Research Design

1.5.1 Hypothesis

1) An organic-growth settlement has unique and distinct pattern that shaped by grassroots’ perception and their long-established practice on space.

2) Environment and human activities are two essential factors to shape spatial pattern and the change of factor itself direct to the change of spatial pattern.

3) The interaction between natural environment and spatial pattern is a continuous process.

1.5.2 Restrains

1) Lack of related research to Kukup villages and traditional water settlement Wide fields of literature have been reviewed but failed to build up diverse research perspectives to Kukup villages and traditional water settlement’ spatial development and resilience topics. Hence, the study refers to some similar spatial structure and focuses on first hand data collection to understand the spatial pattern using the general structure of spatial units.

2) Disappearing building types and building material

Most of the earliest buildings and man-made space have been replaced by modern building material and technique in result of modernization and difficulty to obtain original material. So the restoration of the building types will be demonstrated by graphic model with guidance of the villagers and ancient graphics to ensure as accurate as possible the final display.

3) Difficulty to accurately define geographical scope

Exact location of some reconstruction and alterations in earliest times is hard to verify due to unavailable maps data. However, the highly enclosure of settlement and the topographic constrain of natural environment made the spatial development less complicated. And so the study sets the time scope in consideration of available maps data

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in attempt to ensure the maximum accuracy and restore the condition with the supplement of historical photos and interviews.

4) Less diversity of interviewees

The interviewees were basically the leaders and elders, who are mostly males, and better speakers of Han dialect among the villages. It may cause the analytical result unable to present comprehensive perspective of the settlement’s ethnic and different benefit groups. Also, it can be found that due to the intimate relationship and careless accuracy concern, they do not usually point out the errors or misunderstanding of each other during group interviews. Thus, the field research highly refers to observation, official data, historical records and photos to compare the interview content to possible error. By comparing interview content occurred in different groups, the interviews to some reliable individuals is conducted accompanied by 3D demonstration and photos to clarify contradictory statements.

1.5.3 Method

This research uses case study of Kukup villages to identify spatial pattern of traditional water settlement in adapting coastal environment. According to Muir (2008), case studies are used widely in urban studies as the benefit of the spatial focus, the emphasis on real-life context, the experience of multiple perspectives on the case, and the depth and richness of data that can be obtained. Nevertheless, case studies have arguably the potential disadvantages of generalizability which aims to fix into theoretical prepositions (Yin, 2003) and affects case study selection(Schofield, 1990).

Case study is considered suitable for this research mainly because of the emphasis on real-life context. Real-life context is important aspect to examine comprehensive status of water settlement, where the village is built by the locals with little intervention of state authority and policy. Using case study, it can be studied and examined in depth the similarity and difference through comparison of two water settlements to improve the validity of research application.

Literature review is insufficient to support analytical base of this work due to the lack of relevant research to Malaysia or Kukup water settlement. Hence, as many and detailed the primary data collect as possible in this study field is important to contribute to

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the future research resource. In consideration to build up comprehensive background information, this research emphasizes on first-hand data collection through field research and interviews to villagers. The research design is shown as Figure 1.19 which includes:

1) Historical records and map data collect

Data collection includes graphics and written record of old buildings and important living space to trace the village’s development. According to the data obtained, time scope is designed into two significant phases to observe pattern development. The first available accurate map obtained from Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) was by 1990. The distribution of villages before and after 1970 will be traced back according to the map of 1990 accompanied by some panoramic graphics and the guidance of the locals.

It sets temples and road sequence to trace the distribution because they are the important activity places for the villagers and have accurate establishment year in record. The significant construction and activity space will be marked on the map to present the spatial development in different time phases. It will be applied to build up basic understanding to the site’s background as well as observe the correlation between the villages’ distribution and water environment.

2) Literature review

Review to literature of spatial development including spatial form and pattern which suitable to the condition of Kukup water villages. The review supports this research by providing reference of components to observe spatial pattern. The study to traditional water stilt house is inadequate. Corresponding to this situation, the study reviews foreign case study of water stilt house and traditional Malay house in spatial structure. The concern of resilience and adaptation on Malaysia coastal area are also be reviewed.

3) Field observation

Field observation is to identify and record activity in the village, the frequency and where it takes place. It takes note to real-life intercourse between inhabitant, between inhabitants and environment, and between inhabitants and visitor/outsider/authority.

Besides, the characteristics of building, street and public space are major object to observe.

As the villages’ exclusiveness is high, field observation is conducted not only in consideration of recording in-depth data but also creates chance that under informal

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circumstance for initial intercourse between researcher and inhabitants to introduce her intention and increase familiarity.

4) Interviews

Unstructured interviews, group interviews and individual interviews are conducted.

As the villages’ exclusiveness is high, unstructured interviews create chance that under informal circumstance for initial intercourse between researcher and inhabitants to introduce her intention and increase familiarity. Besides, it helps researcher collect basic information of the interviewees including their background, characteristic, relationship with other inhabitants, culture and language, etc. in order to select appropriate candidates in presenting diverse position for further interviews. Group interviews are then conducted with designed topics included village forming history, spatial development, construction method, village activities, hazards and risk, etc. It helps collect large amount of information through open answer discussion and also to discover some helpful and reliable individual who then become important support to examine the accuracy of data. The data obtained from field observation and interviews is then combined and compared. At the time, individual interview is conducted with reliable interviewees accompanied by graphic model to revise vague and error part. The examination steps of revising and displaying graphics model are iterated until confirm for rigorous approach.

5) Model draw and analysis

Final results evaluate how the geographical location and surrounding natural condition affects the development. It will be displayed by 3D model drawing to describe the transformation and characteristic of spatial pattern and how it reflects local perception of adapting environment change.

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Figure 1.19 Diagram of Research Design Source: illustrated by the study

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