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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A PUBLIC SQUARE IN MALAY
ROYAL TOWN
Sharyzee Mohmad Shukri1, Mohammad Hussaini Wahab2, Mohamad Asri Ibrahim3 Mohd Zafarullah Rozaly4
1Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur
sharyzee@iukl.edu.my
2Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
hussaini.kl@utm.my
3Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
asri@utmspace.edu.my
4Tylor’s University
zafar@tylor.edu.my
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 succumbed 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.
Keywords: Malay Royal town, public square
INTRODUCTION
A city without old places is like a man without memory. Many cities have quarters that confer on them a
sense of place and identity through the historic and cultural associations they provide. They are often an
integral part of the city's charm and appeal, and their visual and functional qualities are important elements
of the city's image and identity (Ayob. 2010). The quarters which are also defined as historic areas are
evidences of our past civilization and act as living museums. Since a historic area is a part of the economic
dynamism for the city, it should be able to maintain even be more interesting with the rest of the city. Public
squares, urban parks and public open spaces are common elements in Malaysia's urban form and
development (Ayob, 2010). The emergence of urban squares, urban parks and public open spaces draw
back since the Colonial era. One of the most notable features of British Colonial towns was the padang, a
large field set against a backdrop of imposing administrative buildings.
Historically, it is proven that the padang (square) can have strong features or elements in shaping the image
of the cities. Urban public open spaces have been of a prime importance in the urban development in
Malaysia ever since the colonial era (Melasutra, 2004; Ayob, 2010). Undoubtedly, an outstanding element
of British Colonial towns in Malaysia was ‘Padang’ or square that historically proven has been influencing
the images of cities (Ayob, 2010). This signifies the important place of public open spaces in urban design
and planning to the extent that such spaces might strikingly be influential on the structure of cities. Calhoun
(1986, p. 341) asserted that one of the most socially magnificent features of a city is the creation of public
open spaces where various groups of people socialize, ‘interact and observe each other, debate and learn
politically, and grow psychologically from diverse contacts’ (as cited in Aurigi & Graham, 1997). Public
squares, within the context of public spaces, are essential components of cities because they provide spaces
for social interaction. This helps to sustain the humanization of the society through gathering, lingering,
wandering through and engaging together into various human activities and can make significant
contributions to the cultural development of communities. Public square play a major role as a catalyst for
social change and provide a place for gathering different community groups (Hajjari, 2009; 1998). A public
space is an urban form that draws people together for passive enjoyment (Jackson JB, 1994). Public square
is intended as an activity focus, at the heart of some intensive urban area. Typically, it will be paved,
enclosed by high density structures, and surrounded by streets, or in contact with them. It contains features
meant to attract groups of people and to facilitate meetings (Lynch, K. 1984). This study will show the
importance of a public square in a Malay Royal town where the primary concern is to identify the physical
characteristics in a public square that will contribute to the successful public square in the heart of the city.
This chapter presents the research problems, research questions, research aim, research objectives, the
scope and limitation of the study and the research design process to establish the physical characteristics of
a public square in Malay Royal town.
Parks, streets and squares are typically considered as public open spaces and generally accessible to all
people. Public open spaces are the bed in which human activities are formed, and human social and cultural
relations are established. Urban spaces are part of cities, open and public areas that are somehow the identity
crystallization of collective life, where citizens attend. The social importance of a public open space that
defines it as a meeting space for people has been aggravated time by time (Sieverts, 2003). The reason why
parks, street and squares have been downgraded, abandoned or disappeared might be due to the heavy rapid
development and urbanization in most cities around the world. This rapid development has caused public
open spaces to turn into leftover spaces in cities all over the world (Pasaogullari and Doratli, 2004). In fact,
this causes public open space to lose their function in meeting people’s needs towards the places (Özsoy
and Bayram, 2007). In certain area, unrecognizable has become main issues to the public spaces such as
parks, street and squares. Not just losing natural and physical attributes, major effect has led to the changes
on the loss of traditional urban form and localized identity (Mohammad, 1998). Green (1999) and Rogan
et al. (2005) have found out that once the character of a town has been threatened, the sense of attachment,
continuity, identity and permanence may also be lost.
Medan Bandar in Alor Setar is not fully utilized as everyday meeting and gathering space. Harun and Said
(2009) asserted that in most cities in Malaysia, public square have succumbed to 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
Center stigmatizes place identity and the characters of city that negatively affects people’s life (Harun and
Said, 2009). In light of all above mentioned issues concerning about the public square, the current studies
mainly objective to enhancing the quality of public square through upgrading and redesign the existing
Medan Bandar and to make Medan Bandar as a successful public square in Malay royal town.
METHODS
The method of the study is case study which adopted a qualitative and quantitative method in data collection
and analysis that been derived by the research objectives and research questions. Literature review that
discusses, published current information by accredited scholars and researches on the subject matter of
public square and a sense of place to establish a theoretical framework that would be used to propose a
design scheme for public square that creates a sense of place. Meanwhile field observation will involve a
visual survey and townscape appraisal to record visual elements such as quality of views, fabric and space
that contributes to the physical characteristics of a public square in Malay Royal town. Visual survey
consists of a photographic record, annotations and sketches during the field observations. Questionnaire
survey will be carried out during the data collection period. An open-ended questionnaire survey will be
used in this study to discover physical characteristics in the chosen public square that it become so
importance and influences in their perceptions.
FINDINGS AND ARGUMENT
Findings of this study reveal that the design factors of public square in Medan Bandar Alor Setar are not
attractive to the public on the physical linkages. The findings also shown that Medan Bandar is not having
a good connectivity and continuity to the other elements that influence the identity of a Malay Royal town
itself. Each have their own contributions to the urban fabric and form of the Malay Royal town. On the
physical barriers aspect, it is discovered that Medan Bandar Alor Setar is not a user friendly. Major factors
such as of less public amenities, insufficient width of sidewalk on a certain area and bad quality of surface
along the pedestrian and pavement at Medan Bandar that influence to the unuser friendly at Medan Bandar.
This shows that Medan Bandar does not apply the universal design concept that considers a wide range of
people with different abilities and remove or reduce the physical barriers. The finding on the amenities also
shows that Medan Bandar Alor Setar is not friendly in terms of lack of seating and rest areas, inadequate
public toilet, insufficient lighting during the night and no clear signages for legibility that raised by JPBD
(2011) on the user friendly public amenities at accessible location.
Another finding also demonstrates that users agree to the current unpleasant design factors of the Medan
Bandar Alor Setar. Majority of them agreed that the current public square has no physical barriers, not
enough seating, rest areas and public toilet, does not have a clear signages and lighting for easy accessibility
in the day and night, and also the current private parking space are not sufficient. However, when finally it
is brought to their attention, the findings show that they acknowledge on the unpleasant design factors of
public square. This suggests the theory of environmental numbness by Gifford (1976) where the adaptation
and familiarity with certain environment make the users lack of awareness. This may happen because the
users are exposed to the environment and are very responsive to unfriendly environment. It is discovered
that the difference of personal characteristics such as gender, age and experience contribute towards
different perception on the environment that are suggested by Carmona et al. (2003).
Figure 1 : General and specific recommendation.
CONCLUSIONS
In achieving the aim to to propose design public square in Malay Royal town, this study has looked into
the literature on the concept of Malay Royal town, concept and theories of public square and also assess
the response from the users in the Medan Bandar Alor Setar. From this study, it is discovered that there are
several design factors in the Medan Bandar Alor Setar that is not have a connection to Malay Royal town
which are the connectivity and continuity, factors of barriers and obstruction, universal design and change
of level. In addition, it reveals that the users in Medan Bandar are exposed to the environment and are very
responsive to unfriendly environment. This may due to the usual condition of Medan Bandar Alor Setar
where people just get used to whatever they have but in the same time they care what is going around them.
However, when the concept of public square in Malay royal town is brought to their attention, they actually
acknowledge on the unpleasant factors. Therefore, if the government takes this issue seriously and provide
a better built environment in terms of friendly public square and inject some character of Malay Royal town
inside, the users will feel the difference and increase the awareness towards the concept and appreciate it.
Besides, it will contribute to users’ sensitivity towards how they perceived and concern for the built
environment. Accessibility in a public square environment is the concept for all parameters that influence
human functioning in the environment that suggest by Preiser and Smith (2011) and accessibility for
everyone will increase the existing proposed whole citizens’ quality of life (Evcil, 2012). Therefore, the
implementation of public square in Malay Royal town will provide better quality of life towards all the
users which will contribute towards a Malay Royal town of Kedah.
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