HISTORIC BUILDING CONDITION ASSESSMENT: OBSERVATION OF THE PHYSICAL STATE OF THE BUILDING FACADE IN CHUKAI TOWN, KEMAMAN

The significance of conserving historic towns is deeply ingrained to local historiography.Prioritizing its conservation is paramount to maintaining its significance.Thorough mapping serves as a crucial initial step in assessing a town's visual elements, offering guidance for informed decisions on its maintenance and enhancement.However, there is a notable scarcity of studies focusing on mapping historic buildings, a vital component of comprehensive conservation efforts.Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the current condition of historic buildings in the town of Chukai, Terengganu.Utilizing structured observation based on JKR building inspection guidelines, the study reviewed the facade condition of buildings, categorizing them into six condition levels: excellent, good, moderate, critical, very critical, and disposed.Results revealed that 23 buildings fell into the moderate category, indicating disruptions to their external structure.Additionally, one building was classified as good, with its original structure maintained without serious disruptions, while another was deemed critical due to defects and dilapidation.The remaining three buildings were categorized as disposed.Nonetheless, the absence of building monitoring reports highlights a potential negligence in conservation efforts.This study underscores the area's low-level conservation efforts for historic buildings, emphasizing the need for heightened preservation initiatives to address lingering challenges.