STREET CHARACTER AND URBAN IDENTITY: DEFINING PHYSICAL DESIGN PARAMETERS OF BUILDING APPEARANCE IN THE HISTORIC URBAN FABRIC OF KUALA KANGSAR PERAK MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i41.2010Keywords:
street character, urban identity, urban fabric, physical, parametersAbstract
Streets are vital public spaces that shape the identity and character of towns, especially in historically significant areas like Kuala Kangsar, the royal town of Perak, Malaysia. Yet, modern architecture, unregulated renovations, and vehicular encroachment have altered traditional streetscapes, threatening their cultural and architectural heritage. This study aims to establish physical design parameters to define and preserve street character within Kuala Kangsar’s historic urban fabric. Focusing on Istana, Laksamana, and Shahbandar Streets, it employs a mixed-methods approach: qualitative data from in-depth interviews (n=21), field observations, and archival analysis, and quantitative data from structured questionnaires (n=330). Triangulated analysis identifies two key dimensions shaping street character, appearance and function with buildings and landscape as primary influences. Basic statistical analysis of the survey responses, including descriptive frequency analysis and correlation assessment between building appearance attributes and public perception, was conducted to support the qualitative findings. This paper emphasizes building appearance, highlighting its role through attributes like attractiveness, visibility, and human scale. Findings, validated via expert focus group discussions (n=6), inform nine key design guidelines. The study contributes to urban design theory and policy by promoting heritage-sensitive street development in historic towns.
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