AC 5007 - Batch 5 - MO ZHIHUI

Exploring the Dock-City Connection in Urban Morphology: A Case Study of Melaka

MO ZHIHUI A0268528N

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts In Architectural Conservation at the Department of Architecture National University of Singapore November 2025

Supervisor: Prof. Johannes Widodo

Abstract This dissertation will investigate the intricate relationship between historical docks and the urban development of Melaka, a significant maritime entrepot along the Maritime Silk Road. The research focuses on understanding how these docks have influenced the urban morphology and architectural typology of Melaka from its earliest settlement to the present.

Identifying the connection between the dock and the city is a complicated question, author mainly analyzes it from the perspective of physical connection (urban morphological performance). This study combines urban planning, architectural analysis, historical research, and extensive fieldwork. The research identifies the key dock space along the Melaka River and examines its connection to the city’s inland area.

Through identifying the lots of the lost dock and its market space as well as the religious building, there are a lot of problems happening in reality. This dissertation concludes with recommendations for the conservation and management of these historical nodes. Emphasizing their importance in preserving Melaka’s historic urban landscape to conserve its cultural heritage and urban identity.

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Acknowledgement First of all, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my supervisor Professor Johannes WIDODO for all his illuminating advice, encouragement, and consistent support throughout this dissertation. This research was sparked by a serendipitous field observation in Melaka with him, whose extensive collection of early maps significantly shaped my dissertation on the city’s urban morphology.

Also, I’m grateful to Professor WONG Yunn Chii insightful suggestions for sharing with me the history of Melaka and walking around Singapore so that I could have a deeper understanding of the background of the Southeast Asian city. Many thanks to Professor HO Puay Peng for his helpful advice that I could be more focused on the application of urban morphology in architectural conservation, and Professor Nikhil JOSHI for taking us to TTCLC for fieldwork on February 2023, when was my first time to Melaka and became particularly interested in this city.

Special thanks to Professor CHEN Yu for wise insights for guiding me in cosmology connection to urban morphology and architectural typology in the physical world, especially the connection between Overseas Chinese and Settlement, and my respondent Uncle ZHENG for taking me walk around Melaka, sharing his city memory.

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Sincere thanks to my classmates KE Jia for helping me take photos and records in my field research in Melaka, Yutong for giving me suggestions on morphological research, and other classmates and friends who helped me. Their kind help and comments make this dissertation more meaningful. Finally, gratitude should also go to my Parents, and my best friend KIM for all their financial and spiritual support.

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Content Abstract ................................................................................................................. I Acknowledgement ...........................................................................................II List of Table and Charts ............................................................................... XI Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................1 1.2 The reality of historic city development（Current Issue）........................2 1.2.1 Reclamation issue: ................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Tourism issue: ............................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Motivation ..............................................................................................................3 1.4 Research aim..........................................................................................................3 1.5 Innovation ..............................................................................................................4 1.6 Implications............................................................................................................4

Chapter 2: Literature Review ...................................................................... 5 2.1 Diachrony and Synchrony ..................................................................................5 2.2 The Elements of Urban Morphology in Melaka............................................6 2.3 Classification of Dock-Related Architectural Elements ..............................7 2.4 Relationship between urban marketplaces and harbors............................8

Chapter 3: Research Methodology ............................................................ 9 3.1 Research Objectives: ............................................................................................9 3.2 Research Questions:.............................................................................................9 IV

3.3 Research Perspective: Urban Morphology.................................................. 10 3.4 Research Methods： Mixed methods ......................................................... 11 3.41 Archival Research and Historical Analysis ....................................................12 3.42 Field Surveys and Site Observations: .............................................................12 3.43 Urban Morphological Analysis:........................................................................13 3.44 Literature Review..................................................................................................13 3.5 Research Scope/Range..................................................................................... 14 3.6 Research Process ............................................................................................... 16

Chapter 4: Research Findings .................................................................. 17 4.1 Building System ................................................................................................. 17 4.1.1 Interpretation of the understanding of "building".......................................17 4.1.2 The Morphological Framework of buildings in Melaka .............................18 4.2 Religious buildings ............................................................................................ 20 4.2.1 Morphological Analysis of Religious buildings ..........................................21 4.2.2 Similarities of Morphological Characteristic:

River Orientation ........23

4.2.3 Conservation Status of Religious Buildings ................................................23 4.2.4 Analysis of the current problems of the shrine related to the dock ...24 4.3 Unconventional buildings(structures) .......................................................... 28 4.3.1 Morphological classification: Dock ...................................................................28 4.3.2 Morphological classification: Bridge ................................................................36 4.4 Connector System ............................................................................................. 36 V

4.4.1 Cosmology and Urban Layout ...........................................................................36 4.4.2 Tangible connection between port and city ..................................................37 4.4.3 Intangible connection between port and city ...............................................40 4.2 Street System...................................................................................................... 42 4.2.1 Understanding of the Street. ..............................................................................42 4.2.2 "Enlarged Street" found in Melaka ...................................................................44 4.2.3 The Inner logic of street connections ..............................................................49 4.2.4 The Characteristics of the Dock-related Street ............................................50 4.3. Identify the lost Market: Kampong Pantai Market (S-4)........................ 50 4.3.1 Identify the "enlarged street" .............................................................................50 4.3.2 How to identify it? ..............................................................................................51 4.3.3 Hypothesis of Special Shape: ..........................................................................53 4.3.4 Current Situation/Issue .........................................................................................53 4.3.5 Lost its dock building characteristic .................................................................54 4.3.6 Cut down the relationship between the dock and the related system .54

Chapter 5: Conclusion ................................................................................. 56 5.1 The complete Dock System Components ................................................... 57 5.2 The Importance of the Dock System ............................................................ 57 1) Connection and Integration .....................................................................................57 2) Cultural and Historical Identity ................................................................................58 5.3 Threats and Urban Construction Pressure .................................................. 58 VI

5.4 Recommendation: ............................................................................................. 59 5.4.1 Integrated Conservation ......................................................................................59 5.4.2

Discussion on the Kampong Pantai ............................................................59

5.5 Limitations and Future Research ................................................................... 61 5.5.1 Limitation ..................................................................................................................61 5.5.2 Future Research...................................................................................................61

Chapter 6: Bibliography ............................................................................. 64 Chapter 8: Appendix .................................................................................... 66 Appendix A ................................................................................................................ 66 Appendix B (Maps Source: Collection from Prof. Johannes Widodo )....... 67 1613a ....................................................................................................................................67 1629 ......................................................................................................................................68 1744 ......................................................................................................................................68 1750 ......................................................................................................................................69 1764 ......................................................................................................................................70 1791c ....................................................................................................................................70 1800 ......................................................................................................................................71 1916 ......................................................................................................................................71 1936 ......................................................................................................................................72 1962 ......................................................................................................................................72 1939 ......................................................................................................................................73 VII

1980 ......................................................................................................................................73

Words Count: 9,282 (Excluding acknowledgement, list of abbreviations, list of figures, list of table, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices)

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List of Figures Figure 1 Author and the Respondent, Sep.2023 .........................................................13 Figure 2 Figure 7 Sketch map of Melaka coastline changes ..................................14 Figure 3 Research Scope of Space ......................................................................................15 Figure 4 Research Process Flow Chart ............................................................................16 Figure 5 The Morphological Diagram of Religious buildings (Source: author) ...................................................................................................................................................21 Figure 6 The Detailed Information of Religious buildings ........................................21 Figure 7 Sketch map of Dock Sample in Melaka..........................................................28 Figure 8 Four Docks in different historical periods......................................................29 Figure 9 D-3 Street Photo ........................................................................................................32 Figure 10 Old photo of Docks (D-2，D-3), 1860-1870 ...............................................32 Figure 11 The appearance of bridge elements in different periods along the Malacca River .....................................................................................................................38 Figure 12 The morphological graph of the Dock-market relationship in different historical periods ...........................................................................................39 Figure 13 Graph of organization in boating industry .................................................41 Figure 14 Enlarged Street among the Research Scope...............................................45 Figure 15 The Melaka Market (circa 1950). ...................................................................48 Figure 16 The performance between the Dock4 and Kampong Pantai Market in different periods .........................................................................................................52 IX

Figure 17 The old photo of Kampong Pantai Road ......................................................52 Figure 18 Current photo in Kampong Pantai Market Space....................................55 Figure 19 Morphological diagram of the complete Dock System of Melaka River .......................................................................................................................................56 Figure 20 Current map of Melaka River Dock （Source: author took in Melaka) .................................................................................................................................62

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List of Table and Charts Table 1 Research Scope of Time ...........................................................................................16 Table 2 The Morphological Classification of Melaka (relating to the dock) .....18 Table 3 The Morphological Classification of Melaka in this study (relating to the dock) ...............................................................................................................................19 Table 4 Types of Religious Buildings of Urban Morphological Element for Melaka (relating to the dock) ..................................................................................22 Table 5 Documentation of the Shrine (RS-1) ..................................................................24 Table 6 Documentation of the Shrine (RS-2) ..................................................................25 Table 7 Documentation of the Shrine (RS-3) ..................................................................25 Table 8 Documentation of the Dock (D-1) in Melaka..................................................30 Table 9 Documentation of the Dock (D-2) in Melaka..................................................31 Table 10 Documentation of the Dock (D-3) in Melaka ...............................................31 Table 11 Documentation of the Dock (D-4).....................................................................33 Table 12 Comparison of Four Docks ...................................................................................34 Table 13 Documentation of Bridge .....................................................................................36 Table 14

Different impressions among current open space .............................44

Table 15 S-1 Political Square at different historical times (1628-1980)............46 Table 16 S-2 Market Space at different historical times (1916-1980) ................47 Table 17 Market space versus political square ..............................................................49 XI

Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Background The port cities in Southeast Asia not only contribute significantly to the region’s trade and economy, but they are also frequently central to cultural interaction. In the setting of a diversified cultural context, it also supports the expansion and the integration of numerous cultural characteristics, particularly urban fabrics, and building typologies, which comprise the unique urban landscape of Southeast Asian cities. Historical port cities often contain significant public space nodes that act as hubs for community interactions and activities. Throughout several periods of historical development, these urban landscapes have established their distinctive historical layers.

Melaka, with its exceptional geographical context marked by the strong presence of water and with an extremely typical Southeast Asian port-city urban fabric.

The study of urban morphology in the waterfront areas of Southeast Asian port cities was very popular at the beginning of the 21st century, with a large number of outstanding scholars emerging and precious historical documentation left behind. As Melaka and George Town were awarded as the Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

by UNESCO in 2008 till now(2023), it has experienced nearly 15 years. Within these

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years, it is obvious to all that many architectural heritage in the historic area of Melaka have been conserved. However today, 15 years later, many once unnoticed problems have gradually emerged, and even some important urban morphological characteristics have been cleaned out.

1.2 The reality of historic city development（Current Issue） However, as urban development progresses, some of these significant public space nodes (like ports/harbors) might have lost their original functions and statuses, leading to their underutilization or abandonment.

1.2.1 Reclamation issue: The urban development and coastal reclamation issues in Malacca have extended the original coastline by 500m, so the current boundary/coastline of the Strait of Malacca.

1.2.2 Tourism issue: To develop a pedestrian system along the river, the pier elements along the river were not retained

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1.3 Motivation There is a strong motivation for this research is the urgent need for sustainable conservation strategies for heritage cities like Melaka. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the port and port-city, of how historical port nodes can be integrated into the contemporary urban landscape while preserving their unique character.

Another significant motivation is to know how urban planning and architectural practices have shaped, and been formed by the port-city dynamics of Melaka.

This study delves into the intricate patterns of urban morphology and architectural typology, to reveal the transformation of Melaka and its docks over various historical periods.

1.4 Research aim This research aims to investigate the changes in previously important public open spaces in Melaka. To explore its main harbors and the relationship between the city and the ports, based on an understanding of urban morphology, providing academic support for future makers of conservation policies and allowing them to better develop management and guidance strategies for discovering and preserving these historical elements.

1. Identify the morphological classification along the waterfront.

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2. Identify and summarize the morphological sector which is out of conservation but it has strong historical value and it is needed to be conserved in the future.

3. How does the harbor link to the City?

1.5 Innovation The study was conducted in the form of a cultural mapping survey, with data being gathered via the old historical maps and photos from the colonial period towards the current to identify the change. Unique to this study is the detailed documentation and analysis of Melaka’s dock system, which includes a comprehensive review of its historical significance, current status, and urban morphological characteristics. This paper provides a new perspective on the historical evolution of Melaka but also as a part contributes to the broader understanding of Southeast Asian port cities along the Maritime Silk Road.

1.6 Implications This project provided an important opportunity to advance the understanding of the development of port city in Southeast Asia, urban morphology, and connection between the port and the heartland. The findings of this research have significant implications for urban planners, architects, and policymakers.

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By understanding the historical significance and current challenges of Melaka’s docks, the study will offer valuable insights for the recommendation of conservation policies and urban development strategies to make a comprehensive of the port city. It highlights the importance of preserving historical buildings/spaces while integrating them into contemporary urban landscapes, thus ensuring the sustainable development of heritage cities.

Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Diachrony and Synchrony Understanding the fundamental elements that constitute a city and its interactions plays an important role in the study of urban morphology because these elements will cooperate to construct the physical form of the city and gradually contribute to its uniqueness over time. (Araújo De Oliveira, 2022) This concept is quite similar to the theory of “the architecture of the city” proposed by the Italian architect and theorist Aldo Rossi, which implies the “permanent elements” of urban form (such as monumental buildings and urban landmarks) are the key to the identity and continuity of the city. It constitutes the physical framework and cultural memory of the city. (Rossi, 1984) Both emphasize the importance of the diachrony of architecture (i.e. the evolution and development of architecture over time). But their difference lies in their views on the physical 5

form of cities. Urban morphology pays more attention to the physical framework and organization of cities, but Rossi, struggles to find out the key architectural and structural elements, which shows the different ideas about elements in architectural synchronicity.

In other words, architectural conservation means that understanding the past of the city helps us to gain a good understanding of the city’s current situation and find out the approach to manage its development. Therefore, it is complete for this study to compare and analyze diachronically and synchronically the urban elements along the river in Melaka.

2.2 The Elements of Urban Morphology in Melaka Based on the structure of Oliveira, streets, blocks, and buildings, these fundamental elements will be combined to form the urban tissue of the city.

(Araújo De Oliveira, 2022) Many scholars who study the urban form of Melaka focus on the architectural elements of the colonial period, especially for the political area during the colonial period (Lee, 2016), and shop house types and street blocks in Chinese Old Town in Melaka. (Chin-Kwan Lew, 2010)

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Up to now, far too little attention has been paid to the systematic study of the waterfront area except by Professor Widodo. He explains the connection between the polity domain and economy domain at the estuary of Melaka River.

(Widodo, 2004.) However, it still lacks the documentation and the study of the dock and how to connect the heartland place along the Melaka River. Therefore, finding out the elements related to the connection between the port and city, identifying these places, and making records and analysis of these elements in the current conservation status in Melaka is necessary for this moment.

2.3 Classification of Dock-Related Architectural Elements In 2016, Ling and others mainly conducted a morphological classification and characteristics of general port heritage elements, especially separating the “ architecture” item into conventional buildings and unconventional buildings( structures). (Ling et al, 2023) In the study of the existing dock-related cultural relics buildings along the Maritime Silk Road in Quanzhou City, there are two main categories, including port infrastructure and related buildings (navigation mark buildings, docks, bridges, sacrificial buildings), religious and cultural buildings, etc, which provides an important reference for us in studying

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the port heritage in the port cities of the Maritime Silk Road. (Yan Ming et al., 2023.)

This kind of systematic morphological classification related to the dock heritage in the waterfront area is currently missing from the urban morphological research of Melaka. In addition, although Shen’s research background is based on the waterfront area, each city still has its own uniqueness. In the urban morphological classification of Melaka, the research elements in the original table are not applicable to Melaka, which means organizing and classifying the dock elements in the riverside area and discovering the characteristics of these elements is necessary.

2.4 Relationship between urban marketplaces and harbors In Southern China's coastal areas, the general morphology of the lower city is characterized by two primary elements: the harbor area and the dwelling area, each with its specific temples and marketplaces. This relationship can be used to understand the urban patterns of settlements of Southeast Asian cities, where the spatial and functional connections between temples, markets, and harbors are evident. (Widodo, 2004) However, these two significant elements of urban 8

morphology, including urban marketplaces and harbors, have not yet been used to identify the valuable and historic public space of urban tissue in Melaka.

Chapter 3: Research Methodology 3.1 Research Objectives: This research aims to explore the relationship between the historical dock and the urban development of Melaka, Malaysia, focusing on:

1. Historically Important Docks 2. Identifying Public Space along the Melaka River 3. Connection between Dock and Inland-Area 4. Urban morphology characteristics 5. Current Status and usage

3.2 Research Questions: To achieve the research objectives, the research will address the following questions:

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1. Where are the historically important docks? Why are these docks considered a vitally historical space?

2. How can the public space along the Melaka River be identified in comparison to different historical periods (from the first settlement in Melaka to the current)?

3. How were connections between the docks and inland areas organized?

4. What are the urban morphological characteristics of these historical nodes relating to the ports, and why are these public spaces associated?

5. What are the current states and functions of these historical docks, and what factors have led to their decline in use and status?

3.3 Research Perspective: Urban Morphology This study will compare and discover the changes in urban morphological elements related to the docks along the Melaka River by using old maps of Melaka from the pre-colonial period till now. Unfortunately, there is little documentation (old map) from the pre-colonial period. Due to this reason, this study will reply to existing literature to uncover urban morphological elements that have disappeared in the current context, using old photographs and maps as evidence to support hypotheses about their existence and analyze reasons for

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their disappearance and implications for architectural conservation (such as the disappearance of market elements related to docks).

3.4 Research Methods： Mixed methods Since Melaka has rich historical background documents, there are relatively scarcity of documentation on dock spaces, especially focusing on the waterfront area along the river. it is necessary to use existing historical documents, maps, and comparisons among pictures, texts, and photographs to piece together relevant docks in the Melaka River. The development context of space serves as the background information for this paper to explore the Melaka dock area from the perspective of urban morphology. Since Melaka has experienced multiple stages of colonial rule, the narrative perspective of many documents will be affected by the author's background. However, in this paper, the author still tries to refer to and cite these documents from a more objective and neutral perspective. The research will consider using interdisciplinary methods that involve urban planning, architectural analysis, historical research, and fieldwork.

The following research methods will be employed:

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3.41

Archival Research and Historical Analysis

1) Using the Historical maps and documents to trace the development of the Melaka River and its docks. This will involve comparing maps from different periods, such as the Portuguese and Dutch colonial eras to hold a complete sight to look the historical change, and to understand the evolution of the Melaka River’s docks and their roles.

2) Analysis of Old Photographs. Old photographs were used to corroborate findings from maps and to visualize the historical state of the docks and surrounding urban areas.

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Field Surveys and Site Observations:

1) On-site Observations. Conduct on-site observations to assess the current physical state of buildings and streets, especially for docks and their surrounding urban environments. The physical condition of docks, their connection to nearby buildings and streets, and their current usage will be included as observation content.

2) Photographic Documentation. During the field surveys, photographs will be taken to document the current state of the docks and their architectural characteristic, which contributes to a part of the urban morphology.

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Figure 1 Author and the Respondent, Sep.2023

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Urban Morphological Analysis:

1) Through the study of urban tissue and structure to analyze the urban morphology of Melaka, it will focus on elements like docks, buildings, streets, and public spaces to examine how these elements have changed over time and their current status.

2) Comparative analysis between the current urban morphology with historical layouts(maps) to identify the changes and continuities/loss in the urban tissue of Melaka.

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Literature Review

Academic literature and previous studies related to the urban morphology of Melaka and its docks will be contained, which to help the author to frame the research within the existing body of knowledge and identify gaps that the study addresses.

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The methods in this study in corporation of various disciplines, so it is an interdisciplinary approach to combine elements of urban planning, architectural analysis, and historical research into a comprehensive understanding of the historical and current urban morphology of Melaka, particularly about its docks and waterfront architecture.

3.5 Research Scope/Range Although the entire coastline of Melaka was moved outward by 500m during subsequent reclamation projects. However, the location of the docks marked on the map of this study is consistent with the coastline that was not reclaimed before the 1980s and 1990s, so it has reference value.

Figure 2 Sketch map of Melaka coastline changes

（Translated by author, Source: Chin-Kwan Lew (2010))

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Figure 3 Research Scope of Space (Source: author)

From the author's observation, the influence of the river on the surrounding physical space and physical elements will spread to both sides with the river as the center. The closer to the river, the greater the influence of the river on architectural elements and street elements. On the contrary, the further away from the river, the smaller the correlation between the two and the river.

This study will focus on the area within 150m of the river bank as the midpoint of the research sample scope, Therefore, building elements and street elements within this range will become the focus of this study.

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Table 1 Research Scope of Time

(Table Source: author, Map collection from Prof. Johannes Widodo)

3.6 Research Process

Figure 4 Research Process Flow Chart (Source: author)

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Chapter 4: Research Findings 4.1 Building System 4.1.1 Interpretation of the understanding of "building" The building elements include conventional and unconventional buildings(structures). But in general, many people’s definition of architecture remains in the traditional “architecture” itself, conventional building. However, according to Ling’s framework(Ling et al, 2023)), “architecture” not only describes buildings but also includes unconventional buildings, like structures related to buildings. Because of this incomplete understanding, Melaka’s conservation of conserved area is incomplete. Although the shop houses and warehouses these conventional buildings in the historic conservation area, there are still a lot of unconventional buildings like docks, small shrines, etc. that have disappeared or are disappearing. Therefore, the following table of the morphological classification of Melaka has been created to assist in understanding the morphological elements associated with docks.

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4.1.2 The Morphological Framework of buildings in Melaka Table 2 The Morphological Classification of Melaka (relating to the dock) Item

Morphological

Category

classification

Morphological characteristics

Conservation status

Conventional

Warehouses

Tall and spacious internal spaces,

Most are under

buildings

Conventional

mostly frame structures

well-conserved

factories Religious buildings

In the interior of a settlement or

(temples, churches,

near a settlement, the layout is

mosques, etc.)

often large and has landmark significance.

Regulatory

The location of the port entrance

Authorities

and exit, with defensive structures

buildings (checkpoint, police station, customs Unconventio

Religious Shrine

Near the bridge and harbor

under different

nal buildings

degrees of

(structures)

demolition Dock, water (ship)

Raised and sunken platforms,

Only 1 or 2 be

gate, and

specially defined space

conserved and, most

surrounding

are under different

waters Plane

degrees of

hydrophilic space

demolition

Bridge

Across the river

Under well conserved

Small and medium-

Enclosure and masonry structure

sized buildings

(Not considering it

(water house,

yet）

pump house, etc.)

Metal materials

With specific shapes.

(loading equipment, rope ties, exposed steel frames, etc.

Building

Sunken or low sunken space

foundation Enclosure wall

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--

Face upright

(Table Source: author) (Framework source:(Ling, et al . 2023 )

According to the field survey in Melaka, it was found that most of the conventional buildings are relatively complete, and based on relevant background investigations, the analysis of this study will focus on docks, bridges, and related religious and cultural buildings including the small scale of sacrificial structure like shrines.

Table 3 The Morphological Classification of Melaka in this study (relating to the dock) Item

Morphological

Category

classification

Conventional

Religious buildings （temples,

In the interior of a settlement or

Most are well-

near a settlement, the layout is

conserved

churches, mosques,

often large and has landmark

etc.)

significance.

Religious Shrine

Near the harbor

buildings

Unconventio

Morphological characteristics

Conservation status

Under different

nal buildings

degrees of

(structures)

demolition Dock, water (ship,)

Raised and sunken platforms,

Only 1 or 2 be

gate, and

specially defined space

conserved, and most

surrounding

are under different

waters Plane

degrees of

hydrophilic space

demolition

Bridge

The structure across the river links

Under well

the two banks

conserved

(Table Source: author) (Framework source:(Ling et al., 2023))

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4.2 Religious buildings Among the religious buildings in Melaka, in addition to the large/big-scale conventional buildings, there are also small religious shrines that contain unconventional buildings, some of them only left near the bridge and dock, but they are still worthy of attention.

During the field research, it was found that they all have similar characteristics.

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4.2.1 Morphological Analysis of Religious buildings

Figure 5 The Morphological Diagram of Religious buildings (Source: author)

Figure 6 The Detailed Information of Religious buildings

!Source: author"

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Table 4 Types of Religious Buildings of Urban Morphological Elements of Melaka (relating to the dock) Type

Morphological

Item

classification

Category

Building

Scale

Morphological

Conservation

characteristics

status

Cheng Chinese

RTC-1

Hoon Teng 青云亭 Sri

Temple Indian

RTI-1

Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple Church of

Church

RC-1

Big

St. Francis Xavier Masjid

RM-1 Mosque

Kampung

Well

Kling

conserved

Masjid RM-2

Kampung

River

Religious

Hulu

Orientation,

Building

Aw Hai

Riverside range

Thian 湖

(within 150m)

RTC-2

海殿 Feng Shan RTC-3

Gong 峰山宫 San Duo

RTC-4 Temple

Temple 三多庙

Middle

Heng Leng RTC-5

Kong 显灵宫 Poh Tian

RTC-6

Kong 宝天宫

RTC-7

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Tu Di Gong 土地公

Problem

Harbour RS-1

Teng 港口亭

RS-2

（No name）

Shrine

Small

Problem

New Street RS-3

Bridgehead Fu De Chee 新街桥头福 德祠

（Source: author）

4.2.2 Similarities of Morphological Characteristic:

River

Orientation During the visit to Melaka, although there are different beliefs, scales, and hierarchies in religious buildings, they have similar morphological characteristics, that is, they are oriented towards the river, and the openings of the gates of their respective buildings face the Melaka River.

4.2.3 Conservation Status of Religious Buildings Most of the Big and middle-scale religious buildings are under conservation but the small-scale buildings like the shrines are usually forgotten.

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4.2.4 Analysis of the current problems of the shrine related to the dock The shrines in these three locations currently have varying degrees of problems.

Evaluate the protection from the perspective of physical condition, space connection, and accessibility of the shrine building.

Problems in different shrines: (1) RS-1 Table 5 Documentation of the Shrine (RS-1) Building

Harbour Teng Shrine (港口亭)

Description

A new hotel was built at the original dock location, and the original open public dock space was brought under the control of the hotel. In addition, to facilitate management and protect the safety inside the hotel, the hotel built a fence along the side of the dock to prevent people from directly visiting the shrine in the public space along the pier, cutting down the relationship between the religious shrine and open urban space, but the physical condition of the port pavilion itself is well preserved. And there is daily maintenance.

Current situation photos

Physical Condition

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The architectural elements are relatively complete

Space connection

Loss

Accessibility

Not available

Recommendation

Restore the accessibility the of Shrine(RS-1) and restore the continuity between the shrine, the public space, and the dock.

（Source: author）

(2) RS-2 Table 6 Documentation of the Shrine (RS-2) Building

No name

Description

According to the respondents, the shrine has been moved from the dockside to the street because of the construction of the pedestrian walkway along the riverside dock.

Current situation photos

Physical

The location has been moved(according to the respondent and

Condition

architectural elements are complete

Space connection

Still have

Accessibility

available

Recommendation

Removed RS-2 to the original location

（Source: author）

(3) RS-3 Table 7 Documentation of the Shrine (RS-3) Building

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New Street Bridgehead Fu De Chee

新街桥头福德祠 Description

Because of the construction of the pedestrian walkway along the riverside dock, the original docks have been demolished. Although the location is not moved, it lost its dock morphology leading to the loss of space connection

Current situation photos

Physical

The architectural elements are relatively complete

Condition Space connection

Loss

Accessibility

available

Recommendation

Restore the accessibility of the Shrine(RS-1) and restore the continuity between the shrine, the public space, and the dock.

（Source: author）

Conclusion The protection of these three shrines relies heavily on the dock and its public space. Although the architectural elements of the shrines have been preserved at this stage, the loss of the original form of the most important dock has led to the current public distrust of the shrines and public spaces, compared to the current 26

status of the 1980s map. The relationship between space and dock cannot be easily interpreted. From this perspective, the construction of walkways along the Melaka River after 2008 should be complained about. Shrines that have lost their morphological connection and understanding of meaning may not escape the fate of being demolished in the future. Therefore, the connection between these three should be reestablished to protect the historic urban landscape of Melaka.

However, it is a pity that due to the neglect of this type of building, no old photos of the past were found in this research. The connection between this type of building and the dock can only be known through the oral history of the respondents.

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4.3 Unconventional buildings(structures) 4.3.1 Morphological classification: Dock

Figure 7 Sketch map of Dock Sample in Melaka (Source: author)

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Two types of Dock Based on the morphological observation in the map of the 1980s, there are two types of docks along the Melaka River. One can be recognized in a continuous planar shape, the other can be found discontinuous dot. They are matched to public docks and private docks respectively. However, it can not find out the form of the private dock after the construction.

Dock Circle Bridges connecting the two sides often appear between the continuous planar docks (public docks), and the combination of public docks and bridges is defined as a Dock Circle in this article. The Private Docks represented by discontinuous points are distributed between two Dock Circles.

This article selects four docks to compare city maps from different historical periods. (Dock Location refers to Figure 7)

Figure 8 Four Docks in different historical periods

29

（Source: author）

（1）Dock(D-1)

Table 8 Documentation of the Dock (D-1) in Melaka Location Feature Historical Development found within the maps

It is located at the estuary of the Melaka River, at the junction of the river channel and the strait.

From the Portuguese colonial period to the Dutch colonial period, it has always been the dock most closely related to the Strait of Melaka. According to the 1916 map, the outlet of the Melaka River channel has been narrowed. By the 1980s, the map had shown that due to reclamation projects, the coastline of Melaka had been expanded outward and it had become part of the inland channel. According to a 2023 Google Map, it is difficult to identify its location.

Current situation photos

Physical

The physical characteristic of the waterside dock has been preserved

Condition Space Connection

Building, street

Recommendation

Due to the reclamation project, its location can only be identified by relying on the surrounding urban morphology. The once-important dock nodes should be marked out.

（Source: author）

30

（2）Dock(D-2)

Table 9 Documentation of the Dock (D-2) in Melaka Location Feature

Behind the Tan Kim Seng Bridge

Historical

The dock is relatively intact.

Development found within the maps Current situation photos

Physical

The physical characteristics and space of the dock along the riverside

Condition

have been preserved

Space Connection

Building, street

Recommendation

--

（Source: author）

（2）Dock(D-3)

Table 10 Documentation of the Dock (D-3) in Melaka Location Feature

Near D-2

Historical

Private docks like D-3 are difficult to record on such a large scale as a

Development

map, so it is impossible to study the specific time when private docks

found within the

appeared. Fortunately, maps from the 1980s were detailed enough so

maps

that the small scale of what was once a private dock was recorded.

However, according to the comparison of historical photos, the architectural form of this private dock along the river can be traced back to the 19th century (there were camera records at that time)

31

Current situation photos

Figure 9 D-3 Street Photo

（Resource: Google Street map） Physical

Not Protected

Condition Space Connection

Building

Recommendation

The disappearance of the private dock as an architectural form and urban morphology is a huge regret for a historical city like Melaka. But this also sounds like a wake-up call for our urban planners and designers, especially architectural conservation professionals. What types of non-traditional buildings (structures) like docks deserve attention, how to protect them, and how much should be retained things to discuss. Is the cost of creating a cookie-cutter waterfront like a tourist trail too high a price to pay for the loss of this unique urban and architectural form? This is a question worth pondering.

（Source: author）

Figure 10 Old photo of Docks (D-2，D-3), 1860-1870 Resource: (Sachtler & Co., 1860)

32

According to the old photos from the 1860-1870 period, the situation of the former private docks can be seen, and the shape of the pier is all along the Melaka River. The Dock area opposite the D-2 Dock has also disappeared.

Table 11 Documentation of the Dock (D-4) Location Feature

The last Point bar of Melaka River before it flows into the sea. Near the Bridge (Jambatan Kg Jawa)， across the river is Kampong Java

Historical

The map of 1613 shows that the channel of the Melaka River at D-4 Dock

Development

is wider than the river channel at the same location in 1744. According to

found within the

geography, it can be known that the D-4 Dock side happens to be the

maps

point bar of the Melaka River, and the opposite river bank is a cut bank, which means that as river sand accumulates, the area on this side of D-4 will expand towards the river. This is also the reason why irregular morphological characteristics are formed along the river, and as time goes by, the outer buildings grow towards the river, gradually forming a shape that wraps the internal open space.

Current situation photos

Physical

The layout of the dock still exists, but lost its physical building

Condition

characteristic

Space

Street(market)

Connection Recommendatio

Need to conserve this kind of then space.

n

（Source: author）

33

Table 12 Comparison of Four Docks Morphological characteristics: Raised and sunken platforms, specially defined space Scale

Type

Shape

Sample

Function

and

Connected

Conservation

system

status

Building,

problem

layout Big

Public

Continuo

dock

us planar

(Harbo

shape,

r)

along the

D1

Landing point

Street

estuary Mediu

Public

Continuo

D2

Open urban

m

dock

us planar

space

shape,

(Uploading

along the

point)

Street

protected

Building

not protected

river Small

Private

Discontin

dock

uous dots

D3

Uploading point

(Warehouse,

(Jetty)

private house

Mediu

Public

Continuo

D4

Open urban

m

dock

us planar

space uploading

shape,

point

Street (Market)

problem

along the river

（Source: author）

Conclusion : Based on the documentation of four docks along the Melaka River, Each dock, with its unique morphological characteristics and historical context, contributes to our understanding of the evolution of Melaka as a city and a maritime hub.

The different location docks lead to differences in their function, scale, and the 34

buildings nearby. As a result, its preservation is essential in maintaining the unique character and heritage of Melaka.

D-1 Dock: This dock's evolution, particularly due to reclamation projects, highlights the dynamic interplay between urban development and maritime geography.

D-2 Dock: Its preservation as a public dock along the river left an important reference for other docks.

D-3 Dock: The loss of D-3's architectural form and its integration into the urban morphology is a reminder of the vulnerability of such unconventional buildings (including structures) in urban planning and the need for more focused conservation efforts.

D-4 Dock: The unique geographical positioning of D-4 Dock, near the point bar of the Melaka River, illustrates the natural processes shaping urban forms. The dock's current state, with its layout intact but lacking its original physical characteristics, calls for a conservation strategy that respects both its historical significance and its role in the contemporary urban landscape.

Among these dock documentation, they are facing different degrees of conservation problems.

35

4.3.2 Morphological classification: Bridge Table 13 Documentation of Bridge Morphological

Item

Building

Morphological

Conservation

characteristics

status

Tan Kim Seng

The structure across the

well

Bridge

river links the two banks

conserved

classification Bridge

B-1

金聲橋 B-2

Jambatan Chan Koon Cheng

B-3

Jambatan Kg Jawa 鬼門關

B-4

Jambatan Pasar

B-5

Jambatan Hang Tuah

（Source: author）

Since the bridges are relatively well preserved, they will not be described in detail in this article.

4.4 Connector System 4.4.1 Cosmology and Urban Layout Cosmology made political and commercial areas are separated. Due to the clear division of political and economic use, strategically important city walls and important administrative centers within castles often bear the brunt of damage 36

during military operations. On the contrary, the economic and trade areas centered on citizens' lives are relatively preserved. (Widodo, 2004). This was the basis of the early urban form in Melaka, with the west bank as the residential area and the east bank as the administrative district. In this sense, spiritual elements influenced early urban layout.

4.4.2 Tangible connection between port and city There are traces to follow in the process of connecting docks to port cities because the early development of port cities was accompanied by the construction of urban infrastructure. However, these tangible performances influence the morphology of the city. It means that the relationship between the docks and the city is not separate and independent. Based on the framework of morphological research towards the port city, several elements related to the waterfront of Melaka will be collected， including streets(contain open space), buildings (bridges, religious buildings)

1. Connection across the Melaka River: Dock Circular Relationship Composed elements: dock and bridge

37

Figure 11 The appearance of bridge elements in different periods along the Malacca River !Source: author"

It can be seen from the comparison of maps that the origin of the dock has already appeared during the period of Portuguese colonists in 1613.

However, in tracing back to earlier maps, it is found that the bridge appeared earlier than before the arrival of Portuguese colonists, proving that the pier and the connection formed by the bridge already existed. By the time of the British colonization in 1916, the second and third bridges were built in the direction of Melaka from the estuary to inland. By observing the changes in the surrounding urban form, it was found that the two banks connected by the two bridges had become a resort for urban residents.

As a result, with the historical development of Melaka, the docks have been added deeper into the inland of the river, and the dock circle will be created more and more along the river, which results in the connections between the two banks becoming closer.

38

2. Connection embedded into the settlement： Dock Linear Relationship Dock- Market-Settlement Comparing the docks along the river in various periods, the relationship between docks, markets, and residential areas was very closely connected.

The "purple" area marked in the map of 1613 was "Java Bazaar", but this close connection, the combined dock-market relationship began to change after the arrival of the Dutch colonists. First of all, after the arrival of the Dutch colonists, the biggest change was that the residential areas on the west bank of the Melaka River were re-planned, and the original free kampong settlement pattern was converted into a grid. After 1744, larger-scale docks were extended inland of the Melaka River, and a new similar dock-market connection system appeared.

Figure 12 The morphological graph of Dock-market relationship in different historical periods （Source: author）

39

1) Type1: Dock-Market Composed elements: dock, market 2) Type2: Dock- Market- Religious building Composed elements: dock, market, religious building

Market Characteristic: Open space near the docks with a religious building nearby Most of the religious buildings are actually in local residential areas and the two are inseparable.

From the research, based on my understanding, the dock is not only a point but is a circular area, that covers both sides of the Melaka river. It has a strong connection with his surroundings,

4.4.3 Intangible connection between port and city Human activity is the medium to connect the physical elements

It should be said in other words that human activities affect the physical elements of urban form. Without human activities, the physical elements in the city lose their connection with each other. Even if some connections still exist in 40

a physical sense, due to the loss of users, the connections between those physical elements will gradually be weakened, become meaningless, and cannot be interpreted.

The social organization of the Docks: Boating industry

Figure 13 Graph of organization in the boating industry

（Source: author）

The Process of How terminal transportation in Melaka is organized: Step 1: Initial Arrival Ships: The big ship stops at the entrance of the sea; Step 2: Use of Barge (sampan). for connection, and then transport the freight Step 3: River Navigation. The barge sails into the river Step 4: Uploading by Coolies. Coolies unload the goods from the sampan Step 5: Transport to Warehouses. Coolies carry the goods into the warehouse near the dock

41

Uncle Zheng, who lives near the Bridge, mentioned the history of maritime transportation. the boating industry in Melaka is characterized by its reliance on human labor and traditional methods of transportation, reflecting a rich maritime heritage deeply ingrained in the local culture and history.

Additionally, Uncle Zheng's historical account adds another dimension to this process. He mentions that apart from using sampans, it was also common to use a large number of coolies to physically pull large ships into the river for unloading. This method underscores the labor-intensive nature of the boating industry in Melaka and reflects the historical practices of maritime transportation in the region.

4.2 Street System 4.2.1 Understanding of the Street.

Jane Jacobs emphasized the idea that streets should be multi-functional, serving as both a thoroughfare for traffic and a place for community life. (Jacobs, 1961) Henri Lefebvre also mentioned a similar point of view, considering the street as a form of “spontaneous theater”, and emphasizing that the street serves as the arena for movement and the essence of urban life lies in interaction; without it, the city would be reduced to the state of enforced separation and fixed segregation.(Henri Lefebvre, 1970) Both of these emphasize the street as a 42

functional space container for people’s lives, including transportation space and social living space.

Yoshinobu Ashihara views the street like a corridor in a house, an extension of the home. This also signifies its crucial connection between the street and the settlement is the most important public space in the city. Streets contain rich physical and mental elements, and complex social functions organize a unique urban tissue, thereby shaping a diversity of urban spatial morphology. (The Aesthetic Townscape, 1983)

Kevin Lynch proposed five basic elements to describe urban space in his book.

(Lynch, 1964)

Among them, streets are an important element in urban layout, so the width, length, layout and t of city streets, and their relationship with surrounding build Both reflect the role of the street in the urban fabric, emphasizing the connection between street scale and its function and hierarchy.

43

4.2.2 "Enlarged Street" found in Melaka From a macro perspective, public spaces in cities are enlarged streets. If different hierarchical systems are divided according to the scale of city streets with different widths, the larger the scale of the street, the greater the impact of this street on the city.

During the field research, walking in the Melaka Historic area along the Melaka River, I often encountered some open spaces in the city. I was deeply attracted by these "enlarged street" spaces. Through understanding, I found that although they similarly belong to the "street" system, are open urban spaces, and are in the waterfront area along the river. Their role may also be not the same.

Table 14

Different impressions among current open space

Street (Open space)

Location Feature

First impression

S-1

Near the fort area

Tourism Square

S-2

Near the resident settlement

Market Space

S-3

Near the resident settlement, a

A street with high

commercial street

commercial vitality

Near the resident settlement

A street with low

S-4

commercial vitality

（Source: author） 44

S-2

S-4 S-5 S-3

S-1

Figure 14 Enlarged Street in the Research Scope

（Source: author）

The purple area marks the amplified street elements in the urban fabric, which belong to the city’s public space. However, the functions of such public spaces are not the same.

45

Table 15 S-1 Political Square at different historical times (1628-1980) S-1 Political Square 1629

1744

1791

1800

1916

1936

1962

1980

（Source: author）

Through comparison, it can be concluded that the spatial form of the current S-1 Political Square is a historical relic of the Dutch colonial period. The triangular shape space has not yet appeared in the Portuguese map of 1629, but it has appeared on the map of 1744. At this time, it has arrived During the rule of the Dutch colonial government (1641-1797), this space did not change much in the later British colonial government.

46

Table 16 S-2 Market Space at different historical times (1916-1980) S-2 Market Space 1916

1936

1962

1980

（Source: author）

Maps showing enlarged street morphological features are recorded from 1916.

According to the resource, the original S-2 is the old trading zone, and this is the Java settlement, called Kampong Java. The history of Kampong Jawa shows it once spanned a much larger area and stretches back several centuries. But in the 1920s, significant changes occurred when the construction of Malacca's new Municipal Market, (shown in graph, S-2) a major project, necessitated the relocation of residents, predominantly Malays, from Kampong Johol and Kampong Jawa. Many moved to locations like Kampong Morten. The market's construction, undertaken by the Singapore-based United Engineers firm, revolutionized the area. (Pasar Besar Melaka, 2020)

Result and lesson from S-2 Market Space

47

Figure 15 The Melaka Market (circa 1950).

（Source: Melaka Nostalgia (Facebook, n.d.)）

Although a large market space has appeared in the center of the current S-2 area, such a volume is very special when placed in an ordinary historical city.

Compared with ordinary open spaces, it is too huge. The central location of this market space was transformed into a solid building in the 1920s, although it seemed a bit inconsistent with the surrounding urban form. In addition, although this market has an excellent central location, the emergence of buildings has not changed the status of the Kampong Java area as a slum.

Now the open market is no longer here, replaced by the building, and even the urban tissue has been changed. However, the S-2 area was witness to the British Colonial Government’s haphazard lack of planning at that time. Therefore, this

48

also enlightens our attitude towards “enlarged street”, the necessity of conventional buildings replacing the urban space.

Comparison By simultaneously comparing the market space and political square at three historical points in 1916, 1936, 1962, and 1980, there are the reasons why they have two different functions is the users of the two are different.

The urban morphological features where the political square is located are loose organization, and spacious shape, while for the market space, the dense residential areas surrounding it are dense organization and strip-like shape.

Table 17 Market space versus political square Street (Open space)

Surrounding morphological

Location area

characteristics Market Space

Dense organization, strip-like shape

Residential settlement

Political Square

Loose organization, spacious shape

Governor district

（Source: author）

4.2.3 The Inner logic of street connections These theories and concepts all point out that streets are not just conduits for urban traffic, they are also stages for community life. Therefore, people’s use of public space elements such as “streets” is based on the different social activities

49

they conduct in this space. As for the streets that are closely related to the dock, there are two functional types according to functional classification.

1. Transportation 2. Market

4.2.4 The Characteristics of the Dock-related Street Due to different street functions, the morphological characteristic of streets related to the docks has also changed.

1. Transportation channel space 2. Market public open space

4.3. Identify the lost Market: Kampong Pantai Market (S4) 4.3.1 Identify the "enlarged street" With the development of society and historical changes, many important public spaces cannot recognize their past importance simply by looking at their current status. This means that we must use the superposition and integration of multiple urban tissues in different historical periods. On the contrary, using contrast finds such important urban public spaces.

50

Today, Kampong Pantai Market (S-4) no longer exists. One of the reasons for its loss is that Melaka no longer has an advantage in the competition among modern terminals in Southeast Asia. The docks along the river in Malacca no longer serve as their former transportation function. Due to the construction of sidewalks, Melaka lost many morphological elements related to the docks. The same issue happens in Kampong Pantai Market.

4.3.2 How to identify it?

Identify based on the three elements in the previous article: Original building characteristics (architecture), human activity, and urban morphological characteristics.

Although Kampong Pantai Market lost its original daily activity relating to the market, when we are walking in the street, we still can find the commercial street here. Luckily, the morphological characteristics of this place still exist, and we can still find the dock connection between Street S-4 (Kampong Pantai Market) and Dock D-4. One more strong evidence is the religious building(a medium temple) called Aw Hai Thian (湖海殿). A strong dock connection happened here.

51

Figure 16 The performance between the Dock4 and Kampong Pantai Market in different periods

（Source: author）

Fortunately, it still retains its unique urban morphological characteristics (based on its master plan of maps) At the same time, a careful study of old photos revealed that this was once a bustling commercial area.

Figure 17 The old photo of Kampong Pantai Road

（Source: (‘MWH.SDN.BHD’, 2023.)）

52

4.3.3 Hypothesis of Special Shape:

Based on the author’s observation of the Kampong Pantai Market area, another interesting hypothesis is that it is speculated that the original location of the pier should be roughly the same as the outer edge of the current public open space S4 (towards the river) because the accumulation of river sand caused the location of the pier to extend towards the river, so the prominent irregular shape here appears. The curved space of S-4, which has the characteristics of a river, is wrapped by the new building form behind it, making the shape of this street space so special.

4.3.4 Current Situation/Issue During the reconstruction process of Melaka Rives after 2008, due to the lack of protection of the "building elements" and "street elements" of the original dock, it became more difficult to interpret the corresponding streets, corresponding temples, and urban spaces, although the S-4 area is located in the core area of Melaka which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

53

4.3.5 Lost its dock building characteristic According to the previous records and analysis, the structural features of the docks along the river are no longer there. During the reconstruction of the river channel, to increase the accessibility of tourists walking along the river, the protection of the architectural form of the dock was neglected during the construction process.

4.3.6 Cut down the relationship between the dock and the related system Due to the lack of understanding of the dock space and the failure to make good use of it, the originally important public space that promotes urban development has been reduced to a cemetery of abandoned cars. The use of partitions is like a fig leaf to maintain the "clean and tidy" area along the river of city “Image dignity”. As the spatial connection between the street and the dock is severed, the religious building becomes isolated in this system.

54

Figure 18 Current photo in Kampong Pantai Market Space

（Source: author）

55

Chapter 5: Conclusion This study, through an analysis of the relationship between historical port nodes and urban development in Melaka, a typical Southeast Asian historical port city, has revealed unique aspects and evolutionary processes of Melaka. The main findings and their significance are as follows:

Dock Open Space Religious Building Figure 19 Morphological diagram of the complete Dock System of the Melaka River (source: author)

56

5.1 The complete Dock System Components The full text introduces the entire dock system, which mainly includes the building system, street system, and connector system from a morphological perspective. At the same time, it also explains that the links of these material elements depend on social connections such as human activities.

5.2 The Importance of the Dock System The Dock system in Melaka is not only vital for its role in connecting the city to wider economic and cultural networks but also as a key element of its historical and cultural identity. There will be significance as follows:

1) Connection and Integration The dock serves as a crucial connector for the city of Melaka. It is not just a physical structure for mooring boats and ships, but also a vital link that integrates Melaka with other regions and countries. Historically, docks have been essential for trade, cultural exchange, and communication, making them integral to the development and prosperity of coastal cities like Melaka. By facilitating the movement of goods and people, the dock has played a pivotal role 57

in shaping Melaka's landscape（not only physical but also economic and social）.

2) Cultural and Historical Identity The dock is a unique and defining element of Melaka's urban fabric. It is a symbol of the city's rich maritime history and a heritage of its historical role as a major trading port in the region. The presence of the dock is intertwined with the identity and character of Melaka. Its disappearance would mean more than just the loss of a physical structure; it would signify the gradual erosion of the city's distinctive characteristics. The dock stands as a reminder of Melaka's past, reflecting its historical significance and contributing to its unique charm and appeal. Losing it would diminish a part of the city's heritage and identity, which are crucial for both the local community's sense of belonging and for the attraction of tourists seeking to experience the city's unique cultural landscape.

5.3 Threats and Urban Construction Pressure After Melaka became a World Heritage Site in 2008, Melaka's economy developed rapidly. While large-scale urban construction brought modernization to this historic conserved city, historical buildings, and their surrounding 58

environment faced tremendous pressure and threats. During the reconstruction of the old city, the original urban morphological elements of the dock were erased. At the same time, the original spatial connection between the pier and the settlement was broken and forgotten after the demolition of the pier. Instead, the original urban morphology elements near the pier were replaced. "Market" urban public spaces become parking lots or become overgrown wastelands.

5.4 Recommendation: 5.4.1 Integrated Conservation During this study, we learned that the organization of the pier is not an independent urban architectural element, but also has a strong connection with the public space near it.

5.4.2 Discussion on the Kampong Pantai After the renovation of the pier, some of the original physical elements of the dock disappeared, and the social activities of people related to it also disappeared, making the street system and urban public spaces (such as markets) related to it disappear. And usage is also slowly decreasing. Because of the disappearance of this connection relationship, it has also brought about the economic decline of small-scale areas. For example, the once prosperous scene 59

near Pantai Street is now only a few sporadic shops still operating, even those originally connected to the dock. The street has also been turned into a parking lot. The former architectural form and the enlarged "street" form can still reflect this important public space. Although the shophouse buildings have been retained, the loss of the original pier also means the loss of Streets that were full of life before. Nowadays, although lorries and roads have replaced the original transportation modes such as boats and rivers, the remaining shops have not been supplemented by this transportation mode and have regained their vitality.

The lively Kampong Pantai can only live in the old city in the memory of a generation of Melaka people.

As a researcher of architectural conservation, when it comes to protecting the urban waterfront dock area in the historical area of port cities, especially for Melaka, we cannot only protect the conventional building but also preserve the need for unconventional buildings like physical architectural characteristics of the dock as well as the connections organized by the dock. Elements within the system include bridges and docks within the dock circular system; docks, markets, and religious buildings within the dock linear system.

60

5.5 Limitations and Future Research 5.5.1 Limitation 1）Lack of historical documents, the timeline of research needs to cover prethe colonial period till today, but documentation of the pre-colonial is lacking 2）Unknown elements in this area.

Although the author has tried her best to record some of the current urban morphological characteristics along the river during her fieldwork in Melaka, the possibility of omissions still exists

5.5.2 Future Research Later conservation and management of docks in waterfront areas and suggestions for the use of river channels

61

Figure 20 Current map of Melaka River Dock

（Source: author took in Melaka)

This is the current map of the cruise terminals along the Malacca River.

Compared with the map of the 1980s, the planned cruise ship terminals are roughly the same as the important historical docks of Melaka. However, the actual operation conditions are not consistent with the map. Many terminals are not open in reality. This led to the gradual decline of the original Dock D-4.

However, in this study, the author has not conducted a detailed investigation of the pier cruise ships and their operation mode. They collaborated and recorded the current situation of the pier and its related architectural elements, street elements, and connection systems. The specific overall waterfront area Conservation policy and management require further in-depth research.

62

In summary, this research not only enhances the understanding of historical port nodes in Melaka but also offers valuable insights for urban planners, historians, and heritage conservation experts in understanding and protecting these unique historical heritages.

63

Chapter 6: Bibliography Araújo De Oliveira, V. M. (2022). Urban Morphology: An Introduction to the Study of the Physical Form of Cities. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92454-6 Facebook. (2023). The Melaka Market (circa 1950). from https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=606920386126803&set=pb.10 0064696988459.-2207520000 Henri Lefebvre. (1970). The Urban Revolution.

Jacobs, J. (1961). Death and Life of Great American Cities.

Lee, W. H. (2016). The History of Melaka’s Urban Morphology. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1719.3367 Lynch, K. (1964). The Image of the City (33. print). M.I.T. Press.

MWH.SDN.BHD. (2023). Melaka world her world Heritage Propertps://malaccaworldheritage.blogspot.com/p/melaka-worldheritage-property.html (2020). Pasar Besar Melaka. https://melakainfact.com/2020/08/12/pasarbesar-melaka/ Rossi, A. (1984). The architecture of the city. MIT Press.

Sachtler & Co. (1860, 1870). View of Malacca River. https://www.rct.uk/collection/2702962/view-of-malacca-river Ling Shena, Asmawan Mohd Sarmana, Mohamad Ibrahim Bin Mohamada, GuoMin Weia & Mian Jiangc. (2023). Adaptive Reuse of Port Heritage Leads to Urban Waterfront Regeneration: A Proposed Case Study in Zhuzhou City, China. Jurnal Kejuruteraan, 35(2), 499–510. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkukm-2023-35(2)-22

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Yoshinobu Ashihara. (1983). The Aesthetic Townscape. MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262510318/the-aesthetic-townscape/ Widodo, J. (2002). Melaka A Cosmopolitan City in Southeast Asia.

Widodo, J. (2004). The Boat and the City: Chinese diaspora and the Architecture of Southeast Asian coastal cities.

Yan Ming, Yan Hua, & Zhang Jiping. (2023). Current status and protection of cultural relics and buildings related to the Maritime Silk Road on land in Quanzhou City. from http://www.jxwhcmyxgs.com/1506/htm/23.html Chin-Kwan Lew (2010). A Morphological Analysis of Chinese Old Town in Melaka. 馬六甲華人歷史街區的空間構成.

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Chapter 8: Appendix Appendix A

Figure 21 Types of functional transformation of installations for port heritage (Ling et al., 2023)

66

Appendix B (Maps Source: Collection from Prof. Johannes Widodo ) 1613a

67

1629

1744

68

1750

69

1764

1791c

70

1800

1916

71

1936

1962

72

1939

1980

73

74