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The main intention of this study is to contribute some thoughts on why the tradition of wood carvings in traditional Malay architecture was discontinued at the rise of modern and post-modern architectural works in Malaysia. Although the tradition of wood carvings more or less came to a stop in public architectural works with the development of colo...
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... There is a syncretisation between the Colonial language and the Malay language, infused with elements of neighbouring influences. 'The colonial builders were aware of this phenomenon and The colonial heritage also provided Malaysia with their version of the Malay House with louvred verandah and walls to replace the ornate serambi balustrade, the squat Palladian proportion to replace the high raised platforms and the hipped gable roof with ventilation openings…' (Utaberta, 2014). Figure 15 below summarise the five evolving hybrid types of materials and constructions of Malay frontages in palaces. ...
Classicality in architectural language has re-emerged recently due to the increasing need to infuse historical interest in new township developments and urbanscape. The aim is to depart from the common modern styling, yet the Classical language from imported 'grammar and style has been copied without recourse to local classical models. There is a local classical language which is less known. The paper traces the characterisations of a Malay classical architectural language, which arise from the vernacular. By studying the frontages of palaces and aristocrat's structures in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore; i.e. 50 case studies before the 1930s were mapped and identified as local evolvements, common parameters and classifying milestones were observed. The frontages can be classified based on their origins, typology, proportions and elemental attributes. To define their stylistic characters within the successive evolutionary phases of Malay architecture in the region, one must recognise the common parameters. Despite the huge gap in time and changes in narchitectural evolution and style, there are common parameters which survive. Using six selected case studies-each represented different major periods, i.e. early 1700s, late 1700s, late 1800s, early 1900s and eventually the 1930s, the paper highlights that these surviving parameters which can be condensed as five defining parameters that characterise Malay Classical Architecture. They typify the final survival of the Malay stylistic language amidst cultural change and enormous pressure. These surviving essences are relinked back to the root the Malay identity, and thus represents key principles of the disappearing of traditional Malay identity in the modern world. The characters and the main elements of the Malay Classical style are also highlighted due to their consistent appearance in the public aristocratic architectural language. It is argued these are urbanised and final branches of the Malay stylistic tree that can be re-used for Malay identity for new developments, new city urbanscape, and thus named as the 'Classical' language of Malay architecture .
... The Malay palace uses ornament as a symbols of wealth, status and power for the peoples to see. During those time it is common for a sultan to showcase their power through ornamentation (Nangkula Utaberta, 2014).The Malay palace design is the same as the common malay house but in a larger scale. Farish and Eddin (2003) explained quality and beauty of carving found on walls, patition panels, windows, grilles, air vents, doors, railings, bargeboards, fascia boards and gates were meant to serve as visual indicators of social rank and status of the dwelling owners. ...
Public architecture in the Malay world refer to the relationships between the palaces and mosques and the changes highlight the evolution and the complexity of life brought about by Colonial-led modern changes starting from 18th centuries, spaces in these Malay palaces and Aristocrats homes or the public realm, had become more complex and thus their semantic identification and naming of elements have not been adequately addressed. The research will focus on the Malay Palace and aristocratic house and highlights on its ornamentation influence towards their colonial ruler. The ornamentation includes extended variations of the "larik", "papan ukir", "jerejak" and "kekisi". The paper maps the influence of external forces such as Colonisation on regional architecture and that time and suggests three substreams of stylistic development in Classical Malay architecture.
... 'The colonial builders were aware of this phenomenon and thus experimented with the proportion of the interior space, placement and amount of fenestration area with also some ideas of placement and sizes of air-wells. The colonial heritage also provided Malaysia with their version of the Malay House with louvred verandah and walls to replace the ornate serambi balustrade, the squat Palladian proportion to replace the high raised platforms and the hipped gable roof with ventilation openings…' (Utaberta, 2014). Fractal features are needed to create ordered diversity in many figurative ...
Classicality has always been related to a link with antiquities rooted in the Western world, rather than a characteristic of Eastern civilisation. Generally, the 'Classical' is not only related to Classical in the western style or form but understood as something ancient, rooted, simple in form and comprising of the hierarchy of formal elements. One major issue that has dominated the architecture field in Malaysia for many years concerns are the characteristic of Malay architecture and what is the Classical Malay architecture. The paper traces the characterisations of Classicality in Malay architecture through a thorough study of palaces and aristocrat's buildings in Malaysia. Six palaces had been marked from different sites and eras as the focus of studies regarding their proportions and elemental attributes of the frontal façade-these case studies selected as the sentinels or samples of successive evolutionary phases tendencies in classical Malay language of architecture. The case studies had a huge gap and carried the different history of evolution and changes in architecture throughout time in the context of global trends and local developments. The selected case studies are Istana Rokan Sumatera, Istana Balai Besar Kedah, Istana Hulu Perak, Baitul Rahmah Perak, Istana Sepachandera Kedah and eventually Istana Woodneuk Singapore. It is argued that while the earlier palaces reflect all attributes of Malay style, later expression reflect the cultural pressure of globalisation via Colonialism diffused from Colonial institutions. The paper highlight the five milestones of the Malay Classical Language, where the researchers found that, even under such pressure, certain features are still maintained to root the Malay essence of identity amidst the disappearing of traditional Malay identity in the modern world. The characters and the main elements of the Malay style which survived from the roots of Malay architecture were identified which later can be developed and become the public aristocratic architectural language for the new city urbanscape.
... 'The colonial builders were aware of this phenomenon and thus experimented with the proportion of the interior space, placement and amount of fenestration area with also some ideas of placement and sizes of air-wells. The colonial heritage also provided Malaysia with their version of the Malay House with louvred verandah and walls to replace the ornate serambi balustrade, the squat Palladian proportion to replace the high raised platforms and the hipped gable roof with ventilation openings…' (Utaberta, 2014). Fractal features are needed to create ordered diversity in many figurative ...
Classicality has always been related to a link with antiquities rooted in the Western world, rather than a characteristic of Eastern civilisation. Generally, the 'Classical' is not only related to Classical in the western style or form but understood as something ancient, rooted, simple in form and comprising of the hierarchy of formal elements. One major issue that has dominated the architecture field in Malaysia for many years concerns are the characteristic of Malay architecture and what is the Classical Malay architecture. The paper traces the characterisations of Classicality in Malay architecture through a thorough study of palaces and aristocrat's buildings in Malaysia. Six palaces had been marked from different sites and eras as the focus of studies regarding their proportions and elemental attributes of the frontal façade-these case studies selected as the sentinels or samples of successive evolutionary phases tendencies in classical Malay language of architecture. The case studies had a huge gap and carried the different history of evolution and changes in architecture throughout time in the context of global trends and local developments. The selected case studies are Istana Rokan Sumatera, Istana Balai Besar Kedah, Istana Hulu Perak, Baitul Rahmah Perak, Istana Sepachandera Kedah and eventually Istana Woodneuk Singapore. It is argued that while the earlier palaces reflect all attributes of Malay style, later expression reflect the cultural pressure of globalisation via Colonialism diffused from Colonial institutions. The paper highlight the five milestones of the Malay Classical Language, where the researchers found that, even under such pressure, certain features are still maintained to root the Malay essence of identity amidst the disappearing of traditional Malay identity in the modern world. The characters and the main elements of the Malay style which survived from the roots of Malay architecture were identified which later can be developed and become the public aristocratic architectural language for the new city urbanscape.
... Ornament is a language, part of the language of architecture; if it is to be more than pretty prattle it must have meaning. To those who would understand architecture, some grasp of the meanings to be found in ornament is necessary [12,13,14,15]. ...
Ornamentation is one of the elements in mosque which is almost considered as a compulsory element by the common people. Most of these ornaments are using the precedent from Middle East, such as geometry, floral and arabesque. Many architects are using revivalism approach of past architectural building such as the Putra Mosque, glorious son of Malaysia. The Putra mosque adopts distinct Islamic architecture that calls on a foreign eclectic revivalism (historicism design approach) of the Persian (Iranian) vocabulary found during the glorification of Safavid period. Ornamentation in Islamic building has recorded in many books. describe that one of the first ornamentation in Islamic Building found in Persia which is using revivalism approach in designing ornament in its column. Ornamentation is the key element that is used in most mosques all over the world. The aim of this writing is to provide the Charles Jencks’s approaches to evaluating ornamentation system in mosque especially in Malaysia.
Rumah Limas Bumbung Perak (RLBP) is one of the traditional Malay houses of Perak that can be seen in Perak Tengah. Perak Tengah is one of the regions in Perak with a rich collection of historical remnants such as traditional houses, tombs, and arts and crafts. The cultural heritage value it has is highly potential to be highlighted that can help boost the area's rural tourism. However, the lack of heritage interpretation due to limited research has disabled the effort to promote the rural heritage of Perak Tengah. Therefore, this research aims to understand and interpret the roof decorative architectural components of one of the traditional Malay houses of Perak, which is the RLBP, as part of the tangible heritage of Perak Tengah. Data collection was conducted using multiple case studies. A total of 20 roof decorative architectural components of RLBP have been analysed in the data analysis. The findings of this research contribute toward establishing the character and identity of the decorative architectural components of the RLBP as one of the tangible heritage values of Perak Tengah, thus enhancing the heritage interpretation of the area.
Public architecture in the Malay world refer to the relationships between the palaces and mosques and the changes highlight the evolution and the complexity of life brought about by Colonial-led modern changes starting from 18th centuries, spaces in these Malay palaces and Aristocrats homes or the public realm, had become more complex and thus their semantic identification and naming of elements have not been adequately addressed. The research will focus on the Malay Palace and aristocratic house and highlights on its ornamentation influence towards their colonial ruler. The ornamentation includes extended variations of the "larik", "papan ukir", "jerejak" and "kekisi". The paper maps the influence of external forces such as Colonisation on regional architecture and that time and suggests three sub streams of stylistic development in Classical Malay architecture.
The conference paper highlights the rationale of the importance in urbanism and urban policy of a research in the cultural mapping, classification and characterisation of different regional styles in aristocratic architecture in the Malay region in particular and South East Asia, in general. The disappearance of identity in growing cities must seek an alternative way to extract rules and templates from the variants of facades found in its vernacular 'classicalism' designs
The paper attempts to re-enact the framework of the 'vernacular' of Malay architecture while extending the classifications of its vernacular to include a Classical style ; defined as monumental vernacular expressions representing gradual stylistic changes and 'hybrid' constructions throughout the early modernisaton period of Malay history which coincides with its evolvement during the Colonial era. During this era, both structural, constructional and ornamental skills absorbed external influences without compromising its vernacular principles. Based on a group of case studies of palatial forms-i.e. palaces and aristocratic houses-from the late 19th and early 20th century-,ottfried Semper's anthropological definitions of the essence of the vernacular is used to categorise combinations of masonry and timber in the cases, seen as a manifestation of its heightened aesthetic style. Primarily, the different extents of the 'base' or 'mound' suggest four basic classifications arising from its construction and technology i.e. (1) the half-column plinth style , (2) the full column and half-plinth stereotomic style (3) the full column-wall stereotomic style; and the (4) the 'peristyle' with central stereotomic style. It is argued that the early modern period in the region, coincides with global conditions of 'neo-classicality ' and fusion and absorption of new modes and materials of construction. These evolve as new hybrid timber-masonry models that reflecting variants of a Classical-stylistic stream within the vernacular that is a natural consequence of modernity, rising prosperity and a new outlook into the world. By linking these to Semper's definition of the stereotomic and the tectonic, the meaning of the vernacular is extended beyond ' the indigenous' and its typical 'timber artisanal' language , into the 'hybrid'. In doing so,its expands what is generally known as Malay vernacular style to include hybrid variants that reflect the particular era of modernisation of the Malay world.In doing so, expands what is generally known as Malay vernacular architecture to include hybrid variants that reflect the particular era of modernisation of the Malay world.
