Post-Conservation Evaluation (PCE) Framework for Adaptive Reuse Museums: Case Studies in Historic City of George Town, the UNESCO World Heritage of Malaysia

Copyright of Firzan Aziz

PhD Thesis Abstract

Adaptive reuse of historic buildings is a prominent and sustainable approach in the realm of built heritage conservation. The prevalent trend of converting historic buildings to museums is testified when nearly half of the museums population (44%) in the historic cities Melaka and George Town, the UNESCO World Heritage of Malaysia are found to be converted buildings. Adaptive reuse however has not always brought in positive conservation impacts as some historic buildings turned dysfunctional and out of operation after their conversion to museums. This scenario hence calls upon the current research aim to establish an evaluation framework focusing on the post-conservation impacts of historic buildings converted to museums (adaptive reuse museums) within the UNESCO World Heritage of Malaysia context. Criteria of physical appropriateness, functional effectiveness and financial efficiency were scrutinised through literature review to conceptually form the Post-Conservation Evaluation (PCE). Case studies involving two monumental and three shop house buildings in the historic city of George Town obtained through purposive sampling were then used to test the operational and empirical capabilities of the conceptual PCE. Field work conducted at the case studies found that the post-conservation impacts of adaptive reuse museums are positive in terms of physical appropriateness yet negative in terms of functional effectiveness. Validated by eight experts and stakeholders from the field of built heritage conservation, this evaluative research finally contributed the PCE framework focusing on the impacts of adaptive reuse museums in the context of UNESCO World Heritage of Malaysia.