Potential Heritage Tourism of an Old Palace, Istana Sepahchendera: Understanding the Influence of Socio-Culture of Royalty

Abstract

Heritage building in Malaysia consists of several typologies, and one prominent type is the palace. There are several historical backgrounds related to the architectural style of palaces in Malaysia according to the socio-culture, namely the decrees, customs, and function of spaces which result in the place typology, such as the residence palace, ceremonial palace, visiting the palace, crown prince’s palace, and more. This research aims to analyze the socio-cultural factors of Kedah royalty on the spatial organization of an old residence palace in Kedah, namely Istana Sepahchendera, built in 1883. This research used the case study method to achieve its objective following analytical literature review, measured drawings, site observation, and personal interview. The findings indicated that the socio-culture of Kedah royalty, according to the royal custom and traditions, namely the activity system, privacy, family structure, the role and position of women, and social interaction, influenced the specifics of the residence palace architecture, particularly the spatial organization, spatial relationship and the circulation of the palace. The results of the research support the relationship between socio-culture and the built environment. The consort represents how the Siamese culture adapted the socio-culture of Kedah Royalty and honored them with a palace with the vertical division of space zoning in Istana Sepahchendera. This would be an attraction for heritage tourism in Kedah and Malaysia due to the exciting relationship between Kedah and Siamese culture.