People's perception of riverscape as landmark attachment on pro-environmental behaviour in Melaka City

Abstract

Landmark is one of the key elements that shapes the image and identity of cities. A river is a natural landscape element that can play a significant role in giving identity, legibility and individual meaning to a city. People’s perception and attachment to river landscape, and their lack of pro-environmental behaviours have made this issue more critical and crucial. The aim of this study is to identify the significant landmark characteristics of the riverscape in terms people’s perception, environmental protection and landmark attachment in a natural riverscape in the city of Melaka. The main research objectives are to identify influences of significant landmark’s quality, value and characteristics of the riverscape on people’s perception and identifying contribution of people’s perception of the riverscape on proenvironmental behaviour. Melaka riverscape was chosen as a study area through the assessment of various experts’ point of view on the subject. A research model was constructed comprising of four main constructs which are visual, cognitive, affective and practical. To answer the research questions and due to the nature of research which is multi-disciplinary, a mixed-method approach was structured including survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Probability random sampling was also employed to collect data based on questionnaires developed from a pilot study from a sample of 450 individuals along the Melaka riverscape and Kampung Morten. Five hypotheses and research questions were formulated, tested and validated via Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) through the Smart PLS software. Results showed that the four aforementioned dimensions are significant and they represent the main constructs of landmark qualities of the historical riverscape. Findings revealed that landmark characteristics of the riverscape such as visual, cognitive, affective and functional aspects have significant effects on social perception and feeling of attachment. Notably, pro-environmental behaviour was found to be significantly influenced by peoples’ perception towards riverscape. Therefore, landmark dimensions and characteristics of the riverscape and their impact on social perception, pro-environmental behaviour and in developing landmark attachment were established. It is recommended that sustainability and all aspects related to this area which may affect pro-environmental behaviour in historical riverscape be considered in further studies and can encourage awareness among the urban planners, architects and developers of the pivotal role of the landmark characteristics of the riverscape in promoting pro-environmental behaviour.