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Character-Defining Elements of Shophouses Buildings in Taiping, Perak

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Character-Defining Elements of Shophouses Buildings in Taiping, Perak Character-Defining Elements of Shophouses Buildings in Taiping, Perak Nur Farhana Azmi 1*, Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain2, Azlan Shah Ali3, Siti Farrah Zaini4 and Muhammad Faris Abdullah5 1,3,4Centre for Building, Construction and Tropical Architecture (BuCTA), Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2Centre for Sustainable Urban Planning & Real Estate (SUPRE), Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 5Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia *[email protected] The quality of cultural resources in influencing the distinctiveness of a place is rooted in its tangible and intangible features or collectively known as character-defining elements. While it is undeniable that a place is noticeable and regarded as meaningful due to its cultural heritage values, it is important to know where these significances lie or reside in, along with its current importance to the local community. Nevertheless, there is no single definitive list of the elements that is made available to date. Therefore, this research attempts to explore the key features of a place that can contribute to the unique character of a town and substantially drive the subsequent conservation process. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Taiping, a small town in the state of Perak to identify the key elements that define the overall value of a place, particularly shophouses buildings. Tangible and intangible features were identified as the character-defining elements of shophouses that are worthy of being preserved and maintained. The paper concludes to an interesting result where an intangible character- defining element is the most important feature that characterised the shophouses in the town. Keywords: Character-defining, identity, liveable, place, shophouse 1. INTRODUCTION Shamsuddin (2005). The authors further highlighted that the shophouses actually do Old buildings, particularly shophouses act as strengthen the identity not only for the town an important component that contributes in but also for the country. Place identity, in turn, shaping the identity of a town. Most supports social cohesion and well-being, and importantly, these shophouses possess many subsequently the liveability within an urban historically significant features which enables environment. As argued by the World Bank the local authorities and communities who (2012), places with distinct identity create appreciate heritage to protect and preserve the liveable places where people choose to live in, buildings especially from development’s work, visit and do business. The cultural pressure. However, it is undeniable that the heritage assets are a key component in creating demands to fulfill the needs of modern lifestyle liveable towns by providing a unique character have caused the town’s environment to change and identity for a sense of place (Koh & Melic, dramatically over the years. Several researches 2017). Cherchi (2015) and Rodriguez conducted on shophouses in Malaysia Algeciras et al. (2016) further supported that concluded that the historic atmosphere of liveable urban environment is made possible shophouses in town in these present days only by the way historic buildings are maintained remained in the memory of older generations and preserved. due to the aggressive modern development (Wan Ismail & Shamsuddin, 2005; UMNUS, Considering the positive influence of 2010; Mohd Baroldin & Mohd Din, 2012). cultural heritage on vibrancy and liveability of an environment, this paper attempts to explore As the threat of modern development is the key elements that define the overall value currently unstoppable, it is crucial to take some of a place as an initiative to preserve the potential measures to preserve the priceless historic environment of shophouse buildings historic environment of shophouses and its which are called as character-defining features as highlighted by Wan Ismail & elements. Identifying character-defining 139 Journal of Design and Built Environment, Special Issue 2017 Azmi, N. F. et al. elements is crucial because the elements will stated that the interior features of a building be able to provide the definition of historic can be more significant in expressing the character of buildings (Azmi et al., 2015). history and development of the building. Jandl Furthermore, there is no exact definition on (1988), however, argued that the interior listing the character-defining elements. This elements do contribute to the sense of place paper begins by reviewing the approach and and time, as similar as the exterior elements thought on the emergence and importance of do. In combining both exterior and interior character-defining elements in conserving and elements, buildings and interior spaces, with preserving built heritage. For the purpose of additional of architectural landscape are this research, the details on every element are connected with personal memories and local discussed further by using case study of heritage that define each building’s character. shophouses in Taiping. The key finding of this Preservation Brief 17 provides research would be the identification of tangible recommendations to identify CDE for both and intangible character-defining elements that exterior and interior in a three-step approach. are considered as significant by the The first step is to understand a building’s respondents. overall setting and its architectural context. Secondly, assess the materials, craftsmanship, 1. CHARACTER-DEFINING and finishes. The final step is to examine the ELEMENTS interior of a building to observe its spaces and details. An additional element of sound was There are always different ways of identifying further recommended by Gunderlach (2007) as the significant historic and heritage values that one of CDE as sound is able to alter and shape lie on a building. For Nelson (1988), every the character of a building’s space. building portrays its own significant character, especially the shape, craftsmanship, materials, In 1988, the understanding of CDE is decorative details, interior spaces and features, focused on tangible and intangible key features and surrounding environment. A discussion on that convey significant history or heritage the quality of design came later which values of a building. Parks Canada (2011) then mentioned that the character of building design suggested differentiating and categorising depends on the architectural approach that CDE between tangible heritage values compliments the authenticity and integrity of including materials used, forms, location, and its historical values (Parks Canada, 2011). spatial configuration of a building while intangible elements are comprised of uses, Character-defining elements (CDE) are social culture, and associations with town’s interpreted as the tangible key features that history as well as the sound as the latest express the heritage values that lie on a intangible element in the list. According to building and these include its unique character, National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645), tangible sense of place, and time (Jandl, 1988; Federal heritage includes the area, monument, and Heritage Buildings Review Office, 2009; Park building while intangible includes any form of Canada, 2011). Identifying the character- expressions, language, lingual utterances, defining elements that make a place significant sayings, musically produced tones, notes, and the types of significance it conveys is audible lyrics, songs, folk songs, oral equally important (Azmi et al., 2015). traditions, poetry, music, dances as produced Identifying, preserving, and maintaining these by the performing arts, theatrical plays of elements seems necessary as the matter of fact audible compositions of sound and music, that CDE are taken as the consecutive martial arts that may have existed or exist in conservation process and any radical actions relation to the heritage of Malaysia or any part that may destroy the elements can be avoided of Malaysia or in relation to the heritage of a (Jandl, 1988; Kerr, 2007; Federal Heritage Malaysia community (Government of Buildings Review Office, 2009). Malaysia, 2012). Neither exhaustive nor prescriptive, the 1.1 Tangible Character-Defining Elements Government of Canada has broadly listed the key features in the Standards and guidelines Every element that contributes to the spatial for the conservation of historic places in configuration of a town such as size, shape, Canada as materials, forms, location, spatial construction design, materials, colour and configurations, uses, and cultural associations ornaments of buildings conveys to the and meanings (Parks Canada, 2011). On the significant identity and image of a town, contrary, the United States Department of the therefore, each element is crucial to be Interior National Park Service in America preserved and protected (Idid, 1995). 140 Journal of Design and Built Environment, Special Issue 2017 Azmi, N. F. et al. The identification of tangible CDE can be also significant in designing and maintaining done in a specific approach. According to the landscape. Nelson (1988), the visual or tangible element such as a building’s shape can be explained by 3. METHODOLOGY the number of stories in a building; building’s roof to be identified by the design and features This research deployed two stages of methods such as chimney, the design of an opening for which
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