Issues about Malay Architecture

In my opinion, the main issue will be the development of Malay Architecture. As we can observe, the style and the trend of architectural design nowadays keen to be very contemporary and modernized. The Malay Architecture seems to be the past history and under conservation. Besides, the aesthetic of this style is only appreciated those who like heritage conservation.

When the market have no demand, developer would not want to think twice for taking Malay Architecture into design consideration. Malay Architecture needs some evolution and transformation so that people are aware with the uniqueness of principles in Malay Architecture which can be applied in the present building design.

Seni Bina? Architecture?

Seni Bina
Pada pandangan saya, bidang ini bermaksud kerja pembinaan dalam bidang ini mempunyai kesenian dalamnya.


'Seni' dalam wikipedia bermaksud Seni merangkumi semua aktiviti dan hasil karya manusia yang indah dan berseni (kreatif) bagi semua kaum dan bangsa di dunia. Pada masa kini, seni merupakan luahan kreativiti manusia yang paling dikenali dan dianggap sebagai keunggulan daya cipta manusia. Walaupun begitu, seni sukar ditakrifkan disebabkan setiap seniman mempunyai aturan dan sekatan tersendiri bagi setiap hasil kerja mereka, seni boleh dikatakan sebagai proses dan hasil dari pemilihan saluran medium, untuk menyampaikan sama ada kepercayaan, idea, rasa, atau perasaan dalam bentuk terbaik untuk saluran tersebut.


Pembinaan ini mempunyai kesan-kesan yang tertentu atas alam sekitar dan manusia. Justeru, pada pandangan saya, seni bina ini juga merangkumi teknik dan kehandalan untuk mencapai keunggulan karya manusia tersebut tanpa membawa sebarang kesan buruk.




According to Wikipedia,

Architecture (Latin architectura, from the Greek ἀρχιτέκτων – arkhitekton, fromἀρχι- "chief" and τέκτων "builder, carpenter") can mean:

• The art and science of designing and erecting buildings and other physical structures.
• The practice of an architect, where architecture means to offer or render professional services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings, that have as their principal purpose human occupancy or use.
• A general term to describe buildings and other structures.
• A style and method of design and construction of buildings and other physical structures.

Malay Architecture

Malay architecture was basically at first very simple and minimalistic to accommodate their families as they have very simple tools and also very low economy at that point of time.

Malays also at that time were also very prone to the natural disasters, wars, the expansion of their own families and also the finding of a source of food and economy for the Malays which was ever changing. Thus the only purpose of the houses was to protect themselves from the rain and sun and also to be easily movable when there was a need to.

But later, there was a great development in their construction to suit their ever changing lifestyles and needs. There were also many new more useful and complex tools that was invented to built more stable, bigger and more beautiful houses. Thus many new styles and shape of the architecture was born, which can clearly be seen in Malay States such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Through so man decades, the Malay architecture has been influenced by Indonesian Bugis, riau and Java from the south; Siamese, British, Arab and Indian from the north; Portuguese, Dutch, Acheh, Minangkabau from the west; and Southern Chinese from the east. Due to this fact, the Malay vernacular architecture have modified their styles in order to adapt to these influences. For example, some houses in Kelantan state have a kind of roof which is similar to that of Southern  Thailand, this kind of roof style is totally different from the ones in the Negeri Sembilan state which have been greatly influenced by the Minangkabau of Indonesia.