Design Values in Traditional Architecture: Malay House

E Hosseini, G Mursib, R Nafida, B Shahedi

Abstract

The characteristic of traditional architecture generates a congenial place through a sympathetic design of its cultural environment and local people. The historical precedents demonstrate how the characteristic of traditional architecture accumulates and embodied its significant of traditional values in the contemporary architecture. Studies have indicated on a common thought of supporting the concept of tradition, and its related features. Additionally, development of regional guidelines, base on theories such as regionalism, critical regionalism, modern regionalism, and vernacularism pose by theorists. In spite of all these activities, the constitutions of cultural and social values of many architects were being inattentive in contemporary architecture due to the globalization and international treat. Influencing such non-regional characteristics in contemporary design and forgetting the preceding knowledge in traditional practices have caused unsustainable contemporary designs. This paper seeks to discover the values of traditional architecture through exploration of Malay traditional house and demonstrated the potential of traditional architecture as an appropriate paradigmatic robust vehicle to innovate the contemporary architecture. The evidence derived from traditional Malay houses as cases to explore the enquiry of this paper. Data collected through observation and variety sources of documentation. The findings revealed the richness of traditional architecture design values by the means of preserving originality of contemporary architecture through consideration of traditional values and attributes. The paper concluded with a framework of cultural context in relation to regional contemporary architecture, which performed base on the values of traditional architecture.

Keywords: Tradition Malay house, Design values, culture, contemporary architecture