On 29 January 2024, a ceremony was held by the Penang State Government and Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang to announce the completion of the Linear Garden project. Located in the North Seafront Precinct of the George Town World Heritage Site, the Linear Garden is a central component of the North Seafront Masterplan, developed by the George Town Conservation and Development Corporation (GTCDC). The new garden contains some 60 newly-planted native trees, improved public accessibility and the installation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site emblem. The project provides a state-of-the-art solution to the rehabilitation of public open spaces and restoration adaptive re-use of historic structures within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Recent implementation has focused on the reorganisation of the North Seafront, the largest public space in George Town. A new seawall, with a 570-metre public promenade, was completed in 2022. Another major project, the ongoing restoration and adaptive re-use of the 18th-century Fort Cornwallis and its moat was launched in 2018 and will be completed in 2025.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) has been collaborating since 2013 with the national authorities and Think City, an urban development agency supported by the Government of Malaysia. In 2014, these combined efforts led to the preparation of a Strategic Master Plan for George Town, the historic portion of Penang listed by UNESCO in 2008 as a World Heritage Site (WHS). As a follow up to the plan, work concentrated on action area planning in the town’s key public areas, followed in 2015 by the establishment of the public-private George Town Conservation and Development Company (GTCDC). Within this structure, AKTC has contributed to the implementation of numerous high-profile projects within the heritage site.
The George Town project is entirely financed with state and municipal funds and in-kind contributions from Think City.
