VISITORS' PERCEPTIONS OF JALAN SUROTO BOULEVARD IN THE KOTABARU CULTURAL HERITAGE AREA USING THE SENSE OF PLACE APPROACH

Abstract

The Kotabaru area is a cultural heritage site with colonial architecture and garden city principles that are still evident in the existence of Suroto Boulevard as the main axis of the area. The 2018 revitalization has improved the visual and landscape aspects of the boulevard, but it is not yet known how this intervention has affected user perceptions and the formation of a sense of place. This study aims to identify visitors' perceptions of Boulevard Jalan Suroto and analyze the formation of a sense of place based on physical, functional, and emotional dimensions. The method used is mixed methods with a qualitative dominance to explore subjective experiences, supplemented by quantitative data through a Likert questionnaire to assess aspects of comfort, safety, and visual elements. A total of 22 respondents were selected using convenience random sampling. Quantitative analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and reliability tests, while qualitative data was analyzed through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The results of the study indicate that vegetation and colonial visual characteristics are the elements that most shape visitors' positive perceptions, while aspects of safety and emotional attachment remain weak. These findings emphasize the importance of improving physical and social quality to strengthen the sense of place in historic public spaces.