From abandoned site to community hub: KongsiKL’s placemaking journey in Kuala Lumpur

KongsiKL has turned a disused site on Old Klang Road into a community-driven arts and riverfront hub. Founded in 2017 by Joseph Foo and run rent-free on land owned by EXSIM Development, the initiative focuses on shared resources, stewardship and ground-up placemaking along the Klang River.

An abandoned site on Old Klang Road has been transformed into a living hub for arts, rivers and community, through a grassroots initiative called KongsiKL. The project, which began in 2017, is centred on the concept of kongsi — “sharing” in Bahasa Malaysia — and operates rent-free on land owned by developer EXSIM Development Sdn Bhd, with the team covering only utility costs.

KongsiKL president and co-founder Joseph Foo told EdgeProp Malaysia that the idea was to maximise and share resources, creating an alternative space for young people and communities. “One of the values we hold closely is stewardship; being good stewards of the space and resources entrusted to us. And beyond that, how can we generously share our talents, our time, and our resources with others?” he said.

In its early years, the venue hosted performances, educational programmes, graduation exhibitions, markets and creative activities, drawing students, artists and local residents. Volunteers and contributors come from fields including performing arts, design, architecture, landscape architecture, business, research, education, property and the creative industries, alongside government stakeholders.

Unlike many urban developments that begin with master plans, KongsiKL’s work has always started from the ground up. Foo acknowledged that community initiatives cannot operate in isolation: “Obviously, we can’t be completely ground-up without the policymakers to be part of it. So, our system or our pattern is always: let’s do what we think is right. Then eventually, when there is a certain obvious result, we’ll invite the government stakeholders.”

One of KongsiKL’s most visible initiatives is the annual Klang River Festival, which activates public awareness around rivers, communities and culture. The festival revolves around three pillars: habitat, people and culture, while emphasising partnerships between communities, businesses and government. “What we want to see is lighting up the space, improving safety, building connectivity, even potentially a bridge to connect to Mid Valley. Then more people-walking, more commerce, cafes, and pop-ups,” Foo said.

KongsiKL partnership co-lead Calvin Sia argued that placemaking requires more than physical infrastructure. “A place is like hardware. To make places purposeful, meaningful and interesting, we need people, elements, content and software,” he said. Sia pointed to a “4P” model — private, public, people and partnerships — as a framework for thriving communities. “We are trying to shift thinking from return on investment (ROI) to return of purpose, return of happiness, and return of value. Because if people are happy, property value will be upheld,” he added.

Looking ahead, Foo hopes the spirit of kongsi spreads beyond Kuala Lumpur. “You don’t need a lot of money. The living by-the-river concept can be replicated across the Klang River and throughout Malaysia,” he said. The fact that KongsiKL has remained active for almost nine years, he added, “sort of affirmed that it’s not really about money”.