11.2.1 : Public access to buildings

UTM Library

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) provides dedicated public access to buildings of cultural significance by maintaining its libraries as central hubs for knowledge, academic excellence, and heritage. The UTM Library (Perpustakaan Sultanah Zanariah and its branches) functions as a public gateway to the institution's intellectual assets, confirming a commitment to open access.

Systematic Access to Cultural and Intellectual Heritage

The UTM Library, which includes the Perpustakaan Sultanah Zanariah and the Perpustakaan Raja Zarith Sofiah, is a physical location that is made accessible to the wider community through clearly defined operating hours across multiple days and locations.

• Established Public Hours: The Sultanah Zanariah Library (PSZJB) maintains extensive hours, operating from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm on weekdays and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends. This scheduled access ensures the public can utilize the facility consistently.
• Housing Special Collections: The libraries serve as institutions of cultural and academic significance by housing crucial assets, including a dedicated UTM Special Collection and Maps / Aerial Photographs. These collections represent the documented history and research heritage of the university and the region, which are made accessible within the building.
• Digital Cultural Links: Beyond its physical collection, the library portal links to the UTM Gallerium and a Media Gallery, further connecting the public accessing the building and its resources to the broader cultural and artistic heritage associated with the university.
• Formal Membership: The provision of various Library Membership Categories indicates a strategy to formally integrate external users (the public) into the system, ensuring that the building and its resources are not restricted solely to internal staff and students.

By maintaining extensive opening hours and housing its UTM Special Collection within its walls, the library acts as a key building for public access to cultural significance and academic knowledge.

Source :

https://library.utm.my/

Masjid Sultan Ismail

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) provides significant public access to a building of cultural significance through its Sultan Ismail Mosque. The mosque is not merely a place of worship but is positioned as the central "nadi" (heartbeat) and focal point (titik tumpu) of the entire Sekudai Campus master plan.

This status confirms its role as a monument of cultural significance, intrinsically linked to the university's motto, "For God and Man," and the Islamic concept of the mosque as a source for seeking and disseminating knowledge. Architecturally, the building is a unique synthesis, blending the features of traditional Malay and Islamic architecture, including a dome design inspired by the Al-Aqsar Mosque in Baitul Maqdis.

The mosque's strategy for public access is based on its core mission and physical capacity:

• Community Outreach: The original goal was for the mosque to serve as an institution and center for spreading Islamic teachings to the surrounding area (kawasan sekitarnya), not just the campus community.
• Large Capacity and Visitor Provision: The facility is enormous, capable of accommodating over 10,342 worshippers at one time, inherently supporting community access. Furthermore, the design incorporates a V.I.P lift in one of its minarets for visitors to survey the entire campus, explicitly demonstrating a policy of accommodating public visitation to this central cultural building.

By deliberately locating, designing, and operating the Sultan Ismail Mosque as the campus's central "main activity building" (bangunan utama) with community outreach and visitor capacity, UTM ensures continuous public access to this key cultural monument.

Source :

https://islamiccentre.utm.my/masjid-sultan-ismail-utm/

Taman Tropika UTM

UTM commits to Public Access to Natural Heritage Landscapes by establishing the Taman Tropika UTM (UTM Tropical Park) as a dedicated public green space that serves as both a recreational area and an educational resource for the university and the surrounding community.

Public Access to Natural Heritage Landscapes

The Taman Tropika UTM is specifically designated as a public park (public park serving both the University and the surrounding community). This park is situated at the edge of the campus lakes, enhancing the university's main gateway.

• Natural and Cultural Significance: The park is recognized for its valuable natural collection of heliconias and gingers species. Furthermore, it is home to the Gallerium (a gallery cum museum for UTM), which acts as a center for cultural significance and is physically designed to frame the majestic view of the Sultan Ismail Mosque, integrating natural beauty with architectural heritage.
• Accessibility and Public Amenities: The park is designed to facilitate passive recreational activities and is explicitly open to university and neighbouring communities. It provides essential public facilities, including Wakaf, Washroom, and Parking Space.
• Educational Access: The park includes the Rumah Tropika UTM (UTM Tropical House), a timber building that functions as an Information Centre/Gallery for the Tropical Park. This house is described as a recreational as well as educational facility towards understanding tropical building and plants.
• Targeted Activities: The park’s activities are inclusive of the public, supporting Educational Visits, Plant Research, Sightseeing, Leisure, and Recreation.

By maintaining the Taman Tropika UTM as an open-access, publicly-facing facility with explicit recreational and educational functions and cultural landmarks, UTM effectively provides and manages public access to a natural heritage landscape that benefits the entire community.

Source :

https://dvcdev.utm.my/utmgeotourism/tamantropika/