Understanding the Role of Place, Cultural Significance, and Communication Simology in Heritage Building Conservation: The Case of the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum

Abstract

Heritage building conservation is essential for safeguarding the historical, cultural, and architectural identity embedded within the built environment. While the concepts of place and cultural significance are fundamental to the conservation principles articulated in the Burra Charter by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), their relationship with communication simology, particularly within the museum context, remains underexplored. This study examines the roles of place, cultural significance, and communication simology in heritage building conservation, using the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum in Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia, as a case study. A qualitative research design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with four informants representing agencies associated with heritage conservation and museum management. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring themes concerning conservation values, meanings, and communication. The findings reveal that place and cultural significance extend beyond the preservation of the physical authenticity of heritage buildings by facilitating the communication of historical values, cultural identity, and collective meanings. Within this context, communication simology provides a means through which the significance embedded in heritage buildings can be interpreted and communicated to society. The study highlights the interconnectedness of physical conservation, cultural significance, and communication in strengthening heritage conservation practices. It further contributes to the understanding of museums not merely as repositories of heritage objects, but as interpretive spaces through which the meanings and values of cultural heritage are communicated, experienced, and sustained.

ABSTRAK

Pemuliharaan bangunan warisan memainkan peranan penting dalam mengekalkan identiti sejarah, budaya dan seni bina sesebuah negara. Walaupun konsep place (tempat) dan cultural significance (kepentingan budaya) serta simologi komunikasi (communication simology) merupakan prinsip utama dalam Burra Charter oleh International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), hubungannya dengan simologi komunikasi dalam konteks muzium masih kurang dibincangkan. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan meneroka fungsi place, cultural significance dan simologi komunikasi dalam pemuliharaan bangunan warisan melalui kajian kes Muzium Sultan Abu Bakar, Pekan, Pahang. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui temu bual separa berstruktur melibatkan empat orang informan daripada agensi berkaitan warisan dan permuziuman. Data dianalisis menggunakan analisis tematik. Dapatan menunjukkan bahawa prinsip place dan cultural significance bukan sahaja mengekalkan keaslian bangunan warisan, malah berfungsi sebagai medium simologi komunikasi yang menyampaikan nilai sejarah, identiti dan budaya kepada masyarakat. Kajian ini memperlihatkan bahawa integrasi aspek fizikal, budaya dan komunikasi dapat memperkukuh amalan pemuliharaan serta meningkatkan peranan muzium sebagai medium penyampaian warisan budaya.