A Study of Urban Design Elements in Tanjung Dawai, Kedah, Malaysia

This study focuses on the urban design element in Tanjung Dawai village in Kedah with reference to Kevin Lynch theory. In spite of the quasi-urban sprawl of Tanjung Dawai created by the residents, it remains unknown to the neighborhood community due to lack of information regarding urban development planning. Thus, the purpose of this study will define the existence of the urban element in Tanjung Dawai. The qualitative research design of this study is based on the methodology AIFAD (Abbreviation for Archives, Interviews, Fieldwork, Analytic diagrams, and Drawings). The research findings showed that the most dominant element in Tanjung Dawai are the landmarks and edges (Lynch 1960). The pattern of the streets created by the local people encourages increasing demand in fish production and land settlement, creating the edges promotes the area, rendering it more lively, dynamic and interesting. The landmarks and edges influence the local lifestyle and unintentionally establish ‘architectural place-making’ in the urban settlement of Tanjung Dawai.