Classification and transformation typologies of shop houses in the core city area of Medan, Indonesia

As can be seen in other cities in South East Asian, the energy and the vitality of the core city area in Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia, are still supported by the existence of hi-functional buildings or shop houses. Although numerous modern shopping complexes were continuously coming up, the existence of shop houses which brought the efficiency and economic productivity is still recognized to be the favorite type of building development in Medan. The investigation of shop houses in Medan proved that for the future, this type of building redevelopment is possible enough to be taken into consideration as the typical of building system in the inner city area of Medan.