On 7th of September 2009, the State Government of Penang invited entries for an international competition to physically brand the historic of George Town, Penang in conjunction with its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. The design idea competition aims to explore innovative ideas in art and design for public spaces in George Town, providing the heritage zones with a distinct and tangible identity. The competition is divided into 2 stages which are Design Concept (Stage 1) and Design Solutions (Stage 2). A total of 40 entries from Malaysia and abroad were received for this competition.
All 40 entries submitted for “Marking George Town: A Design Idea Competition” resulted in many interesting and creative design ideas to be considered for implementation. Four entries: MGT39, MGT61, MGT55 and MGT132, managed to get the attention of judges and became the best design ideas for the competition.
They presented to the jury for final evaluation of Stage 2 Marking George Town: An Idea Competition for a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 29th of March 2010. Based on the jury’s evaluation, the judges agreed to choose entry MGT132 as the winner for Stage 2 Marking George Town: An Idea Competition for a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entry MGT132 is not only cost effective but can be implemented immediately. It is also robust and requires less maintenance. Its design concept which is voices from the people will make George Town unique and more interesting to visitors, young and old.
