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Smaldone, Harris, & Sanyal, 2005; Stedman, 2003; Stokols & Shumaker, 1981). These three components
are used to elucidate the visible place attachment after all processes of gaining data are executed. In
people’s experiences of a place, the physical forms, activities, and meanings linked to it form the sense of
place and character (Montgomery, 1998). Though much has been discussed on the function of the physical
elements and the activity in the development of place identity, the roles of meaning and attachment in
making places with a strong sense of place have not been brought to adequate attention.
In the Istana Jahar case, most of the previous studies only concentrated on the previous and
current functions of the architecture and the heritage.To understand place as an experiential process, it
is important to examine the meanings that people attach to a locality in trying to create a sense of place.
Places play a vital role in developing and maintaining the self- and group identity of people (Davenport &
Anderson, 2005). Place identity is described as the way in which a place informs the identity of a person
or people (Proshansky, Fabian, & Kaminoff, 1995) and the composites of its characteristic features (Relph,
1976).
In this regard, Relph (1976) distinguishes the types of place identity based on notions of insiders and
outsiders. The ‘insideness’ reflects stronger or deeper place attachment, whereby meanings, cultural
values, experience, and associated place qualities identified by the public are reflected in the setting, and
the more profoundly inside a person is, the stronger is their identity with the place. One of the main goals
of urban design is to create a sense of place. It is associated with the feelings and perceptions that people
have through experience of a place (Carmona, Tiesdell, Heath & Oc, 2003; Hay, 1998; Relph, 1976; Tuan,
1977; Williams, Anderson, Mc Donald, & Patterson, 1995). In this regard, Relph (1976) associated it with
the need for identification with one’s surroundings and the need to be in a recognisable place. It is
associated with the ability of the place to evoke human senses through qualities that make it distinctive
from other places (Lynch, 1960).
Research on sense of place has focused on three constructs: place attachment, place dependence,

and place identity (Jorgensen & Stedman, 2006). Stedman (2003) has categorised place attachment as one
of the measurable dimensions of sense of place based on his argument that the sense of place dimension
is very difficult to measure due to the ambiguity of its definition.

Architectural Change

The architecture plays an important role in housing people's activities that lead to emotional,
psychological, and physical contentment. This was depicted during the reign of the Kelantanese royals in
Istana Jahar. It is an amalgamation of people, place, and time. The palace is seen as an entity that combines
all these components. Any of the factors changes; it brings a change in architecture, specifically in its
function. This can be observed to clearly take place in the palace, historically, culturally, and functionally.
Cultural and heritage values are the very first impressions in architecture that symbolise a sense of
diversity that is created by the multiple beliefs followed by multiple communities (Agrawal, 2022).
Throughout time, the evolution of everything can be seen constantly, but what remains constant is the
context, either defined by the community or the place. All their beliefs are conserved for future
generations in tangible and/or intangible form. These heritage values are reflection of the cultural identity
of people at a particular time. Being a part of the community, Istana Jahar holds value in connecting
people, exchanging cultures, and nurturing public life. The evolution of such architecture can be traced
back to history, from a palace to today’s museum, from a private place to a space for public consumption,
from traditional court functions to museum activities accessible to all. This architecture makes the

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