Intro.to Indigenous Architecture_Malay

WEEK 5 LECTURE

INTRODUCTION TO:

1. INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE – Malay house2. ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE - Masjid

CONTENTS1. INDIGENUOS ARCHITECTURE

- DEFINITION

2. TRADITIONAL MALAY HOUSE

- CHARACTERISTICS & ELEMENTS

- RESPONSIVE DESIGN

- STRUCTURE AND MATERIALS

- DESIGN FOR CLIMATIC CONTROL

INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE

DEFINITION• Structural design originating naturally in a region, not imported or copied from elsewhere.

• Also termed as vernacular architecture i.e. native or local architecture which categorize methods of construction by using locally available resources to cater local needs.

• mostly applied to refer to residential buildings

1.INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE •It is the practices of local traditions or knowledge passed

down through time and generations.•Synonymous to traditional architecture.

Stone & clay houses of Nepal

Toda hut – Indian vernacular architecture

CHARACTERISTICS & ELEMENTS

1.Designed and built by the native/local society

- (Designer and builder is the same person)

2.Designs were developed to serve the users needs

3.Responsive to climate, site conditions and lifestyle/culture (energy efficient)

Wigwams- Evolution in design

1

2

3

African early sheltersMalay houses

Igloo

CHARACTERISTICS & ELEMENTS- contd.4.Use of local materials and unskilled labour

(resource efficient)

5.System of shared labour - a whole

community involved

6.Built through a process of trial and error- use simple construction methods

Shared labour system

RESPONSIVE DESIGN

Responding to climate/weather & site conditionThe roof of the Traditional Malay house (tebar layar) is steep to cater the heavy monsoon rain

Timber stilts to elevate the building above the ground level to avoid flood, wild animals and for better ventilation.

Openings on the sides and grilles for better cross ventilation.

Wood carving for both decorative and ventilation purposes

Overhangs for shading and water drainoff

RESPONSIVE DESIGN (contd)

Responding to culture - Some traditional Malay houses have floors at different levels, indicating the room functions, also giving a sense of spatial transition in the building.

The layout of Malacca House

RESPONSIVE DESIGN

Responding to lifestyle( way of life)- The decoration and carving reflect the social status of

the house owners

Istana Kenangan: Have magnificently crafted walls

An ordinary Malay house

RESPONSIVE DESIGN - contd. Responding to - Local materials

& construction methods

- Abundant natural materials from the tropical forests provide ready construction materials

- Early Malay houses used timber for the building structures, rattan and tree roots for tying up joints, bamboo and leaves were used for floors and walls.

2.TRADITIONAL MALAY HOUSE

The traditional Malay house is a timber house raised on stilts. It is basicallya post-and-lintel structure with wooden or bamboo walls and a thatched roof. Windows are plentiful, lining the walls and providing good ventilationand views for the house. This quality of openness is also reflected by the largeopen interior spaces with minimal partitions.

Built without master builder or architect Display of a good fit to the culture, lifestyle and socio-economic needs of

the user Efficient use of local materials Appropriate to the climate Use a high degree of user and community participation Creates a well-designed and healthy living environment which is self

maintained.

All the above reflect the indigenous nature of the traditional Malay houses

Malay house form Various traditional and hybrid Malay house forms can be

identified in Peninsular Malaysia. They are classified mainly by their roof shapes. The basic house forms are: the bumbung panjang, bumbung lima, bumbung perak and

bumbung limas. The most common houseform is the bumbung panjang,

characterised by a long gable roof. The bumbung panjang houses are the oldest identified in Peninsular Malaysia.

The bumbung panjang is the simplest of the four houseforms. It has a simple gable roof, supported by kingposts.

The most common roofing material used for the bumbung panjang is the attap (a thatch made from nipah and other palm trees found in the local natural vegetation).

The simple bumbung panjang roof-form is most efficient in its ventilation properties. Its simple funnel shape, the use of ventilation grilles at its gable ends (tebar layar) and the use of ventilation joints allow good ventilationof the roof, space which cools the house effectively.

Malay house form – contd. The bumbung lima, bumbung limas and bumbungperak are all

houseforms which are not indigenous but developed through foreign influence.

The bumbung lima and bumbung perak houses are believed to have been influenced by colonial Dutch and British houseforms.

The bumbung lima house has a hipped roof, the bumbung perak house has a gambrel roof and the bumbung lirnas house has a pyramidal roof.

Of these three foreign houseforms used in Malay houses, the bumbung perak houseform (also called bumbung potongan Belanda [Dutch-type] roof in the

East Coast) is the most popular.

Kelantan House

Kelantan House –contd.

Kelantan House –contd.

Kelantan House –contd.

Elaborate fenestrations/openings- require skilled craftsmanship

Kelantan House –contd.

Motifs derived from nature

Kelantan House –contd.

Structural membersas decorative panels – good marriage of engineering & architecture

Malacca House

Malacca House – contd.

Malacca House – contd.

Minangkabau House

Minangkabau House – contd.

Minangkabau House – contd.

Perak House

Perak House

Perak House

Perak House

Perak House

STRUCTURE AND MATERIALS• Materials are mainly provided by nature

• Use lightweight construction

• Wall, column, door and floor - cengal, merbau,petaling, bamboo panels and bertam

• Roof - strips of thatch tied to a bamboo or nibong woodspine, bertam leaves

Design for climatic control

Due to the hot and humid climatic characteristics of Malaysia,it is obvious that to attain optimal climatic control, a houseform in Malaysia should provide for the following:

(a) allow adequate ventilation for cooling and reduction of humidity;(b) use building materials with low thermal capacity so that little

heat is transmitted into the house;(c) control direct solar radiation;(d) control glare from the open skies and surroundings;(e) protect against rain; and(f) ensure adequate natural vegetation in the surroundings to

provide for cooler microclimate.

Climatic Design of the Malay House

Use of Interior Space inthe Traditional Malay House

•Spaces in the Malay houseare multifunctional. The use of space changes at differenttimes of the day and year.•There are minimal partitions or interior walls in the house,allowing for the flexible useof space and for goodventilation & lighting of the interiors. •Minimal furnitureis used and most activitiesare done on the floor.

Built environment of the traditional Malays – Malay kampong