Rate My Professor Hon Shyan CHONG

Chong's research specializations encompass urban planning, human settlement planning, and housing, with a particular focus on the formation, conservation, and management of shophouses and townscapes in Asian and European cities for sustainable urban living. His work explores public spaces, third places, historical environments in Southeast Asia, and local town development initiatives such as in Kurayoshi City and Tottori City. He has authored the book "Planning for a Better Urban Living Environment in Asia" (Ashgate, 2000) and numerous peer-reviewed papers, including "Spatial Composition and Utilization of Shophouses in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia" (1999), "Government-Led, Private-Proposed Urban Conservation System for Historical Shophouse Townscapes in Singapore" (2001), "Thinking about Historical Urban Space and Human Interaction in Terms of 'Public' – Comparison between World Heritage Malacca and Georgetown" (2013), and recent studies like "Research on Shophouses in Asian Cities, Part 9: Shophouse Townscape in Ipoh City, Malaysia" (2020). In recognition of his early work, he received the Architectural Institute of Japan Outstanding Master's Thesis Award in 1994. Chong contributes to public service as Tottori Prefecture Landscape Advisor, member of empty houses committees in Shinonsencho and Hokueicho, and board member of the Warabekan Toy and Children's Songs Museum. He teaches courses on human settlement theory, urban living planning, and urban development in developing countries.