PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A PUBLIC SQUARE IN MALAY ROYAL TOWN

Abstract

In a time of rapid development and urbanization, many cities are threatened with an irreversible transformation of their form and character and perhaps in turn, with loss of identity especially public squares in urban areas. In Malaysia, most prominent public squares are located at the town centers and they in addition, happen to be in the historic areas which were designated by the local authority. Medan Bandar in Alor Setar, Kedah is one of the examples of an urban square which has a vibrant image, but getting to lose their function in meeting people’s needs towards the places. However, being the vibrant square as it is, Medan Bandar also had undergone to a certain extent a transformation. The transformation has changed the overall look of Medan Bandar to make it completely unfamiliar. With all the changes and transformations, the issue now is whether image, identity and function of Medan Bandar Alor Setar can withstand the process of change and transformation but need to remain the character of Malay Royal town itself. Medan Bandar in Alor Setar is not fully utilized as a meeting and gathering space. Public open spaces have to succumb to a new projects, which this results in the loss of their social and cultural functions. In fact, the loss of public open spaces in the city centers stigmatizes place identity and characters of the city that negatively affects people’s. In light of all mentioned above, issues concerning about the public square and the current studies mainly objective to investigate the design factors of public square in a Malay Royal town that is not attractive to the public and to propose design public square in Malay Royal town.