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Figure 2. Example of data from sequential photos.
The main aims of the interviews were
to gather information that could not be
obtained from the field observations.
For example, from the observations,
we can see that every trader will
occupy a specific position inside the
courtyard as a base to form their space.
However, we are unable to ascertain
the reasoning behind this action
merely through field observation. How
is a certain trader able to occupy that
specific spatial position? Are there any
specific rules or regulations? This kind
of information needed to be collected
through the interviews. TThe interview
is semi-structured, with primary pieces
of information collected using an
‘interview-guide’, while still open to
new ways of seeing and understanding
issues relevant to the topic (Cohen &
Crabtree, 2006).
The interviews were conducted with
various different parties. First, they
were held with administrative staff
of the official mosque management
institution (called Pengelola Masjid
Agung Sunda Kelapa or PMASK).
One of the most important pieces of
information from these interviews was
the existence of a paguyuban pedagang
(trader community). The second
party was the leader of the traders’
community. The third party was the
traders. The final party was the porters,
who support the traders in managing
the additional resources used in the
formation of trader space.
The interviews took place on-site(the
Sunda Kelapa mosque courtyard), specifically
in the time-frame of the bazaar
events, namely on Fridays, from approximately
07:00 to 15:30. This decision
was based on consideration of the
importance of the sites to the research
questions and the data possibly generated
from the interviews (Edwards
& Holland, 2013). For instance, it was
easier for the traders to provide information
about specific entities (for example,
physical features of the built environment,
tools and goods) involved
in the formation process of the trader
space while the event was taking place.
The only interviews not conducted on
site were those with the administrative
staff, which took place in the mosque
administrative office.
3.2. Analysis
The study used coding as the
method to analyze the data. Several
concepts from assemblage theory
were used as the theoretical lens in
the coding process. However, this
methodological approach did not
intend to deliberately confine the
categorization in the coding process
to the various theoretical concepts
(based on assemblage theory). These
theoretical concepts were intended as
guidance or a starting point of view
to sharpen the focus when analyzing
the data. Instead of being restricted to
a pre-established theoretical concept,
this method opens up the possibility
for adjustment when developing a new
framework of conceptual categories to
explain the research findings.
The paper discusses the results of
the analysis in three sections: (1) social
assemblage as the framework of
the spatial process; (2) trader space as a
spatial assemblage; and (3) the phases
in the appearing-disappearing process
of trader space. Each section contains
several conceptual categories as a base
to develop understanding from the
findings. Three concepts from assemblage
theory underlie the analysis in
the first and second sections, namely
From rigidity to ephemerality: Architecture as a socio-spatial assemblage of heterogeneous
components