DESIGNING FOR SECURITY

Ensuring Security in the “Kotapuri” Shop/Apartments

In the Kotapuri design, the security problem has been tackled “passively” through architectural design, but this is can be augmented by a low-cost eletronic security system.

Defensible Space

Firstly, there is the introduction of “Defensible Space” principles. The spatial design clearly delineates the private realm from the public. Semi-public and semi-private areas, where residents have a measure of control and ownership, are created between the private and public domains. Through design, natural surveillance of the semi-private and public spaces is enabled and encouraged.

Community

As described above, the Kotapuri design encourages a sense of community by clustering units together around communal space. Yet, located in a commercial zone where many people come and go, such passive measures may be insufficient to ensure the degree of comfort such that parents feel safe to let their smaller children play outside in the lobbies or courtyard unsupervised.

Smart Community
This is where current advances in the field of electronics and IT can help. At present, the “smart home” concept is rapidly becoming common. As cost have come down, demand has gone up. Yet there are some problems that are best solved at the level of the community rather than the individual. A good example of such a problem is security.

It is said that the best safety measure for anyone to have is a good neighbour. This leads us to the concept of “Smart Communities”. Our working hypothesis is that a group of people as a community are better able to solve the problem of security that a group of individuals acting on their own. A lot of the technology suitable for “Smart Communities” already exists: for individual houses, the cost is high; but shared between neighbours, they are affordable. To prove this point we propose to design a security system for the “Kotapuri” shop-apartment where the residential units are low-cost and low-medium cost flats selling for RM 35,000 and RM 55,000. The cost of providing a security system is targeted at RM 16,000 for each block, i.e. RM 250 per house. At this cost, the developer can include it in his construction budget.



The “Kotapuri” Security System


The proposed system for the “Kotapuri” is as follows:

• Security points
  There are four entries, Gates A, B, C and D into the residential zone of the “Kotapuri”, one at each corner of the block, each entry giving access to 16 apartments on three floors.

• Entry for Residents
  Each entry is secured by grill doors with a magnetic dead lock mechanism that is activated by a key pad. Each of the 16 units is given a pin number which is used to release the grill door lock. The keypad is also linked to a central computer, located in the community centre, and pin numbers keyed in are recorded.
  
  Thus all residents except for the very young and very old are given free access into the residential zone.
  
  Above three of the four key pads is a notice:
  VISITORS PLEASE ENTER VIA GATE A
  
• Entry for Visitors
  At Gate A, beside the key pad is an MyKad reader. The visitor has to slot in his MyKad into the reader. The reader is linked to the central computer where the identity of the visitor is recorded. Thus any Malaysian above the age of 12 with a MyKad is able to enter the residential zone.
  
  There is a sign board above the MyKad Reader:
  NON MALAYSIAN OR MALAYSIANS WITHOUT MYKAD
  PLEASE CALL THE CARETAKER AT 015 7654321 (HANDPHONE NUMBER)
  
• Camera Surveillance
  All the entry points have camera monitors which feed into the central computer. Thus we are able to visually monitor and record the following:
  
  
  • Valid keypad entries
    
  • Valid MyKad entries
    
  • Unauthorised entries : including..
    
  • Opportunistic entries (coming in as other enter or exit in the approved manner)
    
  • Keypad entries by unauthorized persons.
    
  • Forced entries

  
  

• Exits
  To go out residents or visitors simply press a button.

This system on its own will not totally prevent crime but in tandem with Defensible Space principles and neighbourly cooperation crime can be deterrred.


Estimated Costs

A preliminary estimate of the cost of providing this equipment is RM 30,000 consisting of: