The rapid growth of Halal Hub facilities within Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia reflects an increasing need for culturally favourable and operationally effective retail space. However, the absence of well-defined interior design guideline has left a lot of SMEs uncertain on the choice of suitable and creative interior designs that ensure both functionality and aesthetic aspects are adequately addressed. This paper explores these strategies in two particular case by conducting a qualitative case study of a leading Halal Hub facility in Kuala Lumpur, which has been noted for its good design practices. Observation, and semi-structured interviews with designers and stakeholders, and user survey were performed to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data collected through interviews and observations and to detect repeated themes, categories, and critical design themes. This method allows a flexible however systematic analysis of complicated human-environment relationships. Furthermore, a basic description and analysis of survey responses are also use to gain insight into overall customer perceptions of and preferences. The results bring to the fore key design factors that improve spatial performance, communicate cultural identity, and enrich customer experience in Halal retail spaces. By filling a crucial knowledge gap in design practice, this paper introduces a new set of interior design principles that are suited for the operational, cultural and spatial requirements of Malaysia’s Halal SME sector.
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