LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS AS DETERMINANTS OF STREETSCAPE IDENTITY: A DESIGN FRAMEWORK FOR MALAYSIA’S HISTORIC ROYAL URBANISM

Authors

  • Wan Norisma Wan Ismail Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
  • Norsafiah Norazman Department of Building Surveying, School of Housing, Building and Planning, UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA, Minden, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
  • Nor Syahila Ab Rashid Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
  • Fadli Arabi Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
  • Elina Mohd Husini Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i43.2098

Keywords:

cultural heritage, landscape, royal towns, street character, urban identity

Abstract

Street landscapes are pivotal in shaping the character of historic urban environments, particularly in royal towns where cultural heritage is embedded in the urban fabric. However, within the field of urban design, the role of landscape structures in shaping streetscape identity has received limited empirical attention, leading to a gradual decline in spatial and cultural distinctiveness in many heritage towns. This study aims to examine how landscape structures influence the visual-spatial and functional qualities of streets within the historic royal urban context of Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia. A mixed-methods approach involving field observations, historical analysis, 21 semi-structured interviews, and a survey of 330 respondents was employed to identify key landscape features and assess their role in reinforcing spatial identity. The analysis is guided by a conceptual framework that interprets landscape structures through four urban design attributes: attractiveness, visibility, human scale, and comfort. The findings demonstrate that landscape components enhance visual appeal, human scale, comfort, and social engagement, revealing a strong interdependence between physical aesthetics and street performance. The study proposes a landscape-oriented design framework tailored to heritage settings, contributing both theoretically to urban design discourse and practically to policy formulation for Malaysia’s royal towns. It concludes by advocating a holistic, context-sensitive approach to preserving street character and cultural continuity in historic urban landscapes.

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References

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Published

2026-08-09

How to Cite

Wan Ismail , W. N., Norazman, N., Ab Rashid, N. S., Arabi, F., & Mohd Husini, E. (2026). LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS AS DETERMINANTS OF STREETSCAPE IDENTITY: A DESIGN FRAMEWORK FOR MALAYSIA’S HISTORIC ROYAL URBANISM. PLANNING MALAYSIA, 24(43). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i43.2098

Issue

Vol. 24 (2026): PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL : Volume 24, Issue 4, 2026

Section

Article

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eISSN: 0128-0945 © Year. The Authors. Published for Malaysian Institute of Planners. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.

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