MALAYSIAN ARCHITECTURE

Malaysia
Located in southeast asia.
67th largest country in the world in terms of
area.
Located near the equator, malaysia's climate is
categorised as equatorial, being hot and humid
throughout the year.
The total land area of is 329,847 square
kilometres (127,350 sq mi),
Two distinct geographical regions: peninsular
MALAYSIA and EAST MALAYSIA.
The first people to live in the area were indigenous tribes that still
remain
Followed by the malays, who moved there from mainland asia in
ancient times
Chinese and Indian cultural influences made their mark when trade
began with those countries, and increased with immigration to malaysia
Religion
 The dominant religion in malaysia is islam, whose followers make up
61 per cent of the population. Islam is recognised as the state religion
of malaysia, although the country has a secular constitution.
 61.3% islam
 19.8% buddhism
 9.2% christianity
 6.3% hinduism
 1.3% confucianism, taoism and other traditional chinese religions
 0.7% atheist
 1.4% other religions or no information
Architecture in malaysia is a combination of many styles, from islamic
and chinese styles to those brought by european colonists.Malay
architecture has changed due to these influences
Houses in the north are similar to those in thailand, while those in the
south are similar to those injava.
Houses are built for tropical conditions, raised on stilts with high roofs
and large windows, allowing air to flow through the house and cool it
down.
Wood has been the main building material for much of malaysia's
history; it is used for everything from the simple kampung to royal
palaces.
Besides wood, other common materials such as bamboo and leaves
were used
Common elements in peninsular malaysia include pitched roofs,
verandahs, and high ceilings, raised on stilts for ventilation
The woodwork in the house is often intricately carved
Floors are at different levels depending on the function of the room
Although malay houses have diversity of styles according to each states,
provinces, and sub-ethnics, there are common style and similarities
shared among them
◦ Built on stilts
◦ Have stairs
◦ Partitioned rooms
◦ Vernacular roof
◦ Adorned with decoration
Traditional Malay house
Basically, the traditional
malay house can be
divided into the front
andback portions
which are centred
around the rumah
ibu (the core house)
and the dapur
(kitchen)
respectively
Traditional Malay house
VERNACULAR HOUSES OF THE
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

Vernacular houses refer to the everyday

dwellings of the local people. The word
'vernacular' is derived from the Latin vernaculus,
meaning 'domestic' or 'indigenous'

Early Malay houses can be described as raised on timber stilts and made of
materials which were easily available from the tropical forests such as timber,
bamboo, rattan, tree roots and leaves. Usually the houses have pitched roofs,
verandahs or porches in front, high ceilings and lots of big openings for
ventilation purposes.
 Kampongs -villages
 Kampong houses are detached
houses and they usually have no
fences around them the
traditional malaysian house
serves the housing needs of the
majority of people living in rural
areas of Malaysia.
 Longhouses of Sarawak
The jungle and the coast provide the building
materials such as the nipah palm used on the
roof of a Melanau house.

The longhouses of Sarawak epitomize the communal lifestyle of ethnic groups such as the Iban,
Melanau, Orang Ulu and Bidayuh. Although the Melanau house differs from the others in being
tall rather than long, its spatial organization is similar. Several families are accommodated in
one large house. Each family has its own private unit but shares communal areas, such as the
gallery where social activities take place, and the open deck where crops and laundry are
dried
The Malay house of the
Peninsular east coast

Front view of a rumah tiang enam, found in

Kelantan and Terengganu.

Much of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is culturally and architecturally

different from the west coast. Strong Thai and Cambodian influences have
shaped the culture of the east coast for many centuries, and have created what
some consider to be the richest cultural heritage of the Peninsular Malay states.
The Malay house of the
Peninsular west coast
The bumbung Perak is also known as
the bumbung potongan Belanda or' Dutch-style
roof ridge'. Its more complex gable ends dictate
the use of modern roofing materials.

There are many variations of the traditional Malay house on the west coast of Peninsular
Malaysia although the basic component, the rumah ibu (the main living area), is common
to the whole region and, indeed, to the whole of the Peninsula. The main distinguishing
feature is the roof. On the west coast, the two major roof forms are the
indigenous bumbung panjang (long ridge roof) and the foreign-influenced bumbung
lima (hipped roof).
The Malay house: Materials
and construction The traditional Malay house relies
for its strength on a complex jointing
system made rigid by the use of
timber wedges. This allows the house
to be easily taken apart and
reassembled elsewhere.
The traditional Malay house
-timber structure
-post-and-beam method
-walls are usually made of timber although
bamboo is still used in certain areas.
-Numerous full-length windows line the walls,
providing both ventilation and a view outside.
-high-pitched, gabled roof, which dominates the
house, was traditionally covered with thatch but
is now more often covered with galvanized iron
 Traditional palaces of the
Peninsular west coast
Istana Seri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan is one
of the few remaining timber palaces in
Malaysia.

In feudal Malay society, the istana—the residence or palace of the sultan or raja—was of
paramount importance. Not only was it the place where the sultan lived, but it was also the centre
of learning, culture and the arts.The populace looked to it for guidance in almost all aspects of
their lives, as well as protection from their enemies. In the construction of istana, the traditional
Malay house post-and-beam method was used but on a grander scale.
 Traditional palaces of the
Peninsular east coast

The entrance gate to the compaund of Istana

Seri Akar was one of the most elaborate found
in the region.

Although the old palaces in Kelantan and Terengganu are no longer occupied, their structures
and designs reveal much about the environmental conditions and the diverse cultural traditions of
the region. The extreme climate—of heavy rains in the monsoon season followed by a hot and
dry period—influenced the construction of the palaces. Social segregation between men and
women and the observance of court behaviour in respect to hierarchy dictated the spatial
organization. Some of the features also provide evidence of past links with Patani, in southern
Thailand, which was once a part of the east coast Malay kingdom.
 Malay burial structures

The Makam Pahlawan, or Warriors' Tomb, was

built in 1965 within the complex of the National
Mosque as a mausoleum for heads of state in
Malaysia.

Although Islam as followed by the majority of the world's Muslims does not encourage the
construction of elaborate structures for remembrance or veneration of the dead, the practice
of building tombs and mausoleums for sultans and their close relatives, statesmen and well-
known religious and other leaders has long been a part of the traditional Malay
interpretation of Islam in Malaysia.
(pre-16th century)
Malaysian Vernacular Architecture
The term ‘vernacular’ derives from the Latin vernaculus, meaning native,
and is most widely used to
denote indigenous, tribal, folk, peasant and traditional architecture.

According to Chen, vernacular

house forms evolved according to different cultural settings and are the
results of long-term
modification, adaptations, shared experiences and innovations.
 Buddhist Temple
 The Kek Lok Si Temple is
a Buddhist temple situated in Air
Itam in Penang and is one of the best known
temples on the island. It is the largest
Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. The
temple is heavily commercialised with shops
at every level and inside the main temple
complexes.
 Hindu Temple
 Built in 1833, the Arulmigu Sri
Mahamariamman Temple is the
oldest Hindu
temple in Penang, Malaysia, and
features fascinating sculptures of
gods and goddesses over its main
entrance and facade. It is located at
Lebuh Queen
Parts of a mosque
 Door
muslims remove their shoes before
entering the mosque and always enter
right foot first.
 Central nave
the mosque’s principal nave; it adjoins
the mihrab.
 Mihrab dome
dome decorating the back of the central
nave near the mihrab.
 Direction of mecca
mecca: the religious capital of islam is
located in saudi arabia; muslim prayers
are always performed facing mecca.
 Fortified wall
fortification that once protected
inhabitants seeking refuge inside the
mosque during conflicts.
 courtyard
Uncovered space bordered by the shady
arcades; the ablutions fountain is located
in the center of it.
 ablutions fountain
Fountain that muslims use to wash and
symbolically purify certain parts of their
bodies before entering the prayer hall.
 Reception hall
large room used to greet visitors.
 Shady arcades
gallery made up of a series of arches
supported by columns.
 Minaret
tower from which the call to prayer is
made five times per day.
 porch
Covered entrance to the central nave.
 prayer hall
Area made up of several naves and
covered with rugs; Muslims remove their
shoes to pray.
 porch dome
Decorative dome atop the central nave
porch.
 Minbar
A pulpit at the head of a staircase; the
Prophet and the first caliphs preached
from the Minbar but many imams preach
from one of the steps as a sign of respect.
 Mihrab
Empty niche in the Qibla wall indicating
the direction of Mecca.
 Qibla wall
The wall that faces Mecca, the direction
Muslims face to pray.
 Shoe shelf
Muslims remove their shoes before
entering a mosque, to preserve the
cleanliness of the prayer space.
 Prayer rugs
Rugs and carpets have become a
traditional way to ensure the cleanliness
of the place of prayer, and to provide
some cushioning on the floor.
 Putra Mosque
 The Putra Mosque, or Masjid
Putra in Malay language, is the
principal mosque
of Putrajaya, Malaysia. Construction
of the mosque began in 1997 and was
completed two years later. It is
located next to Perdana Putra which
houses the Malaysian Prime
Minister's office and man-made
Putrajaya Lake. In front of the mosque
is a large square with flagpoles flying
Malaysian states' flags.
 Zahir Mosque
The mosque was built in 1912, a
contributory effort of YTM tunku
mahmud ibni almarhum sultan
tajuddin mukarram shah. The site of
this mosque was the cemetery of
kedah warriors who had died while
defending kedah from the siamese in
1821. The architecture of the
mosque was inspired by the azizi
mosque in tanjung pura, langkat
sultanate (present-day north
sumatra). This mosque is enhanced
with five prime large domes
symbolizing the five pillars of islam.
 Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz
Mosque
The sultan salahuddin abdul aziz
shah mosque is the
state mosque of selangor, malaysi
a. It is located in shah alam. It is
the country's largest mosque and
also the second largest mosque
in southeast asia after istiqlal
mosque injakarta, indonesia. Its
most distinguishing feature is its
large blue and silver dome. The
mosque has four minarets, one
erected at each of the corners.
 Sultan Abu Bakar State
Mosque
 Sultan abu bakar state
mosque is the state mosque
of johor, malaysia. Located
along jalan skudai,johor
bahru, the mosque was
constructed between 1892
and 1900, under the
direction of sultan abu bakar.