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ASIAN ARCHITECTURE

CASE STUDY PAPER

Re-adaptation of Malay vernacular Architecture to achieve thermal comfort in Sekeping Serendah, Selangor.

Bibi Ameerah Peerun: 0313939

Tutor: Mr Koh Jing Hao

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Abstract

Acknowledgement

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Overview of Sekeping Serendah retreat

3.0 Overview of Thermal Comfort

3.1 Tropical climate

3.2 Thermal comfort

3.3 Factors that affect Thermal Comfort

3.4 Design Consideration

3.5 Malay traditional House Characteristics

4.0 Integration of Malays vernacular architectural qualities in Sekeping

Serendah to reach thermal effectiveness

4.1 Sustainable materials

4.2 Elevated structure and rooms

4.3 Surrounding and orientation

4.4 Openings

4.5 Structural form

5.0 Sekeping Serendah, a strategies to minimize environmental factors

6.0 Limitation of those factors to reach thermal comfort as well as maintaining

the aesthetic.

7.0 Conclusion

8.0 References

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Abstract Currently, when we consider environment factors; the indoor environment affects the

resident’s mental and physical condition. So, the reason of studying the re-adaptation

of Malay traditional architectural characteristics in Sekeping Sendah retreat is to

examine on the efficiency of these features to obtain thermal comfort. Malaysia being

an example due to its tropical climate, in helping the authentication of research,

literatures analysis based on several foundations to emphasize reachment of thermal

comfort with the implementation of Malay traditional houses properties to improve

the procedure. In order to provide with a more thorough research, it is essential to

debate on content that can showcase the principle of Traditional Malay house in

which Sekeping Serendah precisely is taken to denote the architectural elegance of the

retreat. Environmental issues such as air temperature, humidity, wind and radiant

temperature to offer comfortable living area disturb the Malay vernacular house

design. The architecture style objective to reach thermal comfort via various methods

using passive design. The design standard from Malay vernacular architecture such as

materials, elevated designs, roof design and taking into consideration the neighboring

values are encapsulated into Seeking Serendah design. The incorporation of

vernacular and modern architecture improves the design of the building. Therefore, on

a conclusive note both of these architectural designs depict large contrast between

each other in terms of how the architectural styles has been implemented to adapt

with development. While one demonstrates a dense cultural significance, the other

portrays a direct impact to environment.

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1.0 Introduction

The traditional Malay vernacular house is very well designed to adjust with the hot

and humid tropical climate in Malaysia and also contributes in attaining thermal

comfort in hot climate edifices.

Though, the design of modern-contemporary architecture often predominated the

vernacular design techniques in this skyrocketing mechanized era. Nowadays, the

society are often lured by luxury and economical sleek design created by architectural

magazines. Buildings with absence of environmental and contextual concern

disregards the passive cooling methods applied in vernacular design but frequently

substituted by devices to reach thermal comfort. The re-adaptation of vernacular

design qualities in contemporary structure will In fact encourage energy efficient

building. To further analyze this research, Sekeping Serendah retreat was targeted to

do an analysis, as it is one of the modern-contemporary designs, which is

encapsulated with Malay characteristics. Thermal stability aspects are taken into

consideration in regards of air temperature, air fluidity, humidity and the length of

exposure to high temperature environment to acceptable human condition. This case

study paper discuss about the efficiency of reaching human thermal comfort via

execution and application of Malay vernacular characteristics as well as the limitation

of each features to maintain the aesthetic of the Retreat.

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Thermal Comfort

Environmental Factors

Air Temparature Humidity Air Mouvement Radiant Temparature

Features

Toachievethermalcomfort

TraditionalMalayHouse SekepingSerendah,Selangor

Materials Sustainable

Materials

Elevated Vegetation Openings TopicalForest

OverhangRoof

OverhangRoof

ElevatedRooms

Opening

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Research Questions:

1. What is thermal comfort and what are the factors the affect the level of

comfort?

2. What are the Malays vernacular architectural qualities employed in Sekeping

Serendah to reach thermal effectiveness?

3. According to the natural aspects, how does each of the characteristics

contributed in incorporating the modern design in tropical region of Sekeping

Serendah?

4. How does the methods act as a strategies and help in minimizing the

environment factors.

5. To what extend may the vernacular architecture be adapted to contemporary

buildings in order to create a better interior environment for the occupants as

well as maintaining the aesthetic of the specific building

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2.0 Overview of Sekeping Serendah retreat The construction of the retreat began when the architect won the “ week-end retreat in

the forest of Serenda”. It was important to unveil that individuals could build and live

pleasantly with nature accordingly. That leads the thermal comfort achievement. Ten

sheds designed with various, which surround by exotic forest that not so much as a

conventional. Each of the sheds is built based on the Malaysian vernacular style in

keeping the natural land terrain and strategically planning throughout the trees in

order to respect the greenery and the provoked landscape as well as achieving thermal

comfort for the occupants. Sekeping Serendah retreat in Selangor highlight the idea of

having a semi-outdoor design in the forest surrounding, aiming on the contextual

surrounding via blurring of the barrier of the interior and exterior. The interesting part

about this retreat is that it function like the traditional Malay house despite the

modernity of the building.

3. Thermal comfort

3.1 Tropical Climate

Malaysia fell into the category of traditional equatorial region, which experiences

warm and high humidity climate throughout the year (A.S.Hassan, 2011).

Furthermore Malaysia experiences two-monsoon season every year. The tropical

forest that covers wind in Malaysia is normally light which leads to high temperature

throughout the year. (Nasir, 1996)

Figure 3.1.1: Diagram showing the traditional Malay house in relation to the climate

http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/Measured%20Drawings/malaysun.jpg

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3.2 Thermal comfort

(ASHRAE, 2004) has stated that the thermal comfort zone level is a situation of mind

which utters gratifications with the thermal environment. Humans body retains its

temperature fixed at 37 – 0.5 C and can adapt to various environments. Numerous

factors such as for example, “Environmental factors and personal features can be

distributed by the human thermal comfort, under a stable and natural condition”.

(ASHRAE, 2014)

Figure 3.2.1: The comfort chart

http://courses.washington.edu/me333afe/Comfort_Health.pdf

3.3 Factors that affect thermal comfort

• Relative humidity is described as the amount of evaporation there is in the air.

There is a variation in the temperature tolerance, with constant changes in the

relative humidity. Skin is able to evaporate both at a higher rate in hot and dry

environment. (ASHRAE, 2014)

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• The radiation produced from the sunlight hit directly on different part of the

body surfaces, and thus causes the skin to produce warm temperature

surrounding the air. Therefore when the radiation hits on clothes, the heat is

transferred within clothing to body. According to ASHRAE, “A person is

more subtle with the asymmetric radiation triggered through snug celling. This

arise by the hot and cold vertical surfaces” demonstrated in figure 3.3.3

(ASHRAE, 2014)

Figure: 3.3.3: radiation Diagram

• Air velocity disrupt thermal stability at various temperature, it increases heat

dissipation while moving air is less than our body temperature.

• The air temperature disturbs thermal solace and ecological condition for

individual inhabitance. ASHRAE mentions that, “There are sizable

dissimilarity in both physiologically and psychologically, from one to another

individual. The environmental condition needed for comfort is not the

identical for every individual. Consequently, temperature, for comfort zone

must be around 22 C, which is depicted in the following diagram.

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Figure 3.3.1 Diagram showing location of comfort zone

3.4 Design Consideration

Making shade and ventilation, plays a core part in housing, to deliver thermal

comfort. The houses in tropical region are design taking into account the natural

ventilation of the indoor spaces by using large windows, by creating shades, or by

raising the structure to a certain level, which contribute to capture prevailing wind,

avoiding flooding and degradation of the earth. Key designs elements of a tropical

Malay house are fundamental, due to the fact that they are the contributing aspect to

picture a house with the attention to attain thermal effectiveness. The 5 prominent

design principles of a tropical house are:

a) Envelope of the Retreat

b) Ventilations across the retreat

c) Materials used (sustainable and recycled)

d) The Green Surrounding

Building components must take into account those principles to priorities the

implementation of shading devices, increasing wind factor and decreased heat

penetration. The next part of the research will further examine on how modern

architects implement vernacular design feature into the design, just like the example

of Sekeping Serendah Retreat.

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3.5 The Features of traditional Malay House

Conferring to JLim Jee Yuan The Malay House: Reviving Malaysia’s Indigenous

Shelter System. In the present time, in Malaysia, architects use Malay traditional

house as an investigation of the paradigm for its excellent analysis of environmental

design. (Lim, 1987).

Malay traditional dwelling is centered mainly on natural ventilation with the

understanding of airflow ventilating from the exterior to interior and then leave the

house with the warm air that has been trapped. Customary community from the

villages obtained knowledge and comprehension of the ecosystem’s stability, which

allowed them to, built accordingly with the nature, using lightweight materials and

raised the structure.

Figure: 3.5.1 Picture showing characteristic of traditional Malay house

http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/Measured%20Drawings/malaysun.jpg

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4. Integration of Malays vernacular architectural qualities in

Sekeping Serendah to reach thermal effectiveness

4.1 Sustainable materials.

Inventive uses of the natural material in Malay house are designed in such a way to

meet the climate, to control heat and improve ventilation, as in bamboo screen; Nipah

leaves wall and Attap roof.

Sekeping Serendah used a huge variety of materials for instance: glass timber, mud

and steel, with the prior of achieving thermal comfort. As the architect mentions

during an interview, “I don’t have any favorite materials as commonly perceived

by others. I just use whatever is appropriate at the time of construction. I prefer to use local materials”. (Yoong,2012). The sheds are erected mainly by using timber

found around the site. Concrete and brick are also used to merge with the timber and

to give a new architectural style. One of the specification of the timber is it that is it a

organic material, which its thermal, acoustic and aesthetic create a comfortable and

cozy space. As the figure 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 shows below

Figure: 4.1.1 the use of timber for flooring (elegant feeling)

http://www.uniqhotels.com/media/hotels/6d/glasshouse%201-sst-0669.jpg

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Figure 4.1.2: The use if timber for roof support and decoration

http://www.sekeping.com/serendah/p/wh1-02.jpg

Muds sheds, are originally created, from the combination of different type of

concrete, and bricks. All these heavy-duty materials are performed as a thermal mass,

for absorbing and storing heat energy. During day time, the thermal mass will mop up

the sunlight heat while at night, release it to keep the retreat comfy. Although

Sekeping Serendah in also made also of large window frames, therefore the cooling of

the retreat is still effective.

Figure: 4.1.3 mud sheds combines with concrete

http://www.hellochubbybunny.com/uploads/1/0/8/3/10834924/23154_orig.jpg

The materials of the roof are important features in order to reflect of radiant solar .The

truss roof of Sekeping Serendah is partially open however some part is cover with

steel sheets. Furthermore, Steel is an alloy of (carbon and iron), which has a higher

heat conductivity compared to other materials.

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Figure: 4.1.4 Picture showing the roof structure http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/04/c5/c4/9b/warehouse-1.jpg

4.2 Elevated structure and rooms

The redesign has suggested the same concept by raising the structure based on stilts. “

Having structure built on a high-level position acquires benefits for aspect of thermal

study” (Lim 1897). By obtaining the openness and minimalism of the retreat, stilt is

widely used in order to be an essential vertical structure, to lift upward and withstand

the slab and roof during construction. By the raised of the structure, there are benefits

of trapping wind with a greater velocity. In the retreat, not only the structure is

elevated but the rooms as well. The sleeping area is supported by thin steel bar as

shown in figure 4.2.1. It allows free passage of the wind in the lower level without

any obstruction as well as providing a minimum of privacy to the user. In Order to

achieve that, the architect made use of steel to reflect the lightness of the structure

merging with the very thin tree trunk to enhance the fragility of the structure.

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Figure: 4.2.1 Picture showing elevated rooms of Sekeping Serendah

http://theweddingnotebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2004/03/sekeping-serendah.jpg

Figure: 4.2.2 Picture showing raised structure of Sekeping Serendah

https://jeelazulkifli.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/gs1-02.jpg

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4.3 Surrounding and orientation

Moreover, the traditional Malay houses are generally built in order to face East and

West and is situated in surrounding greeneries. Thus many incorporated modern

design is also applied in the same idea, by having to building oriented and in a proper

manner. The large overhangs roof is fitted, to maintain the glares.

In relation to the surrounding, The Retreat is protected in a tropical rainforest with

abundant of lush greenery and large trees surrounding and improve the function of the

trees while they act as walls to prevent the sun. Besides, it allows the refinement of

air, interior cooling effect as well as moderation of temperature changes at night.

Large trees locate all along the warehouse “one and two”, gives the best cooling

shades.

Figure: 4.3.1 Map showing the orientation of the Retreat

http://www.sekeping.com/serendah/layout.png

N

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Figure:4.3.2 Picture showing the green surrounding of the Retreat

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/18254881.jpg

4.4 Openings

In traditional Malay house, ventilation is allowed by having many full-length

windows and doors at body level. (Lim, 1991). Sekeping and Serendah depict an

unenclosed floor plan, designed without any segment to allow continuous airflow.

The architect also mention during an interview “ It’s the idea of “opening-up” the

house in a tropical climate and being able to sit in a semi-outdoor environment”

reported by ( Siok Hui, 2010). This strategy encourages the flow of air throughout the

whole building, and these two warehouses are planned in order to accommodate

minimum 10 occupants organized with the heat-producing appliances around the

kitchen. Therefore, large doors panels are used as the main openings for some of the

sheds of Sekeping and Serendah, such as the glass boxes and glass sheds.

Figure 4.4.1 Picture showing large openings of the Retreat

http://www.sekeping.com/serendah/p/gs1-04.jpg

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Figure 4.4.2 Picture showing large open spaces inside the retreat

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8251/8544264455_a725a65ab4_b.jpg

4.5 Structural form

Sekeping Retreat has been implemented the same idea by opening the plan in the

modern framework. Thus it is the reason why Architects chooses to raise up the

sleeping area. This specific design creates a connection through the free spaces and

effectively uses such spaces as a passage of ventilation.

Therefore, Buildings requires a high ceiling with a double volume spaces in order to

create a stacking of the ventilation in the interior. The stack ventilation is able to

support the buoyancy of warmth which rises and is released the heat through the

openings at higher openings

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Figure 4.5.1 Picture showing the special layout of the retreat

Figure 4.5.2 : Picture showing height ceiling with multiple volume

http://syokmelancong.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/sekeping-serendah.jpg

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5.0 Sekeping serendah, A strategy to minimize environmental

factors

Re-adapting Traditional Malay vernacular features in modern design does not only

help in achieving thermal comfort. In addition to what has been discussing previously,

Re-adaptation act as a strategy to minimize environmental factors toward the nature.

It’s like a chain: if the nature is affected, thus our comfort level will be affected.

‘Sekeping Serendah being the prime example in this regard. The architect used

recycling materials to rescue materials and us. If we look closely to the design of the

Retreat, it looks unfinished. The architect believe that is it too expensive to buy

luxury materials and yet not sustainable. (Kenny, 2013) Sekeping Serendah applies

recycling materials in a simple and elegant way by not destroying its surrounding and

climate.

Figure 5.1 Figure 5.2

Figure 5.3 Figure 5.4

Figure 5.1 to 5.4 Picture showing the Kitchen in Sekeping Serendah Using recycling

Materials

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6.0 Limitation of those features to reach thermal comfort as well as

maintaining the aesthetic.

To end this research paper, Applying vernacular architecture feature at 100% to

contemporary one are intrusive example to building problems as sustainable solutions.

Yet these solutions have limit in term of application and some assume to be

inapplicable to contemporary design (Rashid, Rahat Ara, 2015, p.46) due to the fact

that their could not meet the aesthetic requirement of the design. Therefore nowadays

architects combine both traditional and modern design to become a new architectural

style just like Sekeping Serendah where the architect kept in mind the traditional

features by implementing it through the use of new materials, new site etc.… in order

to satisfy both environment and the occupants.

7.0 Conclusion To conclude, Sekeping serendah successfully integrated the Malay vernacular

architecture design to solve the main problem of thermal comfort as well as keeping

the aesthetic of the tropical dwelling design to satisfy the occupant. In addition, the

design of the retreat responds well to the site. Integration of Traditional Malay house

contributes very well to provide good ventilation and reduce heat gain without

machines. Thus it is nor impossible to reach thermal comfort in a more friendly way.

Characteristics Malay Vernacular House Sekeping Serendah

Climate consideration Yes Yes

Sustainable Materials Yes Yes

Natural ventilation At body Level Large openings allowing

cross and stack

Surrounding Restricted Tropical Forest

Thermal efficiency Yes Yes

Materials Natural: Nipah leaves,

Bamboo. Attap

Recycling materials, steel,

concrete, brick (mixture)

Contextual response Yes Yes

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8.0 references 1- Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2015,

retrieved from http://www2.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/indoor-air-quality-and-

energy-efficiency

2-Kenny,M.(2013,July19).Gettingaway…withoutleavingtown.Retrieved

November10,2015,retrievedfrom

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/travel/article/getting-away...without-

leaving-town

3- Nasir. A.H (1989) Introduction of traditional Malay House: Peninsular .Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur. Darul Fikir

4- Lim, J. (1987). The Malay house: Rediscovering Malaysia's indigenous shelter

system. Pinang: Institut Masyarakat

5- Lim, J. (1991). The Malay house: Rediscovering Malaysia's indigenous shelter

system. Pinang], Pulau Pinang, Malaysia: Institut Masyarakat.

6-The traditional Malay house. (1996). Shah Alam: Fajar Bakti

7- Third World inspiration. (2010, March 27). Retrieved November 5, 2015, from

http://www.thestar.com.my/story/?file=/2010/3/27/lifeliving/5843938&sec=lifeliving

8- Rashid, M., & Ara, D. (2015). Modernity in tradition: Reflections on building

design and technology in the Asian vernacular. Frontiers of Architectural Research,

4(1), 46-55. Retrieved November 16, 2015, from

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095263514000715

9- Yoong, Y. (2012, April 1). THE SEKEPING PROJECTS, APRIL 2012 A

conversation with Yvonne Yoong from The New Straits Times. Retrieved October 10,

2015, from http://www.seksan.com/txt_sekeping.html

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