Malaysia first heritage district: exploring methodology to evaluate a heritage district from the architectural perspectives in relation to palaces, religious buildings and mausoleums.

Preservation and conservation of heritage sites is an essential effort to achieve sustainable development in Malaysia. However, due to rapid development, many heritage sites and buildings are at risk around the world including Malaysia. With or without realizing it, many development that is going on around the country which encroaches into heritage sites, diminish the traces of our culture and history that are embedded in these sites. Eventually, these traces that are important for the identity and sense of place of a particular area and also crucial in the educational and cultural development of a nation may be lost. The aim of this research is to explore and examine the methodology to evaluate Kuala Kangsar as a Heritage District. Kuala Kangsar is chosen as a case study to test the methodology. Employing qualitative method, this research will document and examine the palaces, religious buildings and mausoleums in Kuala Kangsar districts on its heritage values through field observation, contents analysis and interviews. The findings from this research are significant in the formulation of policy and decision making concerning heritage district towards a more sustainable development in the future