A STUDY ON MENTAL MAPPING: CASE OF GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, GEORGE TOWN, PENANG

George Town urban layout affected by the British military administration that still exists today. The urban design element of the government buildings in George Town creates an ideal environment for their purpose and relation from space to another space. This study carries out by approaches every detail of urban design element and their purpose by referring British administration concept model theory with historical background through observation and urban mapping by using geographic information system (GIS). A configuration of administration town is influenced by the seaside development and trading community through divide and rule ideology that introduced by British Administration. Isolation of community in Penang during that times have pro and contra, which affected urban design planning in George Town, Penang. This study shows that British administration concept model has influenced the urban design and eventually affected the economy and social pattern of surrounding community in George Town, Penang and somehow created its attraction by fulfilling Kevin Lynch Urban Design Elements which are the path, nodes, edges, district, and landmarks. By having this pattern, designer or urban planner could understand a better the community behaviours and movements in the area. (c) 2018 INT TRANS J ENG MANAG SCI TECH.