INVESTIGATING THE URBAN MORPHOLOGY OF SH. ISA STREET DESIGN: A QUALITATIVE STUDY TO DEMONSTRATE STREETSCAPE AND HERITAGE PERCEPTION.

This paper investigates the role of streetscape in enhancing users' sense of urban heritage in cities. Moreover, it is a leading player in improving tourism and trade, which drives the city's economy. Muharraq is located in northern-east Bahrain. The heritage areas of Muharraq have been well known for their culture, heritage and trade since globalization. Muharraq's urban morphology dramatically changed, distorting its historical core despite early modern planning's meticulous consideration of social coherence and historical significance. Unfortunately, in most projects of heritage areas of Muharraq, streets lack appropriate designs that accurately highlight the sense of heritage and the vital commercial activities and users' needs in heritage zones. Therefore, a comprehensive streetscape design concept that reflects the local heritage of Muharraq is needed more. Sheikh Isa Street is one of the main streets inside the heritage areas of Muharraq and was selected as a pilot study to examine the hypnosis that the appropriate streetscape will positively impact and enhance the visual seen and consequently improve the users' sense in heritage areas of Muharraq. This study aims to comprehend the essential urban design, streetscape elements and heritage preservation that are primary to achieve a sense of heritage that simultaneously respects the heritage of the street and emphasizes the importance of improving the heritage ambiance and that meets BACA and local municipality goals. In order to achieve the objective of the study, a mixed methodology was adopted to comprehend the research problem better. The qualitative method includes in-depth interviews, observations and site visits and the quantitative method includes using the QGS software. The findings show that the street needs better urban imageability, which has negatively impacted the sense of heritage, which is lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]