’s welfare in mind.

Building a place, not just a design

During my short visit, it felt like PARC has a real, authentic feeling to it that doesn’t feel forced or like a cash grab. Instead of centring the space around aesthetics, trends, or retail, it’s truly based around the practical needs of the community.

From dog-walking to co-working, PARC seems to facilitate it all. Grandparents to toddlers alike will be able to find solace in this space. And while that sounds like a given for a communal hub, I dare say that this kind of concept is lacking in Malaysia.

Yes, there are nice air-conditioned malls, food courts, and other parks around town, but PARC knocks it out of the park with its multi-purposed space. We saw signs that there’ll be a pickleball built out front as well. 

Moving forward, though, we do hope to see it continue to grow and perhaps be more financially inclusive with its vendor options, allowing people of different income backgrounds to feel welcomed in this space. 

Learn more about PARC here.

Also Read: Inside: The Makeover Guys new RM3.5 mil+ office with a built-in cafe by RaRa Coffee