CULTURAL HERITAGE-DRIVEN BRICK INNOVATION: AN EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT IN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE CONTEXTS

Abstract

This study addresses the critical gap between cultural heritage preservation and contemporary construction needs by developing a systematic methodology for integrating intangible cultural capital into sustainable brick design. Using Kamphaeng Phet Province, Thailand—a UNESCO World Heritage site—as a case study, we employed Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to identify key design factors and applied an "8 Thai Ways" screening framework to extract cultural elements for architectural material innovation. The EFA (n=250) revealed six distinct design dimensions explaining 56.0% of total variance with acceptable model fit (RMSEA=0.0575, TLI=0.903): Physical Characteristics (11.89%), Aesthetics and Design Expression (10.29%), Utility and Performance (9.65%), Context and Environmental Suitability (8.49%), Construction and Economic Aspects (7.96%), and Innovation and Sustainability (7.72%). Cultural capital emerged as crucial for product identity establishment, leading to textile pattern-inspired brick prototypes. Performance testing according to ASTM C67 standards demonstrated exceptional results: 26.90 MPa compressive strength (784% above minimum requirements) and 11.04% water absorption (56% below maximum thresholds). User satisfaction evaluation (n=55) achieved 3.99/5.0 overall rating, with strengths in local uniqueness (4.01), handling suitability (4.09), and design appeal (3.90). This research provides a context-sensitive framework for transforming cultural heritage into high-performance architectural materials while maintaining authenticity. The methodology demonstrates that systematic cultural capital integration enhances both traditional knowledge preservation and market acceptance, particularly among quality-conscious consumers. Findings offer significant implications for heritage-based sustainable architecture development applicable within Thai UNESCO World Heritage sites, contributing to both cultural preservation and construction industry innovation.