COURSE : AAR652 ( SOUTH EAST ASIA & MALAYSIAN ARCHITECTURE )

PROGRAMME: AP243 ( BACHELOR OF SCIENCE(HONS) ARCHITECTURE )

SEMESTER: SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2019

TITLE: MALAYSIAN IDENTITY IN ARCHITECTURE

GROUP MEMBERS:
Muhammad Izmeer Bin Mohd Jafery 2016679148
Muhammad Riyad Haikal Bin Roslan 2016676768
Aiman Syuhail Bin Saiful Amini 2016676662
Nurul Afrina Binti Abd Raffik 2016679068
Sharifah Nur Adriana Al Aidid Binti Habib Abdullah 2016679002
Nur Shamim Alia Binti Masnoor 2016678872

PREPARED FOR: EN. ABU BAKAR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NO. TOPIC PAGE

1. INTRODUCTION 2

2. FINDINGS 3
2.1 TRADITIONAL VERNACULAR
REVIVALISM
2.2 ISLAMIC FEATURES MOTIVES
2.3 CULTURAL SYMBOLISM
2.4 BIOCLIMATIC DESIGN
2.5 RACIAL HARMONY
2.6 ECONOMIC ISSUES

3. RESULTS 28

4. CONCLUSION 30

5. REFERENCES 32

1
1.0 INTRODUCTION

With 62 years of independence, Malaysia’s architecture identity has grown and gradually
found its own identity. Strongly influenced by a lot of factors, Malaysia has come to found its
own style and language in shaping buildings in Malaysia. Malaysian architects have sprouted
from the influence of British colonial and able to give voice to its own design identity.
Besides colonialism, history and culture also play a big role in finding the search of
Malaysian architecture identity.

Malaysian architecture now has begun from a combination of different elements. These
elements are traditional vernacular revivalism, islamic features motives, cultural symbolism,
bioclimatic design, racial harmony and economic issues. These elements have come together
to form an identity of itself of Malaysian architecture. Various buildings in Malaysia have
Displayed these elements through different parts of the building but commonly through the
facade and materials.

The architecture in Malaysia has applied Islamic features and motives mostly in the facade
treatments. These features can be seen a lot in mosques and Islamic institutions. The element
of cultural symbolism is heavily influenced by how Malaysia is a multi racial country that
consist of many races with different backgrounds of cultures and traditions. Besides that,
Malaysia has also applied bioclimatic design in its architecture identity. Corresponding to the
climate of Malaysia, bioclimatic design is the most functional way for design applications to
achieve maximum comfort and function. Racial harmony is another important element in
Malaysian architecture identity as it focuses on the people of Malaysia themselves. This is
important to have a peaceful and harmony nation. The final element is certainly economic
issues where as we all know, the current economic status of Malaysia is not at a very good
state. Therefore, the development of Malaysian architecture revolves more or less around the
country’s economic issues.

The search of Malaysian architecture identity doesn’t happen in a short span. It requires a
lot of lessons learnt and improvisation. Hence, a lot of studies need to be done to understand
Malaysian architecture identity.

2
2.0 FINDINGS

2.1 TRADITIONAL VERNACULAR REVIVALISM

According to Hassan Fathy, vernacular revivalism is a design strategy in which the

architect hypothesizes that spatial, esthetic, functional and any mixed processes created by
previous cultures when designing architecture are carefully implemented, It is hoped that the
finished solution will participate both in the ecology of the site and in the architecture of the
past, while at the same time serving the needs of humans, as if it were to make clothes made
from fabrics made from hundreds of yards of perishable cotton thread.

However, looking from a purely visual perspective, ‘vernacular revivalism’ will

visually translate as ‘making use of concepts that is stereotypical of a particular culture of a
particular group of people while satisfying the architecture’s function-specific requirements’.
This ‘philosophy’ results in a surreal visual imitation which belies its inherent nature, an
example being making stationery tools to look like foodstuffs to camouflage themselves
among foodstuffs placed on a table so that they will not be noticed by anyone visually.

Among the first to react to the government's call to project a domestic architectural
identity was vernacular revivalism. At the moment, however, architects and officials did not
have a single architectural discourse on what the authorities meant precisely with a ' domestic
architectural identity '. The reason no architectural discourse had happened between architects
was because architects were occupied with their private firms, and the authorities were
constantly leading most of these projects without needing much input. It did not help that the
projects authorities are leading to were government projects. What was built as a solution at
that time can be described as pseudo-traditional pseudo-aboriginal architecture.

Mohamad Tajuddin, in his book, Malaysian Architecture: Crisis Within, published by

Utusan Publications and Distributions in 2005, has offered two examples for further
reflection, namely Bank Bumiputra HQ and Convention Halls of PWTC. This study offers a
typical Malay house as a visual control.

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 Bank Bumiputra HQ, The result is a pragmatic modern building, with vernacular
Malay decoration, albeit faithfully recreated, down to its details, so much as to somehow be
able to initiate somewhat the mood of a vernacular Malay house.

PWTC Convention Hall. The result is a modern building with the addition of end
gable shape taken from Terengganu Malay houses on top to give a character and a contrast to
rectangular visual composition of the city.

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 Original vernacular Malay architecture. The roofs are actually designed in this way so
that they can be easily extended with its ceiling still above the height of a person, and so that
all hot air can go through the end of gables of roof.

There are more examples of vernacular revivalism. Most of the buildings references
back to either Malay or aboriginal people’s traditional houses although details may vary and
often the visual architecture is poorly scaled and not cohesive in terms of its philosophy.
Some buildings such as Muzium Negara in Kuala Lumpur however, display a cohesive
philosophy in terms of visual architecture i.e. recognising the original intention of each
technique used from a certain culture and implementing it deftly to bring more ‘punch’ in
terms of the textual narrative.

Terengganu State Museum. A collection of over-scaled traditional Malay houses, with

details faithful to its origin, although they are specially designed to cope with massive visual

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scale. Functions not as a house, but as a museum. The textual narrative is flamboyant,
although it is borrowing an architecture that is supposed to be humble in character.

Sarawak Parliament. An over-scaled Bidayah roundhouse for bachelors, expresses the

triangular, although somewhat curved nature of its building through variable repetition of
physical form of all components from column until roof. The details are strictly modern in
approach. The textual narrative is even more flamboyant, although borrowing form
architecture that is even more humble in character.

Muzium Negara, completed in 1963 by Ho Kok Hoe. Wikipedia (n.d) states that The
National Museum is a palatial structure built in the style of Rumah Gatang, an aspect of
Minangkabau architecture. The textual narrative has a humble modernist character, i.e. good
sense of properties, sober tone and tested-and-tried materials and adjustment to Minangkabau
roof to suit a strictly modernist aesthetic.

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 It should be noted that these examples offered are not indicative of its method of
construction, as the buildings were constructed more as in a conventional building with
conventional procedures rather than following vernacular construction and procedures
faithfully. Therefore, it has all the advantages and disadvantages of a conventional building.

The only advantage worth noting when using this style is that they are the simplest
visual abstraction that can be understood by people as representing their yearning of the
‘good old days’ and their desire to implement back the elements that make up the ‘good old
days’ ever since they realized the benefits of the earlier system to them.

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2.2 ISLAMIC FEATURES MOTIVES

Islamic decoration, which tends to avoid using figurative images, makes frequent use
of geometric patterns which have developed over the centuries.

The geometric designs in Islamic art are often built on combinations of repeated
squares and circles, which may be overlapped and interlaced, as can arabesques (with which
they are often combined), to form intricate and complex patterns, including a wide variety of
tessellations. These may constitute the entire decoration, may form a framework for floral or
calligraphic embellishments, or may retreat into the background around other motifs. The
complexity and variety of patterns used evolved from simple stars and lozenges in the ninth
century, through a variety of 6- to 13-point patterns by the 13th century, and finally to include
also 14- and 16-point stars in the sixteenth century.

The geometric designs in Islamic art are often built on combinations of repeated
squares and circles, which may be overlapped and interlaced, as can arabesques to form
intricate and complex patterns, including a wide variety of tessellations. The principle is
based on Rasulullah Hadith which is not create art that in the form of living being such as
humans and animals. These hadith explained the prohibition :-

Hadith - Bukhari 3:428, Narrated Said bin Abu Al-Hasan, While I was with Ibn
'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual

8
profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from
Allah's Apostle . I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till
he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' “Hearing this, that man heaved a
sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn 'Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making
pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other inanimate objects."

Hadith - Bukhari 4:448, Narrated Abu Talha, I heard Allah's Apostle saying; "Angels
(of Mercy) do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature (a
human being or an animal)."

2.2.1 ISLAMIC FEATURES

Component Early Building 11th Century

Wall Simply created without any Decorated with floral and geometry
decoration pattern

Ceiling Just to protect from the rain Animated with calligraphy and
carving

Form Simple planning Dimensional in mathematics

and built rationally algorithm

2.2.2 ISLAMIC ELEMENTS IN BUILDING

Mashrabiya Projecting window enclosed with carved wood
Mihrab Semicircular niche in the wall of building
Sahn Ablution area combine with the courtyard
Minaret Visual focal point for azan
Dome Focal point covering the main prayer hall
Mimbar Khatib place delivering khutbah
Muqarnas Architectural Ornament in ceiling
Arch Structure that spans a space while supporting weight

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2.2.2 ISLAMIC IDENTITY IN MALAYSIA ARCHITECTURE
MASJID PUTRA

The Putra Mosque is the principal mosque of Putrajaya Wilayah, Malaysia. Putra
Mosque combines Middle Eastern and traditional Malay design elements in its architecture.
Construction of the mosque began in 1997 and was completed two years later. It is located
next to the 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. The pink-domed Putra Mosque is constructed with rose-tinted granite and
consists of three main functional areas which are the prayer hall, the Sahn, or courtyard, and
various learning facilities and function rooms. The mosque can accommodate 15,000
worshippers at any one time. The mosque is applying open concept with the usage of
mashrabiya and arches in the parameter. The most decorations found is variety of
tessellations, Muqarnas, Minaret and Dome.

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MASJID NEGARA

The National Mosque of Malaysia is a mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It has a

capacity for 15,000 people and is situated among 13 acres (53,000 m2) of gardens. The
original structure was designed by a three-person team from the Public Works Department:
UK architect Howard Ashley, and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin Kassim. The
mosque is a bold and modern approach in reinforced concrete, symbolic of the aspirations of
a then newly independent Malaysia. Even the architecture is modern approach, but the
element of islamic is maintained with the implementation and interpretation of Malaysian
identity. Its key features are a 73-metre-high (240 ft) minaret and a 16-pointed star concrete
main roof. The umbrella, synonymous with the tropics, is featured conspicuously as the main
roof is reminiscent of an open umbrella, the minaret's cap a folded one. It is embracing the
loyalty symbol toward the King. The folded plates of the concrete main roof are a creative
solution to achieving the larger spans required in the main gathering hall. Reflecting pools
and fountains spread throughout the compound which achieving like islamic garden for purity
elements.

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2.3 CULTURAL SYMBOLISM

A look at the topic demonstrates there is a lot of rift about what’s the best way to
design buildings. Buildings called by the term ‘Architecture’ (and even structures simply
called ‘buildings’) were separated from buildings in that beyond the simple intention, there is
an intentional quirks to its system design on all or some levels that raises the performance of
sheltering without incurring additional costs. Cultural symbolism is one of the attempts to
arrive for a method that can be used during designing systems of a building in all areas.

Most of the well-known buildings are designed before Malaysia’s independence

(uses the technique of symbolic culture). Here, from the floor up to the ceiling, from the
macro scale to the micro scale, the design of the building was created in all fields, from
overall impression to detail, with regard to the fictional realm, i.e. mathematics, religion,
myths, tales, legends, prophecies, beliefs, ideologies as a representation of personal or
collective experiences.

The resulting resulting design will not be immediately interpretable to other

cultures, except for people of the culture in which the building aims at. Even then, the
meaning of the symbols ‘slips’ very easily over time in that the textual value on surface may
be similar but the mechanism governing the textual value will be based on different sort of
experiences than what was intended. This happened since ‘meanings’ themselves did not
come in the shape of symbols.

The resulting architecture of its buildings are the result of a compilation and
amalgamation of objective facts into a cohesive, constructive and first and foremost,
buildable philosophy (whether it includes a responsiveness to the climate, or answering the
spirit of the time and place depends on whether the group that started the philosophy has any
sort of beliefs in these issues). Here are some examples of styles using cultural symbolism
method of designing in Malaysia:

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MALAYSIA IDENTITY :

PUTRAJAYA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE (PICC)

● The design of the building is based on the shape of the eye of pending perak ( a silver
Malay royal belt Buckle.
● The structure of the roof was designed similar to a folded origami to alleviate the
plain roundness of the structure.
● From the front view, the building’s eaves or wings are lifted at the sides, creating
broad over hangings over the raking wall.

ISTANA BUDAYA, KUALA LUMPUR

● The unique architectural design of Istana Budaya is inspired by a blend of

various aspects of Malay culture which was reflected in the form, shape and
material used.
● The plan of Istana Budaya is inspired by the shape of a floating ‘wau bulan’ a
traditional Malay kite.

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 ● The roof was constructed according to a roof type called gable roof. The roof
of Istana Budaya is A repetition of gable roof and it was constructed by using
the ‘folding’ method.

MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL TRADE & EXHIBITION CENTRE (MITEC)

● MITEC, a magnificent showpiece is forged by curves of steel and glass and adorned
with songket weave motifs, exuding an aura of sophistication rooted in elegance and
culture.
● Its architecture was inspired by the rubber seed to symbolise the industry’s
contribution to the nation’s early economic growth.

SASANA KIJANG, KUALA LUMPUR

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 ● The building form is inspired by the earliest form of currency, the Siput Gerus.
● A simple yet expressive form, the oval shape of the building offers a soft footprint
that responds contextually to the long site.
● The inspiration behind the design approach to the FSRC is in highlighting the
importance of Bank Negara’s and the nation’s Warisan or heritage. This concept is
embellished on the front face of the building that consists of three “pavillions”.

PERPUSTAKAAN NEGARA, KUALA LUMPUR

● The building design and concept reflecting Malaysian identity that symbolises
intellectual achievement plus inspiration from the national’s rich cultural heritage.
● The design is based on the concept of the traditional Malay headgear the tengkolok
which is a symbol of intellectual pride and respect in Malaysian culture.
● The tiles on the roof are also unique containing patterns inspired by the Kain Songket
(traditional hand woven cloth).

SABAH ART GALLERY

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● The design of the building is based on the concept of Sabah’s traditional basket such
as Wakid
● The walls of Sabah Art Gallery tapering outward from the base at an angle of 30
degrees, giving it a distinctive appearance.
● This ‘basket’ is holding over 3000 pieces of artworks, painting, carving, sculptures
and other art collections.
● You can find Sabah cultural elements from exterior to interior of Sabah Art Gallery.
Like the decorative motif panels on the wall, it’s an integration of common patterns
used by Dusun, Murut, Bajau, Irranun and Rungus, the indigenous people of Sabah.

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2.4 BIOCLIMATIC DESIGN
The importance of buildings that responds to the ecology of the site is not to be taken
lightly, as it counts as a factor in maximizing the performance of sheltering. In other terms,
increasing the comfort of the inhabitants, and increasing the reliability that goods stored
inside will still be there and at the quality level needed. Below is a study on the condition of
climate in Malaysia to get a better insight as to the workings of climate in Malaysia so that it
will be easy for us to respond with appropriate solutions.

2.4.1 CONDITION OF CLIMATE IN MALAYSIA

General Climate Local Climates

● Location: near the equator region
● Climate: tropical rainforest
● Characteristic of climate: hot and
humid throughout the year
● Average temperature: 27°C
● General division of climate in
Malaysia: divided into the
Peninsula and the East, as the
climate on the Peninsula is directly
affected by wind from the mainland
of Asia. The East has maritime
weather
● Average rainfall: 250 centimetres in
year
● Habitual weather events:
○ Two monsoon winds
seasons, the late May to
September Southwest
Monsoon, from Australia
deserts, and the October to
March Northeast Monsoon
● Reason of presence of local
climates: presence of mountain
ranges throughout Malaysia
● Climate division: the highlands, the
lowlands, and coastal regions.
● Coastal region: sunny climate, with
temperatures ranging between 23°C
and 32°C, and rainfall ranging from
10 to 30 centimetres a month.
● The lowlands: 23°C to 32°C but
follow a more distinctive rainfall
pattern and show very high humidity
levels.
● The highlands: cooler and wetter,
display a greater temperature
variation. A large amount of cloud
cover is present over the highlands,
which have humidity levels that do
not fall below 75%

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 from China and north
Pacific. Transitions between
the two monsoons occur
March and October
● Comparisons of monsoons: The
Northeast Monsoon brings in more
rainfall compared to the Southwest
Monsoon
● Climate change effect on
Malaysia: increasing sea levels and
rainfall, increasing flooding risks,
increasing drought risk

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Records Design strategies
● Highest temperature: Chuping, ● To keep the house cool and dry in
Perlis on 9 April 1998 at 40.1°C hot and humid climate: lots of
● Lowest temperature (official): ventilation below the floor, above
Cameron Highlands on 1 February floor, above ceiling, lots of shaded
1978 at 7.8°C area, low thermal capacity materials,
● Unofficial lowest temperature: orientation of long side of building
-4°C in December recorded in to not face sun, raised on stilts for
Gunung Kinabalu cool air, shallow plan (not deep plan,
● Highest rainfall recorded in a day: this will cause inaccessible areas to
608mm in Kota Bharu, Kelantan on be even more humid)
6 January 1967 ● To keep the house dry during
● Highest rainfall recorded in a rainfall: allow rain to go down
year: 5687mm at Sandakan, Sabah sufficiently from roof
in 2006 ● To keep the house dry during
● Lowest rainfall recorded in a year: floods: raised on stilts to avoid
1151mm at Tawau, Sabah in 1997 water
● Wettest place in Malaysia:
Kuching, Sarawak with an average
rainfall of 4128mm with 247 days of
rain a year
● Driest place in Malaysia: Chuping,
Perlis with average rainfall of
1746mm a year

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2.5 RACIAL HARMONY

Malaysia is known for its multiracial kind of country. Consisting of many kinds of races
with different religions,cultures and traditions. These varieties make Malaysia a very unique
country to outsiders or tourists that pay a visit to Malaysia. It is also a factor for Malaysia to
be one of the well known tourist countries. It is really amazing how people from different
races, religions and backgrounds can come together and work on their differences to form a
united and harmony country.

Malaysian architecture identity is also very much influenced by the history and also the
culture symbolisms. Every race with its own culture brings their own character and
symbolisms to our nation’s architecture identity. For instance, Islamic cultural heritage is not
exemplified by big domes, arches and expensive ornaments but is rooted in the idea of
humility, non-wasteful gestures, people-friendly planning, and a deep respect for nature as the
embodiment of God’s existence. The Chinese influence in Malaysian architecture can be seen
through festive decorations from the building facade and the interior commonly consist of
central courtyard, typical of residences in China, later reduced to air well due to space. Indian
architecture influenced by Daravidian architecture can be seen in temples with ornaments and
sculptures.

Growing towards architecture modernization in Malaysia,buildings design play a big role

in achieving racial harmony among people in Malaysia. To achieve the quality of life,
architecture and design play an important role in people’s function, human needs, political
values and cultural requirements in a building. In order to create harmony among Malaysians
through architecture, there are several elements that can create and enhance racial harmony in
Malaysian architecture. These elements are designing privacy, planning integration, moderate
the language and choose a path.

2.5.1 DESIGNING PRIVACY

This element mainly focuses on housing areas where people spend most of their time in
their homes. It is really important in designing homes that prioritize privacy for people in a

20
neighbourhood. One of the ways to see a good design is through the design of terrace houses.
The position of windows are important to ensure good privacy in homes to avoid privacy
invading among neighbours. Having chimney stacks and split windows can enhance lighting,
ventilation and views. Lattice screens are also one of the good ways to ensure privacy.
Landscaping and streets should also be designed well to create racial harmony in
neighbourhoods.

2.5.1 PLANNING INTEGRATION

Housing layout and planning integration is also an important element in achieving racial
harmony in Malaysian architecture. This mainly focus on the master plan and how every
piece is properly planned to correspond to the people and the environment itself. One of the
ways of a good planning integration is by having pedestrian-friendly pavements. This is
important to create a good relationship between the people and the neighbourhood towards a
harmony environment. With shady trees planting, simple furnitures along streets can be
placed as resting places with a comfortable environment. Bicycle pathways should also be
promoted to minimize vehicle use to get to places like mosques and schools. These places
should also be planned in a walking distance from housing areas to encourage people to
appreciate pedestrian pacements.

2.5.3 MODERATE THE LANGUAGE

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 These elements can be seen from the designs of mosques, temples and churches. The
facade of these places should be welcoming with simple entries. The architectural language
should be sweeping and modernistic. For instance, asphalted parking should be replaced by
stalls or play areas. This is to encourage social activities and relations between people to
interact and communicate.

2.5.4 CHOOSE A PATH

In designing a place for people, architects should choose a path for the other team
members to follow. Architecture is the “house of man”. It is the manifestation of man’s
rituals, behaviours and beliefs. Therefore, it is important for designers and architects to
choose a path that could enhance and create better race relations among people in Malaysia.

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2.6 ECONOMIC ISSUES

Some effective regulatory reform provides direct or indirect economic, social and
environmental benefits to the citizens and businesses, where the government carefully
considers the cost and benefits to the public to maximise benefits to the public.

Professional services covers the activities of various professions. The scope of this
economic issues for Malaysia identity in Architecture covers professional services that are
directly related to the building industry in Malaysia such as Architects, Engineers, Quantity
Surveyors, Town Planners and Land Surveyors. These professional services provide services
to the building industry that mainly focus of architecture elements for Malaysia identity. It
provides services to the building industry and also other sectors such as education,
transportation, infrastructure, tourism, and others. Any improvements in regulation of these
professional services will add value to these sectors and ultimately to the whole economy in
architectural aspects.

2.6.1 ARCHITECTURAL INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA

The architectural industry such as the design and construction plays an important role
in any country’s economic development. It provides great support to aggregate economy by
backward and forward linkages with other sectors of economy. Furthermore it contributes in
generating huge employment in the economy. Malaysia realized the significance of the
architectural in construction sector in the early days of its independence so it began to
develop this sector.

The architectural sector can be classified into the following subsectors:

a. Professional construction services (incl. architects, engineering services, cost controllers
and building control bodies)

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b. Onsite construction: Site preparation, Construction of complete buildings, building
installation, completion and rental of construction machinery.

c. Manufacturing of construction materials: Suppliers of building products and components

(incl. wholesale); and

d. Real estate services as a key client base of the sector.

Professional construction services include those of architects, engineers (civil, electrical,

and structural), planners, draughtsman, and surveyors. Each of these professionals have
different roles and are governed by different Acts and regulatory bodies. Professionals’
involvement is primarily at the predevelopment stage of a construction project. Details on
professional services are covered in another review.

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 Main contractors, sub-contractors, construction managers, site supervisors, safety officers,
labour, engineers, regulators and others are the main parties involved in onsite construction.
This stage of construction is highly regulated to ensure quality, safety, timely payment, and
environmental impact.

The manufacturers and suppliers of construction materials play significant roles in

ensuring timely completion of a project. They provide a strong link between owners,
contractors and end users.

Real Estate services provide the links between the owners/developers,

purchasers/customers and financiers. They provide property solutions such as leasing agency
and brokerage, integrated property and facilities management, capital markets, investment
and asset management, valuation, building consultancy and project management.

2.6.2 INDUSTRY MACRO-ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE

Architectural prospect such as construction sector’s contribution to Malaysian

economy is relatively small as compared to other sectors of economy like services,
manufacturing, and agriculture. For instance the average contribution of services,
manufacturing and agriculture sector in gross domestic product (GDP) during the last 20
years from 1990 to 2010 is 48.3, 28.2, and 9.3 percent respectively, while the average
contribution of construction sector in the same period was 4.1 percent only but it significant
part of the services sector. Its contribution to GDP is 12 times smaller than services sector, 7
times smaller than manufacturing sector and 2.2 times smaller than agriculture sector.

In 2013, construction sector’s share of GDP remains low at 3.8% if compared to

services, manufacturing, mining and agriculture. Its average share of GDP for 2014 and 2015
is expected to remain constant at 4.1%. Despite its smaller contribution, the construction
sector continues to play a key role in aggregate economy of the country by producing wealth
and providing a better quality of life to nation that is essential for development of the nation.

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 There is a strong correlation between the contributions of the construction industry
with the economic growth in Malaysia. Its share to GDP has been consistently on the rise
since 2005. There is also a positive correlation between the growth in GDP and the growth in
architectural industry. There is a direct relationship between construction output and national
output where the construction output grows more rapidly than national output when economy
grows and vice versa.

2.6.3 EMPLOYMENT

The architectural sector has been playing a significant role in aggregating the
economy of the country in terms of its contribution to revenue generation, capital formation
and employment creation which ultimately support the growth of gross domestic product
(GDP) and the socio-economic development of Malaysia. The industry can enhance the

26
consumption of locally produced material and the employment in the construction and
maintenance of buildings and infrastructures. The sector helps to accelerate social and
economic development and fight against poverty and unemployment.

In 2010, 1.02 million people were engaged in the construction sector 9.2 % of the
total available workforce. The increasing trend in employment contribution of the
construction sector. In the first decade (1991-2000) of Vision 2020 the average annual
employment rate was 8.07% available work forces, while at second decade (2001-2010) it
was reached to 9.15 % per year, reflecting that the sector is playing an effective role in
socioeconomic development of society by providing job opportunities, increasing income
sources and reducing unemployment from the society.

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3.0 RESULTS
The study has collected conclusions from the topics discussed. The conclusions are as
follows:

TOPIC RESULTS

TRADITIONAL REVIVAL Architects should avoid developing Vernacular

VERNACULARISM Revivalism in a visual context and should
embrace Hassan Fathy's more thoughtful
elaboration of the significance of Vernacular
Revivalism in the design of buildings or urban
planning architecture.

ISLAMIC FEATURES & MOTIVES
Islamic features and decoration is the art that
should be sustained on Malaysian Religious
places where they bring positivity impact
towards the user on how they react. The features
also can be integrated with the local culture to
represent nationality with the aid of islamic
element.

CULTURAL SYMBOLISM Symbolism can be defined as symbols that are

used to represent ideas; however, in the context
of cultural symbolism, it carries the meaning of
symbols that represent a culture. Cultural
symbolism is important in Malaysia, as our
country consists of different ethnicity with a
huge variety of culture. Our country is rich in
culture that symbols are used to represent the
uniqueness of each culture.

BIOCLIMATIC DESIGN Architect should consider how best to design

buildings that respond to climate changes so that

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 the hot and humid, high rainfall climate can
reduce energy wastage and thus, costs.

RACIAL HARMONY Architects should design houses that could cater

all types of people in a community. Architects
should also come up with plans and designs that
can bring the community together to achieve
racial harmony.

ECONOMIC ISSUES Professional services that play the main roles in

architectural sectors really gives a huge impact
towards the economy growth in Malaysia
architecture to provide direct or indirect
economic, social and environmental benefits to
the citizens and businesses. It also could provide
more job opportunities and at the same time
could increase the economic towards the nation.
Plus, these professional services will add value
to these sectors and ultimately to the whole
economy in architectural aspects.

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4.0 CONCLUSION

What can be learning from vernacular architecture that may inform contemporary
design? The legacy of vernacular architecture as the body of the paper indicates seems is an
important guide to the preservation of people’s belief and ideology in contemporary
architectural development. Sharing the similarity among the architectural design possibly
would have ended up with the contemporary style. The signatures of Malay vernacular
architecture deem to be another indication of honesty in design values of contemporary
architecture. Responding to climatic factors in a varieties aspect as vernacular Malay
architecture can take into account of considerable design successes. In terms of spatial
organization and relationship of elements such as spaces, activities, and functional
relationship, seemingly the concepts of line for particularly in the long houses and
concept of layers are the most obvious one observed through the evidence. The relationships
between activities organize functionally because activities are related directly to other
activities. Spaces, which contain the activities, are as of result of functional aspect.
Consequently, such coherent relationships give the tremendous ideas in the concept
development of contemporary design in a novel trend.
Contemporary Malay architecture might have learned by knowing that people’s belief,
morality, and ideology are playing a significant in the sense of belonging to their spatial
and physical aspects of design because people activities make human decisions. Considering
people cultural groups might come together to complement the design as a whole unit, rather
than caused destruction of group ethnicity. The sign of hybrid architecture it can be seen as a
melting process among multicultural rather than illustrate the international style. The
contemporary Malaysian hybrid architecture may follow the track of Malay vernacular
architecture as a representative and collective of intercultural exchanges to create a prototype
vernacular, which depicts the external influence of different culture in Malaysia peninsula.
The ideology and belief of people in their custom and ritual procession can take place in the
process of design to enhance the degree of sense of place in contemporary architecture. As
evidence indicates the underlay principle of Malay vernacular architecture is a foundation for
placement of the design elements in its proper place. This is a lesson, which can take
further to younger generations as a pedagogical strategy to learn how to learn from their own
cultural background and how to reflect their own expression in a contemporary architecture.

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 Contemporary Malay architecture lies in a creative line of development by adopting
not only the local climate, environment and geographical aspect of vernacular architecture,
but also by accepting the idea of shaping its indigenous architecture through involvement of
cross cultural relationship. Vernacular architecture is not an old architecture, nor primitive,
it’s a creative vehicle to boost the contemporary mood of functionality, contribute to the ethos
of people life, social culture, and reflection of ongoing and innovative design process. In
conclusions, Malay vernacular architecture demonstrating a unique understanding of human
life reality in relation to the context of time, place, culture, environment, and perform in the
core of creativity of architectural innovations. Malay vernacular architecture is responding to
multicultural ethnic groups in a different regional condition in a peaceful manner,
communicating and dialogues within various cultural patterns of society. The dimension of
Malay vernacular architecture with different spatial and physical qualities of its relate time
involves with complementation of various cultural roots, offering a potential concepts to be
called contemporary vernacular architecture.

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