Adaptive Reuse Strategy Towards Dying Shopping Complex Building – Case Study UTC Pudu Sentral

Abstract

Adaptive reuse is one of the popular solutions for conserving an old building by programming a new use from the original. This approach is commonly applied and seen in historical buildings or aging building that portrays their significant heritage characters. Large-sized and complex buildings such as shopping centers are no exception to the decline in use, especially when the existence of new modern shopping complexes built surrounding it, making the existing aging complexes become dead and eventually left abandoned. This study is to identify the method and strategy of the adaptive reuse approach of old complex buildings such as shopping center buildings or big-box buildings that are dying, and the focus of the study is on the Klang Valley area which has an abundance of the types of this building. UTC Pudu Sentral was used as a case study where an in-depth investigation was conducted on it through an interview session with the management of the building. Several interventions of the adaptation approach for complex buildings have been identified, and the selection of these repurpose methods is based on aspects of sustainability such as consideration of resources, the economy, and energy use. The result of this survey provides a preliminary overview of the reuse opportunities for the dying complex buildings and prioritizes this method as one of the more sustainable construction methods for the future which simultaneously reduces the number of abandoned buildings due to the overwhelming of modern shopping centers around the Klang Valley.