Design and quality of public open space influence the use of public open space and activities occur in the place (Abu-Ghazzeh, 1996; Golicnik and Thompson, 2009). According to Beck (2009), high quality, well designed and managed parks and urban public spaces will promote the quality of life. Since privatization, Merdeka Walk has been standing as a place with good quality design of architecture. From this point of view, the design and management – through privatization – is success in generating public life. It can be said that private sectors are more capable in managing public space since people are unsatisfied for physical quality aspects of Merdeka Square but satisfied for such aspects of Merdeka Walk.
The clear distinction between two areas is the livability at night, when there is no significant activity occurs in Merdeka Square but a lot of people stay in Merdeka Walk which ‘stands advance’ and being ‘full of light’ while Merdeka Square seems to be ‘left behind’ and ‘darker’. Since the quality of lighting at night relates to level of safety and security in public space (Gehl, 2002), further research needed to study the safety and security matter at night in Merdeka Square.
Though physically Merdeka Walk is clearly separated with the ‘original’ Merdeka Square, people are generally satisfied with its accessibility and social interaction function, same as their opinion about such aspects for Merdeka Square. Since majority respondents own private vehicle – which shows their middle up economy class – further research needed to investigate perception of lower income people about public open space in relation with their quality of life, so it can be claimed that open public space is made for all class of people.
However, with its limitation in physical quality and management aspects, Merdeka Square keeps providing its function as an urban space where a wide range of public activity occurs. It shows that people really needs public open space to maintain their quality of life though its quality is not good enough.