2019

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e-PROCEEDING
elSBN-978-967-5741-97-5

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�- UNJIV�R ITI TEKNOLOGI MARA PERAK BRANCH
SERI ISKANDAR CAMPUS
4th Undergraduate Seminar on Built Environment and Technology 2019 (USBET2019)

A STUDY OF ADAPTIVE REUSE SHOPHOUSE BUILDING

Muhammad Hilman Mohd Omar1 and Aida Affina Abdul Ghani2

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Department of Building Surveying, Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying,
Universiti Teknologi MARA, Perak Branch, Seri Iskandar Campus, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract:
Adaptive Reuse is the process of reusing an old building for an entirely new different purpose other
than that which the building was made for originally. Adaptive reuse is very important in Malaysia as
it helps to save heritage buildings from being demolished to satisfy modern needs. The problem was
most of them were not able to be maintained due to lack of funds and there were several shophouses
scorched in fire and the owners did not do any repair work on the building. The literature review refers
to the to the journals, books, articles, newspaper. A mixed method is used in conducting research
involving the collection and analysis of quantitative methods and qualitative methods. The data
collection was based on the adaptive reuse done at the shop building in Oldtown, Ipoh, Perak. All data
collected during the distribution of questionnaires and condition survey observation were analyzed
using SPSS and Microsoft Words. The findings are carried out after analyzing the data of research and
suggestions for recommendations are proposed after the research findings have been identified.

Keywords:
Adaptive reuse; Shophouse buildings; Old Town of Ipoh; Post Adaptation

1.0 INTRODUCTION
This research is to study the viability of adaptive reuse of shophouse buildings and the impact it has on
the sustainability of existing built environment in Old Town of Ipoh, Perak. There is growing acceptance
that old buildings are an important element and that adaptive use provides economic, cultural and social
benefit to urban communities. The issues are that they were not able to maintain the building which was
falling apart due to lack of fund, there are a handful of owners who do not want to lease their buildings
directly but let them be worn out without proper care and several shophouses that had been burned but
the owners did not do any repair work on the building.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

According to (Lewis, 2013), adaptive reuse usually refers to the reuse of building for purposes other
than those originally designed or designed. These new uses can offer economic, social and cultural
benefits to their environment. Additionally, reuse is an approach to sustainability as it conserves durable
natural building materials. The reuse of adaptive buildings can include modifications that maintain
aesthetic and the building retaining its structure and character.

2.1 Adaptive Reuse And Urban Sustainability

According to Bromley, R. D. F., Tallon, A., & Thomas ( 2005) it is increasingly recognized that there
is a strong connection between adaptive reuse of historic buildings and sustainable urban development.
Adaptive reuse of a historic building definitely provides environmental benefits in the reuse of materials
and structural elements, reduction of demolition waste and new carbon emissions, and saving of used
energy.

2.2 Factors Driving Adaptive Reuse

According to Kohler & Yang (2007), a key driver has been rising energy costs, which has increased the
cost of new construction such as materials, transport, resources and resulted in clients opting to reuse
existing building.

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3.0 METHODOLOGY
Mixed method is the type of research method that is be used for this research. The main data for this
study was collected through two types of data that are primary data and secondary data. The unstructured
interview is used in primary qualitative data to complete research by interviewing the shop building
owner at the shop building area in Old Town, Ipoh, Perak. An observation is made in the shop building
at Old Town, Ipoh, Perak to determine the shophouse post adaptation and its practice. In primary
quantitative data, the questionnaires distributed in the selected case study area, which in this case is in
Old Town Ipoh, Perak, to the owner and workers. The case study area was divided into two ' special
areas ' and ' non-special areas’. Then the data gained from the observation and questionnaire were
analyzed using SPPSS and Microsoft Words.

4.0 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

The second objective of this research is to identify the challenges and constraints of adaptive reuse of
shophouse buildings. It was found that this objective was achieved through the questionnaire analysis
where the researcher found that 10 of the shophouse owners as the respondents, more than 50% are
agreed and strongly agreed that it is difficult to get a contractor who is well-specialized as the challenges
and constraints of adaptive reuse of shophouse buildings. Most owner in special areas stated agreed that
to get a contractor that is well specialist in adaptive reuse project is very difficult. To find a well-
qualified and experienced contractor in this project reuse project is hard because many of contractor
less experienced about adaptive reuse for the old shophouse building project. It needs to find a highly
skilled and well experienced contractor in the field of adaptive reuse for heritage buildings.

Table 1.: Scarcity in Specialty Contractor

Is it hard to get a contractor that Area
is well specialist in adaptive reuse Special Areas Non- special Areas
project?
Strongly Disagree 0 0
Disagree 0 1
Mixed 1 1
Agreed 4 1
Strongly Agreed 0 2
Total 5 5

The third objective of this study is to determine the post adaptation of these shophouse and its practice.
It was found that this objective was achieved through the questionnaire analysis, in which the researcher
found that 80 of the staff workers as the respondent, mostly 40 percent from the respondent choose to
be neutral, which are neither nor neither yes for the originality of the building. Based on the data
collection, the most respondent from special areas and non-special areas chose to be neutral. The
workers chose to be neutral because the owner of shophouse does not maintain the originality of the
building entirely just a few of the originals maintained by the owner. There are several reasons why the
owner does not maintain the origin of the building because the owner did renovation of his building to
become a new business function and must remove the originality of the building. Besides, the owner
does not retain the original of the building due to severe damage to the building.

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4th Undergraduate Seminar on Built Environment and Technology 2019 (USBET2019)

Figure 1: The Originality of Building Kept By Owner

5.0 CONCLUSION
As a conclusion, researcher can conclude that adaptive reuse of shophouses is very important to
maintain preservation or conservation around the city that rich in history. Adaptive reuse towards
shophouse buildings can bring many benefits in lots of aspects. The old shophouse building is a feature
that has a potential for adaptive reuse. By maintaining activity of adaptive reuse the shophouse buildings
located in Old Town of Ipoh is very important as the old shophouse buildings are there can prevented
from being demolished by any parties and built with other developments. Besides, achievement of the
second objective is to identify the challenges and constraints of adaptive reuse shophouse building in
Old Town, Ipoh. There are many challenges to enhance sustainability, particularly where redevelopment
pressures are immense in area urban that are developing especially in Ipoh, Perak. Adaptive reuse of
existing shophouse help prevent the loss of historic value of that shophouse. Last, achievement of the
third objective is to determine the post adaption of these shophouse and its practice. The shophouse
building should be well maintained so that the lifespan of the building is longer. Emphasize that
adaptation is the early step in maintaining the building's condition from damage to the building in
maintaining the building.

REFERENCES
Bromley, R. D. F., Tallon, A., & Thomas, C. J. (2005). City centre regeneration through residential
development: Contributing to sustainability. Urban Studies, 42(13), 2407–2429.
Kohler, N., & Yang, W. (2007). Long-term management of building stocks. Building Research &
Information, 35(4), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613210701308962
Lewis, R. H. (2013). Re- architecture: Adaptive Reuse of buildings, (November).
Tweed, C., & Sutherland, M. (2007). Built cultural heritage and sustainable urban development.
Landscape and Urban Planning. Landscape and Urban Planning, 83, 62–69.
UNESCO. (2007). Asia conserved: Lessons learned from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards
for Culture Heritage Conservation (2004–2004). Bangkok: UNESCO.

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