A Flat with a View. Real Estate and Industrial Work in Penang

George Town has been ranked as the most liveable city in Malaysia, eighth most liveable in Asia and the 62nd in the world in 2010 by ECA International, an improvement in ranking from recent years. (Wikipedia) This is a reflection on what a place is, what it means for those who inhabit it and for those who frequently relate to it, whether in a practical, day-to-day, month-to-month way or in an imaginary way. It is also a reflection on what has to be borne in mind when actions are undertaken that modify permanently inhabited environments and landscapes. The chosen example is Penang: an island with an English-founded harbour city, Georgetown, now expanding its conurbation to most of its territory. This paper, then, also considers some aspects of what makes a city in Southeast Asia1.