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.