Vernacular Architecture of

Malaysia
CONTENT
i. Understanding Vernacular
ii. Orang Asli forest dwelling
iii. The Austronesian house
iv. The kampong
v. The basic Malay house
vi. Types of Malay House
vii. Coastal and riverine settlements
viii. Traditional houses of Sabah and Sarawak
Vernacular Architecture
Definition
Influences
VERNACULAR
VERNACULAR: derived from the Latin vernaculus = domestic = indigenous.

Vernacular Architecture refers to type of architecture which is indigenous to a

specific time or place (not imported or copied from elsewhere.

•It is most often applied to residential buildings.

•Function of the building is the dominant factor.
•Uses local materials.

Vernacular houses refers to the everyday dwellings of the local people.

vernacular house forms evolved according to different cultural settings and are
the results of long-term modification, adaptations, shared experiences and
innovations
Influence

Needs

Technology

Culture

Climate
Influence
Needs = Protection
Influence
Technology
Technology influenced by environment - Material
Dwellings were built of timber in forest areas,
stone in hilly places,
skins on grassy plains and deserts,
ice in the artic.
Influence
Culture
The way of life, and the way people use their shelters becomes a great influence
on the building form.
The size of the family units, who shares which space, how food is prepared and
eaten, interactions affect the layout and size of the dwellings
Influence
Climate
Cold climates Warm climates
-High thermal mass/insulation. -Use of lighter materials
-Sealed to prevent heat loss -Allows cross-ventilation
-Small openings
Orang Asli Forest Dwelling
Population
Background
Construction
Orang Asli – Population
The Malay term Orang Asli means
‘original people’- refer to indigenous
people of peninsular Malaysia
Malay Peninsular - at least 18 dinstict
groups- comprising 100,000 people.
There are 3 main groups:
- The Negritos in the
North
- The Senoi mainly in the
centre
- The Proto-Malays in the
South.
Orang Asli – Dwelling Background
Their dwellings were designed for basic
shelter, not for the storing of material
goods.
House building never required
professional skills.
Every able-bodied male was capable
of constructing his own house before he
married.
House structures have evolved only
minimally over the centuries, from
nomadic to semi-permanent
settlements.
Orang Asli – Construction
Cengal and petaling are used for the
standing poles because they are not
vulnerable to termites.
Poles are driven into the ground to a
depth of 40 cm measured from elbow
to fingertips.
Edge beams and roof joists are lashed
to the standing poles with rotan (cane)
Atap (thatch) roofs from palms that
are woven.
Bamboo is commonly used for the
walls.
The Austronesian House
Background
Construction
Roof Style
Influence
The Austronesian

Linguistic evidence suggests that

Proto-Austronesian, the modern
Austronesian dialect, developed on
the island of Taiwan by 4000BCE.
From Taiwan they migrated down
through the Philippines around
3000BCE, and thence into western and
eastern Indonesia.
The Austronesian

The Malay Peninsula and Vietnam

were reached in a movement back
from the Western Islands of Indonesia
sometime after 1000 BCE.
The Austronesian

- The Austronesians were clearly

accomplished and daring seafarers.
- Astronesians proceeded to displace
existing Australoid populations in South
East Asia.
- Australoids specialized in hunting,
gathering, fishing and cultivation.
The Austronesian - Construction
1. Post Construction is the most
characteristic and pervasive of
architectural features shared by the
Austronesians.
2. The extension of the rafters at the
gable ends to form decorative
gable finials in the shape of crossed
horns known in Malay as silang
gunting or ‘open scissors’.
3. Another distinctive aspect of
design, prominent in Indonesia and
beyond, is the extension of the ridge
line of the roofsupported by
outward-sloping gable ends and
sometimes combined by a
curvature of the roof.
The Austronesian – Common Roof Style
• The thatched roof of the Bidayuh community headhouse (pangah) in Sarawak (1)
• and of a typical hill tribe house in North Vietnam (2)
• dominate the entire house structure. The steep overhang shelters the house from the
rain and keeps away glare from the tropical sun.
The Austronesian – Common Roof Style
• The Malay House in Langkawi, Kedah (3),
• and the Bugis house in Sulawesi, Indonesia (4),
• have high pitched roofs. This is an efficient way of allowing rainwater to run off the
roof.
The Austronesian – Common Roof Style
• The roof style of the Minangkabau-style Negeri Sembilan house (5)
• is believed to be influenced by the Sumatran house from Indonesia (6).
• The ancestors of the people from Negeri Sembilan came from the Minangkabau
region.
The Austronesian - Influences
• In Kelantan, the use of (1) Thai roof
tiles and (2) heavier wood wall
panels in the Thai style are
common.
• Louvered shutters (3) may have
been borrowed from the Portuguese
whose historical presence dates
back a few centuries.
• The courtyard (4) arrangement of
some Melaka houses may also show
Portuguese, or possibly Chinese
influence.
The Kampong
Background
The Kampong
• The Malay Village (kampong) is
situated near the source of the
villagers’ livelihood.
• Fishing villages are found close to
the sea while inland villages are
usually located near paddy fields or
small holdings of rubber trees and
oil palms.
• The houses in fishing villages are
usually more densely grouped than
inland kampongs
The Kampong

• A kampong comprises several Malay houses and their compounds.

• The houses are usually organized in family clusters, each house being occupied by
a family and each cluster belonging to related families.
The Kampong

• There are no physical boundaries, such as fences.

• Life in the kampong focuses not only on the individual household but also on the
community.
The Kampong

•Houses are spaced far apart for future expansion, tree-planting and privacy.
•Connected with free flowing winding paths. This arrangement leads towards more
integrated environment with promotes a communal spirit in the village.
The Kampong

• The public buildings comprise the mosque/surau, cemetery, school and shop,
which are seen as communal rather than formal public spaces
The Kampong

• The Malay House encourages the concept of sharing and cooperation and preference
for community intimacy.
• Its wide, open veranda, large windows, minimal partitions and open spaces below the
house foster neighbourliness.
Malay House
Design Concept
Culture
Needs
Characteristic
Malay House
Background
Construction
Roof Style
Influence
Sequence
Growing
Malay House – Design Concept
The design of traditional Malay house
was not created by anyone, but
evolved through many generations of
Malay society.

It was designed and built by the users

themselves. Houses belonging to the
richer people were built by local
craftsmen.

The house is built according to the

NEEDS of the inhabitant based on their
understanding of the natural
ENVIRONMENT, incorporating and
reflecting their WAY OF LIFE and
CULTURE.
Malay House – Culture
• Sitting and doing almost
everything on the floor
(sleeps, eats and prays).

• Taking off ones

shoes/washing of the feet
upon entering the house.

• Reception of guest and

division of male and female
area

• The need to roll out mat for

visitors.
 Malay House – Needs
• Adequate ventilation for
cooling and reduction of
humidity

• Building materials with low

thermal capacity so that little
heat is transmitted into the
house.

• Control direct solar radiation.

• Window openings to
accommodate for seated
posture and to encourage
cross-ventilation.
 Malay House – Needs
• Roofing and insulation for
heavy rain.

• Raising the floor level to

accommodate for flooding,
safety against animals and
cleanliness of floor.

• Flexibility to accommodate for

growth of the house.

• Adequate natural vegetation in

the surrounding to provide for a
cooler micro-climate
 Malay House – Characteristic
• Timber House (post and lintel
structure)

• Raised on stilts

• Free Standing

• Wooden / Bamboo walls

• Thatched roof (attap – made

from nipah)

• Windows plentiful (low level,

often down to the floor-sill
level)

• Minimal interior partitions –

openness.

• Hierarchy of floor levels.

Malay House – Sequence/Terminology
• Anjung:
covered entrance porch where
the stairs lead up to.

• Serambi gantung:
veranda, where guest are
entertained.

• Rumah ibu:
core /main house having the
highest floor level.

• Selung/Selang:
closed walkway used to link the
rumah dapur and the rumah
ibu.

• Rumah Dapur:
kitchen, usually at the back of
the house, and lowest floor
level. Prep. of food, cooking ,
eating and washing. Women
folk often group here to chat.
Malay House – Growing
Depending on the financial
capacity, it is possible to start a
home with a single unit first –
either with Rumah Dapur or
Rumah Ibu.

When there is enough savings,

then the main part could be built
or acquired from another house
that does not require it anymore.

The system is one that is flexible

that rooms could be added onto
the main structure as the needs
and family grows.
.
Type of Malay House
Malacca
Pahang
Perak
Kedah
Kelantan & Terengganu
The Malacca House
Region:

Malacca, Negeri Sembilan,

Pahang and Johor

Feature:

Long /defined balcony

Elaborated stairs (concrete

replacing timber stairs, influenced
by Chinese architecture in form
and colour..
The Pahang House
The Minangkabau House
Region:

Negeri Sembilan, originating from

Sumatra.

Feature:

Basic rectangular form

Curved roof, ridge is the lowest in

the middle and slopes upwards at
the ends.

Does not have a rumah tangga,

entry is direct into the main house.
The Minangkabau House
Locally known as Rumah Kutai
(old house)

Region:

Settlements along the middle and

lower reaches of the Perak River.

Feature:

The basic building units are

normally linked by an
intermediate bay called Selang.

Steep roof with slight change of

pitch.
The Kelantan & Terengganu House
Region:

East Coast – Kelantan, Trengganu.

Feature:

Sharp elaborated exterior profiles.

Excellent decorative works

Variety of materials used.

Decorative fascia board at each

gable end.

Flat clay roofing tiles.

Few external windows.

Coastal & Riverine Settlements
Raft House
House On Stilth
Background

Generally there
are two kinds of
waterfront
settlements:

-Houses built on
rafts (rumah
rakit).

-Houses on stilts
(rumah tiang
seribu)
Rumah Tiang Seribu (House on Stilt)

-Houses built on very tall stilts

which are erected on the
river or sea bed.

-The houses are linked to one

another by wooden
boardwalks.

- The timber stilts are made

from wood available from
Mangrove swamps nearby

- Houses are built in tight

clusters within a limited
sheltered area.
Traditional House of Sabah & Sarawak
Traditional House of Sabah
There are two major types:
• Communal longhouse
(eg. Rungus longhouse
and Murut longhouse)
• Individual houses (eg.
Bajau house, Bonggi
house, Bamboo house,
and Lotud house)

Despite the diverse

ethnic groups, generally
they share similar
dwelling features:
1. Houses built on stilts
2. Pitch roofs
3. Well ventilated
4. Constructed of timber
and other local
materials.
Traditional House of Sabah
The Murut Longhouse
- Consists of several family apartments (sulap) at
the rear of the house and a communal verandah
(saloh) at the front.
- Each sulap contains a sleeping area for a couple
and their unmarried daughters.
Traditional House of Sabah

The Individual House 1:

The Bajau House an open
plan concept
Traditional House of Sabah

The Individual House 2:

The Bamboo House
adapting to the
environment.
Traditional House of Sabah

The Individual House 3:

The Lotud House: A
symbolic, ordered
space.
Traditional House of Sabah

The Individual House 4:

The Bonggi house:
Permanence in a
shifting culture
The Longhouse of Sarawak
-Different
longhouses in
Sarawak share
similar spatial
organisation,
several families
accommodated
under one roof.

-Each family has its

own private
unit but shares
communal areas.
The Longhouse of Sarawak
-The size of a
longhouse may vary
from 20 to over 80
apartments.
- average house may
accommodate 200 to
300 people or up to
800 in larger
longhouses.
- A long gallery runs
through the house
and open onto a
deck which is the
drying area for crops
such as rice and
pepper; fish and
laundry.
The Longhouse of Sarawak
The Longhouse of Sarawak
End