AcE Bs Hanoi The Roles of Cultural Spaces in Malaysia s historic towns: the case of Kuala Dungun & Taiping

Transcription

1 AcE Bs Hanoi 2013 ASEAN Conference on Environment Behaviour Studies The Roles of Cultural Spaces in Malaysia s historic towns: the case of Kuala Dungun & Taiping Presented by : Lee Yoke Lai Assoc. Prof. Ismail Said Assoc. Prof. Aya Kubota 17 March 2013

2 1. INTRODUCTION Research aims Problem Statement OUTLINES 2. LITERATURE STUDIES Cultural Space Components of cultural space 3. METHODOLOGY Site Selection Criteria Case study method & data Collection 4. FINDINGS Comparative analysis 5. DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS Comparative analysis 6. CONCLUCSION Expected result and research contribution

3 INTRODUCTION Why cultural space? People bonding to cultural spaces in Malaysia s historic town should be examined in this study since the significance of the space characters, functions, and human activities important to create a sense of place space. The scene of Buluh Kubu Market with majorities of female traders (source: Ahmad, 1998) UNESCO intangible heritage glossary: a physical or symbolic space for people meet to enact, share or exchange social practices or idea (Zanten, 2002:4). Petaling Street or Chinatown, the famous shopping street of trading and night market activities.

4 1. Introduction Research AIMS To examine and assess the roles of cultural space in Malaysia s historic towns, the case in Kuala Dungun and Taiping The study also initiates by the objectives to verify types of cultural spaces and the attributes that influence to the roles of cultural space contribute to the identity of a place and place making.

5 Problem statement 1. The declining of local identity and incompatible development was underwent to the historic districts Malaysia which had diminished the place s character. Example: The new development had replaced traditional shophouses and significant cultural open space (Shuhana and Basri, 2002 ; Norsidah 2008; Wan Hashimah (2010). the Padang Pahlawan in Melaka City has transformed into new commercial (Ismail and Nor Zalina,2010) 2. Placelessess delineates as alteration of place character caused by the declining of place identity (Relph,1976). Seemingly, the deterioration, recent developments have altered the traditional building uses, and the social space endured to the loss of identity and place meanings have encountered the same problem in Kuala Dungun and Taiping.

6 Literature review What is cultural space? Cultural space considered as urban spatial associated with peoples activities, space prototypes & its surrounding characteristics. It is closed related to people behavioural and psychological spaces which are defined by various groups of people (Rapoport,1977;Ferdous and Nilufar, 2008 ) Relationship of man, space and culture Source: Ferdous and Nilufar (2008) Culture: What people think: attitude, belief, ideas, & values what people do: way of life of a people or behaviour What people make :artwork, cultural product etc.

7 Research attributes Table1 : Summary of cultural spaces components and research attributes Components Attributes Elements Physical Site background Spatial attributes Visual legibility and accessibility Architecture form and historical structure Social Sociocultural activities Perceptual Viewpoint Historical morphology and landuse Physical setting, cultural space location and layout Landmark, view, orientation, accessibility layout Historic values, image ability and building use Cultural activity, way of life, socioeconomic influence, event, festival, special occasion, past event.) Perception on favourite cultural spaces, preferred sociocultural activity, memory and identity.

8 The criteria of site selection Similarity :Historic ex mining towns. Kuala Dungun Rich historical background, Intangible and tangible characteristics e.g.: heritage built forms, cultural activities, memory, and the imageability remain the sense of historical or heritage identity. Taping Significance of socio cultural activities and economic vitalities; Inheritance living cultural spaces: existence with meaningful social activity

9 PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION CASE STUDY METHOD Study area: Historic town (1) Kuala Dungun & (2) Taiping Site survey Site inventory & observations -physical attributes & social attributes *The cultural phenomenon & social experiences recorded by taken photograph Questionnaire + Interview closed-ended questionnaires & interview *Random sampling size: 60 respondents / local community are chosen for the sampling group. Review of past studies journals, conference paper, books, local district municipal report, local action plan, maps, brochure, website and old photographs taken from the museum Methodology Primary data Questionnaires data transcribed and analysed into the graph and chart formats by using Microsoft Office Excel and publisher version 2007 Descriptive content analysis: secondary data analysed thru descriptive content analyses Comparison of two case studies base on the determinant variables. Site background Spatial attributes Visual legibility & accessibility Social cultural activities People perceptual

10 Cultural spaces of Kuala Dungun Research Findings (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) Map illustrates the cultural spaces of case study in Kuala Dungun (left); (a) Scene of Kuala Dungun riverfront at Sungai Buaya; (b) fisherman jetty and boats scenes berthed at the jetty; (c) Padang Astaka; (d) mercantile activities at the wet market, Pasar Besar Dungun; (d) food vendors at Dungun wet market; (e)informal market; (f) the timber old shophouses at Kuala Dungun; (h) scenic drive and promenade at Pantai Teluk Lipat and; (i) 'Tiang Opal Jettythe remnant structure of old Sura Jetty (seaport to export iron ore in 1940)

11 Cultural spaces of Taiping Research Findings (a) (b) (c) Taiping Lake Garden (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) Map illustrates the distribution of cultural spaces in the case study site at Taiping (left). (a)the serenity view of Taiping Lake Garden; (b) the Chi Kong practitioners at Taiping Lake Gardens (c) Padang or Esplanade used for soccer training and other physical activities; (d)taiping Central Market; (e) trading activity at the market; (f) The eateries at Central Market namely siang malam or day night (g) wide street in Taiping allow pedestrianize movement and street activities (h) street vendors selling newspapers at Jalan Chong Thye Phin (i) the Old Clock Tower.

12 Discussion & analysis Attributes Kuala Dungun Taiping Discussions: Roles of Cultural spaces Site background The history experiences discovered the designation of Kuala Dungun has taken from Dungun trees (Heritiera Littorialis). Thereafter, Kuala Dungun remained as distinctive fishermen town. Most memorable cultural space s in Kuala Dungun is Pantai Teluk Lipat (22%) and marketplace, Pasar Besar Dungun (21%) The river side, coastal area & existence of the natural landscape tremendously define the edges of Kuala Dungun old town. Taiping in Chinese interpreted as peaceful or serene. It was thriving and developed since the mining industrial operated. Nowadays, Taiping is supported by the commerce like retails and shops. The Taiping Lake Gardens was leading the most memorable cultural space, (23.7%). Strong influenced of the colonial town planning supported by infrastructure, entertainment and recreational facilities which had remained as current cultural spaces. Kuala Dungun and Taiping obtained the meaningful name reflected the historical backgrounds and the character of a place. The historical background (morphology & land use pattern) evoked the sense of place through place history, memory, image and place meanings to induce local community cherish and sustain the cultural spaces of both historic town. Pantai Teluk Lipat Sungai Dungun Aerial view of old town Kuala Dungun (left) (Photos source: Dungun Museum). The morphological had expanded from two waterways to the old town spaces (right). The scene of crowded visitor at Taiping Lake Gardens in (Source: Ho et al., 2010)

13 Discussion & analysis Attributesz Kuala Dungun Taiping Discussions: Roles of Cultural spaces Sociocultural Activity The favourite cultural space in Kuala Dungun dominated by the marketplace, Pasar Besar Dungun (36.2%) consequently the riverfront and fishermen jetty (29.3%). Sociocultural activities in Kuala Dungun nominated by trading activity with the highest percentage (21.2%) and recreational or leisure activities (16.5%). Lake Gardens is the most favoured cultural space in Taiping which reached the uppermost percentage (41.1%) whilst Taiping old market or Central Market achieved (20.5%). The choices of sociocultural activities in Taiping mutually allied to outdoor recreational or leisure activity (26.1%) and visiting (13.6%); eating activity (13.6%) The sociocultural activities for both historic town relative to trading activities and recreational activities. It has indicated the local communities are the patronages of the cultural spaces where the sociocultural and socioeconomic activities are taking place. Spatial attributes Kuala Dungun marketplace, the famous wet market (active trading and workplace) had connected to adjacent informal market, vendor stalls, fishing jetty at riverfront, bus station. Therefore, Pasar Besar Dungun (the highest 90%) and Pantai Teluk Lipat (86.7%) are selected as the most prominent cultural space by local people. Conversely, pocket spaces in between old shophouses retained the lowest percentage (10%) because of the dilapidated condition. The physical setting of cultural spaces are fabricated by the recreational and commences activities. All the respondents (100%) agreed that Lake Gardens is the most significant cultural space to Taiping historic town In contrast, the pocket spaces in between old shophouses in Taiping is not a prevalent cultural space with the lowest result (30%). The pocket spaces had been changed to other usage. Marketplace and recreational spot being the most outstanding cultural space to characterise the identity of Kuala Dungun and Taiping. It because, local people most frequent uses this cultural space integrates with their sociocultural activities to create a sense of place and identity to both historic towns.

14 Discussion & analysis Attributes Kuala Dungun Taiping Discussions: Roles of Cultural spaces Visual legibility & accessibility The visual legibility and accessibility in Kuala Dungun is defined by the scenic view from the riverfront and seafront, Pantai Teluk Lipat. Gridiron street pattern, the continual building facades, building masses and urban fine grain enhanced the legibility and accessibility of cultural spaces in Taiping historic town. Findings reveal the linear form /the spatial pattern of cultural spaces such as the gridiron street, permeable thoroughfares & panoramic promenades increase the visual and accessibility legibility of the historic towns. Road map indicated Jalan Tambun and Jalan Pantai Sura, Kuala Dungun (left); the gridiron system laid in Taiping town centre (Source: Ho et al., 2010) and the legibility of the thoroughfares designated by the old buildings facades and rain trees.

15 Discussion & analysis Attributes Kuala Dungun Taiping Discussions: Roles of Cultural spaces Architecture form & historical structure The rows of timber old shophouses located near to the Dungun River implied as the image of the old town. However, there are a number of deteriorated, and incompatible use of the old shophouses had impacted the declining of social activity and liveliness of the cultural spaces. Heritage buildings (Old Taiping market, colonial buildings and Old Clock Tower located at Jalan Kota) indicated as a landmark building or a focal point, active building frontages and sociocultural activities. Architectural structure & historic structures accommodated with cultural spaces in the historic town. It s also act as a space sign; visual cues and the activity nodes explicitly to determine the position of the cultural space. The dilapidated shophouses was one of the factor that due to inactive frontages Pocket space in between old shophouses, Taiping had converted into car parking (left); inadequate streetscape furniture at the pocket garden located in front of Central Market (right)

16 Conclusion & Recommendation Only local traditional town is a model for planning and design cities which are more sustainable and function effectively that allow cultural values existence in that communal place. (Shuhana and Ahmad Basri, 2008). Marketplaces, town park, riverfront and the scenic promenade beachfront formed the most distinctive cultural spaces in Kuala Dungun and Taiping. Hence, the roles of cultural spaces being as the identity of the unique historic towns. The roles of cultural spaces have contributed to the socioeconomic revenues and livelihoods, the sense of place, and act as a prominent landmark which are importants to achieve sustainable historic town through the sociocultural advocacy. There are some cultural spaces facing the place characteristic alteration. Kuala Dungun and Taiping are not fabricated by the significant historic town physical components e.g.: traditional street, esplanade and pocket spaces in between old shophouses. Recommendation: The study on the sustainability management of cultural heritage; ethnic groups influence to the place making on cultural spaces.

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