Traditional Courtyard “Late-Straits” Shop-Houses As Rebuilding Place Based On Cultural Space

Abstract

The issue of rebuilding place based on cultural space is of expanding significance as urban areas look for a superior future in a globalising world that would not become a threat to their cultural heritage. Therefore, heritage conservation and restoration are pertinent to the sustainability of cultural identity. This article aims to explore how the traditional courtyard of the "Late-Straits" eclectic-style shop-houses in Georgetown-Heritage City demonstrates and expresses rebuilding place based on cultural space, and the need to sustain this approach of heritage conservation. This paper employed a phenomenology type of qualitative research, and data collected via 30 oral face-to-face interviews with experts whilst observations were made by the researchers and validated via secondary sources to understand the concept of rebuilding based on cultural space. Georgetown is one of the designated World-Heritage-Sites by UNESCO World-Heritage, thus adopted. The findings unfold that the traditional courtyard "Late-Straits" eclectic-style shop-houses, Georgetown-Heritage City have rebuilt place based on courtyard as a cultural space. This paper concludes that the challenge for the Heritage City is to identify the possible policy solutions so that other parts of the city with courtyard shop-houses can rebuild place based on cultural space.