Design for safety

HOW often have you walked down a dimly lit walkway and felt the urge to quicken your pace?

Or avoided a hidden stairwell or an overgrown back lane because something about it just did not feel right?

The way our streets, parks and neighbourhoods are designed has a direct impact on how safe we feel.

Even if no crime is taking place, poorly designed spaces can make us uneasy.

By contrast, a well-lit, open and active space builds confidence and draws people in.

This is the idea behind Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Simply put, it is about reducing crime and fear of crime, through smarter urban planning.

The concept goes beyond CCTV cameras or the occasional presence of security guards.

According to the International CPTED Association, the approach is multidisciplinary; combining urban design, architecture, landscaping and management of the built environment.

The goal is not only to deter offenders, but also to foster a sense of ownership and community pride.

When residents feel a space belongs to them, they are more likely to use it, care for it and keep it safe.

Unfortunately, CPTED is sometimes treated as an afterthought and only occasionally integrated into everyday decision-making.

The evidence is familiar to anyone who has walked through certain housing areas, playgrounds or carparks in Malaysia – dim stairwells, hidden corners, poorly maintained landscaping and dark footpaths that feel unsafe even if crime statistics do not show a spike.

When residents feel unsafe, they change their behaviour.

Children are kept indoors instead of playing in the park. Joggers stick to main roads instead of using neighbourhood walkways.

Communities retreat from public spaces, and in doing so, inadvertently make those spaces more vulnerable to crime.

There are, however, encouraging signs of change.

A few years ago, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) embarked on a project to revitalise its back lanes.

What were once dingy alleys littered with rubbish and known for petty crime were transformed into colourful pedestrian corridors, with improved lighting, art murals, and space for small businesses.

The change was not only cosmetic as the lanes became more active with food stalls, attracting more visitors.

This year, another initiative in Selangor reflects the same philosophy.

A “Safe City” project in Pandan Indah is redesigning a busy stretch of Jalan Pandan Indah 6/1, between the Cempaka LRT station and the Medan Selera food court.

Backed by RM500,000 in funding, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) is combining urban design with crime prevention.

The upgrades include new CCTV cameras linked directly to police and local council control centres, better lighting, upgraded walkways with protective railings, landscaping, safety signage and barriers to protect pedestrians.

Importantly, the project was not imposed top-down, as the police, councillors and residents were consulted in selecting the site and deciding what changes were most urgent.

MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari summed it up: “Safety is not just about enforcement, but also about designing streets and public spaces in ways that naturally deter crime.”

The results from earlier Safe City projects in Ampang also suggest the approach works.

At Jalan Wawasan and near Tasik Tambahan recreational park, upgraded walkways and barriers encouraged more students to walk to school.

Where once parents worried about children walking unprotected beside busy roads, now footpaths are safer and more accessible.

These examples prove CPTED is not an abstract theory but a practical tool.

A broken streetlight may seem trivial but to someone walking home at night, it is the difference between reassurance and fear.

Local councils must embed CPTED into planning approvals, and developers should view it as an investment, not an optional extra.

Residents too need to stay engaged, as no one understands a neighbourhood’s blind spots better than the people who live there.

Design is not a silver bullet, of course, as policing and socio-economic policies remain crucial in addressing crime.

But urban design is a powerful starting point and one that can tip the balance in favour of safety and confidence.