Chilling under the rain trees: gen-z perception of samanea saman and outdoor lifestyle in Taman Tasik Taiping, Perak.

Malaysian urban parks have historically served as significant green lungs and public gathering spaces, fulfilling ecological roles as well as community cultural identity. In the hot and humid environment of the Malaysian peninsula, the accessibility and beauty of public parks are greatly influenced by the presence of large shade trees. Perhaps the most iconic of these is Samanea saman or simply the rain tree whose large, umbrella-like canopy creates massive shaded spaces and distinctive microclimates within parkscapes. Taman Tasik Taiping in Perak is Malaysia's oldest public park and is renowned for its historical Samanea saman avenues curved above walkways and roads to create one of the country's most iconic urban landscapes. While ecological and aesthetic uses of Samanea saman have been well established for a long time, much less is known about the social and utilitarian value of Samanea saman to contemporary park visitors, in particular the newly emergent Generation Z. The study explores Gen-Z visitors' perception and use of Samanea saman in Taman Tasik Taiping as socialising areas, recreational leisure spots, outdoor studying or photography or content creation spaces. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach in the form of spatial hotspot mapping of Samanea saman location, systematic behavioural observation of Gen-Z activity patterns, and a short survey of perception of comfort, shade quality, aesthetic value and identity value of these trees. Optional microclimate data will also be collected to compare objective and subjective comfort. By integrating these data, the study seeks to create a rich portrait of how the "giant umbrella" trees are functioning to influence the outdoor lifestyles of a digitally native cohort. findings will fill a literature niche for knowledge of the social functions of heritage shade trees in tropical parks. They should generate evidence-based guidelines for park managers and landscape architects on how to maintain and enhance experiential values of Samanea saman groves and other similar canopy trees. Last but not least, the study aims to promote the attractiveness of heritage parks such as Taman Tasik Taiping to the new generation of users, demonstrating that heritage trees sustain not only ecological services but also essential social infrastructure for contemporary urban living.