Adaptive Reuse of Penang Shophouses in George Town, Malaysia: an Overview

Adaptive reuse of Penang shophouses in George Town, Malaysia, offers a pathway to reconstructing shared memory and fostering a multicultural urban identity. The study highlights that current heritage management, while structured by formal conservation policies like the 2005 National Heritage Act and the 2016 George Town Special Area Plan, remains top-down and lacks community participation. Architectural practices often prioritize modernization over cultural continuity, leading to adaptive reuse projects driven primarily by tourism and gentrification. To address this, integrating postcolonial and decolonial frameworks—such as Bhabha’s spatial practices and Fritz and Krasny’s critical care—can reframe adaptive reuse as a tool for heritage conservation that transcends mere restoration. The research draws on literature reviews and site observations to outline how colonial legacies and ethnopolitical shifts have shaped fragmented perceptions of built heritage, delaying societal consensus on its role in national identity.

Chow, Y. X. (2026). Adaptive Reuse of Penang Shophouses in George Town, Malaysia: an Overview. Proceedings of the International Conference on Adaptive Reuse. Volume 1, 220–226. https://doi.org/10.65686/aekl9744