VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF

MALAYSIA
 CLIMATE
Located near the equator, Malaysia's climate is RESPONSE
categorised as equatorial, being hot and humid
throughout the year. Malay vernacular architecture
has been designed with the perfect solution to meet
the thermal comfort of the occupants. 

Using renewable natural materials including

timber and bamboo, the dwellings are often
built without the use of metal including nails.
 CLIMATE
• RESPONSE
Traditional timber houses incorporated design principals relevant in contemporary architecture such
as shading and ventilation.

• The orientation of the house, plenty of windows and openings, roof design and multilevel of floors
helped them to gain thermal comfort. 
 CLIMATE
• Traditional Malaysian homes are COCONUT TREE
- for shading RESPONSE
ATTAP ROOF
basically post-and-beam structures - made from natural
using a framework of upright and   materials
- waterproof and does not
horizontal beams.    absorb heat
• These houses had distinctive gabled
roofs suited for ventilation.

DRAINAGE
RAISED HOUSE LEVELS - waste water from kitchen
- prevents flooding and animals   drained and soaked into
- catches higher velocity winds   sandy ground
 CLIMATE
RESPONSE
• Since many early settlements
Attap roof of high thermal capacity
for good insulation against heat were built along rivers and
Ventilated roof space helps
the coastline, the raised floor
to cool house construction was an ideal
Ventilation through roof solution for coping with
joint ground dampness and also
Large roof eaves
for effective with the heavy rains that
sunshading Open interiors
with minimal
frequently resulted in flash
partitions Fully openable floods.
Light weight and
windows allow • In settlements that were built
ventilation at
low thermal body level within the thick rainforest, the
capacity materials raised floor system also
keep house cool
allowed the house to be
Stilted house ventilated through cracks in
catches winds of
higher velocity
the raised floor. 

CROSS VENTILATION
Elongated open plans allow easy
passage of air and good
ventilation.
ORIENTATION
By east-west orientation, area for
solar radiation is minimized.
SHADING
Large overhangs and low exposed
vertical areas provide shadows
and allow windows to be left
open.
CLIMATE
LAYOUT RESPONSE
Random arrangement ensures
wind velocity in houses in the
latter path is not reduced.
BUILDING MATERIALS
Lightweight construction of low
thermal capacity holds little heat and
cools during night.
WIND VELOCITY GRADIENT
As velocity of wind increases with
altitude, houses on stilts capture
winds of higher velocity at a higher
level.
 CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
• Modern malay architecture uses
sloping roofs to protect against rain
and provide roof space above
ceiling to act as an insulation.

• Houses built on stilts are no longer

popular owing to the use of new
methods of providing thermal
comort.

• Floor to ceiling windows are

replaced by regular windows due
to increase of glare due to lowering
Shift to contemporary
architecture
of floor level, and consequently the
window levels, from stilt heights.
 CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
• The house are characterized
by their sloping roofs and
deep overhangs that
provide shade and cut out
low angle tropical sun.

• Most contemporary houses have veranda spaces that act

as transitional, semi public zones. 

• Pools are built with modern malay houses for the purpose of
evaporative cooling.

• Usage of local materials indigenous to the region no longer

prevails.
 CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
CROSS VENTILATION BUILDING MATERIALS
Compliated plans and partitioning of Usage of bricks, concrete and other
house into different rooms restricts air materials of higher thermal
movement and cross ventilation. capacity require active cooling
devices.

LIGHTING LEVEL VENTILATION HEIGHT

Higher lighting levels due to Ventilation directed at upper part
lighter colored paints and of the body due to higher
higher placement of placement of windows for
windows. privacy.
ROOF SPACES WIND VELOCITY GRADIENT
Insulation using trapped air Hedges and solid fences built for
instead of ventilating roof privacy often block winds and
spaces require high ceilings to be create a steeper wind velocity
effective. gradient.