Brief timeline
• After 1942 (Japanese invasion) – winds of
change – put on path to independence
• 1948 – Federation of Malaya
• 1957 – Malaya Independence
• 1950s & 1960s – spread of motorised vehicles
in Europe and America – gave new prospect to
exports rubber
• 1963 – Malaysia Day – beginning of a new age
of prosperity due to rise of incomes in the west
and demand for commodities (tin and timber)
• 1967 – FMSA (The Federation of Malaya
Society of Architects) aka PAM are established.
Transformation era
• Nationalism – leading to independence 1957
• Establishment of PAM/FMSA (Pertubuhan Arkitek
Malaysia)
• Rapid urbanization
• Many graduated from abroad heading home to start new
design
• Strong demand in housing sector
• Expansion of international style, from Bauhaus
• New Economic Policy – special Malay Privilege
• Strong feel of patriotism – national songs, dance, culture
etc.
• Economy – growth rate
• Introduction of new materials
• The earlier generation of Malaysian architects – majority of
them received their education abroad (England, Australia
and New Zealand) in 1950s and 1960s.
• When came back to Malaysia, they introduced new
architectural style based on the philosophy of modern
movement which they had learned.
• The style denoted by the used of simple forms, straight
lines, minimal decoration on buildings.
Examples:
Flat in Jalan Pekeliling (Jalan Tun Razak)
General Hospital Kuala Lumpur
Bank Negara Malaysia
Komplek Pejabat Kerajaan ‘Federal House’
Kampus UiTM Shah Alam
Bangunan Terminal Lapangan Terbang Subang
Dewan Tunku Canselor Universiti Malaya
and other buildings
• A continuous process of architectural development
and transformation is a world wide phenomenon.
• Two main influential factors are the economy and
politics.
• The years between 1970s until 1980s witnessed the
greatest occurance of architectural transformation.
During that time the nation had entered a new era of
independence and supported by good economic
growth.
Architectural styles in M’sia
• ART DECO
• INTERNATIONAL STYLE
• NEOTRADITIONALISM
• REGIONAL STYLE
• MODERNISM / HIGH-TECH
• TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE / VERNICULAR
REVIVALISM
• SYMBOLISM / METAPHORE
• CLIMATE RESPONSIVE
• ISLAMIC DECORATIVE ELEMENTS
Art Deco
• Term art deco refers to a style of applied decoration made
fashionable in the late 1920s.
• With simple ornamentation, clean, rectilinear lines and
geometrical forms.
• Most commonly applied to facades of 1930s shophouses
and entertaining buildings.
• Examples : Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Lebuh Ampang
ART DECO
Typical devices of art deco – abstraction of a façade into strongly emphasized vertical and
horizontal elements, with decorative expression reduced to patterns of abstract geometrical shapes
ART DECO
International Style
• Term international style was to reflect the
internationalisation of European ‘compound’
architecture.
• Emphasized on VOLUME (not mass), REGULARITY
(not symmetry) and DEPENDENCE ON THE INTRINSIC
QUALITY OF MATERIALS (not applied decoration).
• Later design – used of glass, curtain walling and corner
left free of visible support. (air-conditioned future/not
considered the tropical climate)
• Rapid advances in technology during the war years and
the globalization of international trade through improved
communication technologies was beginning to break
down cultural barrier between different nations.
INTERNATIONAL STYLE
INTERNATIONAL STYLE
Neotraditionalism
• IN 1950s AND 1960s –Period of rethinking and
evaluating.
• Nationalist response to climate solution, vernacular
materials in construction and traditional identity.
• Used of sunshading devices, vernicular images and
symbolism.
• The development and transformation of architecture is an
ongoing process that takes place around the world.
NEOTRADITIONALISM
NEOTRADITIONALISM
• At the Bank Muamalat Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Dato
'Hisham Albakri used Malay palace elements. This is clearly visible in
the shape of the roof, the wall panels and the shape of its concrete
beams. The same situation can also be seen at Dewan Merdeka,
Putra World Trade Center, Kuala Lumpur. The roof shape of Malay
houses is also used on the airport terminal building in Penang.
• Another building that embodies this image is the Permodalan
Nasional Berhad (PNB) building in Jalan Tun Razak designed by
Dato ’Nik Mohamad
NEOTRADITIONALISM
NEOTRADITIONALISM
Regional Style
• BETWEEN 1957 TO 1970s – ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE THE
OPTIMUM DESIGN AND BEST EXPRESSION OF TROPICAL
HIGH-RISE. (JKR standard plans)
• USED OF STANDARD PLANS, ALTHOUGH REPETITIVE AND
STRAIGHTFORWARD, DO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF
PRODUCING A NUMBER OF BULDINGS. (fast to construct
and economic to build and maintain, and respond well to the
tropical climate)
• PUBLIC BUILDINGS - SCHOOLS, RURAL GOVERNMENTS
OFFICES, HEALTH CLINICS AND OTHER BUILDING FOR
PRACTICAL NEEDS (police stations etc)
REGIONAL STYLE
Modernism / High - Tech
• DORMANT ARCHITECTURE OF 1970s TO DATE.
(economic growth beyond expectation, and political
stability)
• Pure modernism that had arrives in late 1960s was
moulded and synthesized into the mutation and variants
characteristics.
MODERNISM / HIGH TECH
MODERNISM / HIGH TECH
Public and Private buildings
THEN
tTHEN THEN
NOW NOW
MODERNISM / HIGH TECH
THEN THEN
NOW
NOW
MODERNISM / HIGH TECH
Traditional Architecture / Vernacular
• Vernacular revivalism and vernacular traditions
• Design buildings in response to the local, tropical climate.
(Greater global awareness of the environment)
• Maximizing natural ventilation and lighting in buildings.
TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE / VERNACULAR
• The national spirit after the
era of independence has had
an impact in various fields
including culture, language,
education and architecture.
The design of the building has
begun to become more
decorative and diverse.
• For example, the architecture
at the National Museum
combines the shape of the
roof of a Riau house and the
conventional construction
techniques of a concrete
frame. The same goes for the
car porch space for the Hilton
Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
designed by Dato ’Kington
Loo.
TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE / VERNACULAR
The MARA Building in
Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala
Lumpur has used
vernacular features with
the use of ceramic tiles as
a finish on its exterior
walls. Certain patterns and
colors have been used to
create songkit cloth
patterns, one of the
handicrafts among the
Malays on the East Coast.
There is also an image of a
boat head on this building
which also refers to the
connection of the sea with
the activities of Malay life.
Symbolism / Metaphore
• Another approach to building design is to
incorporate elements of object, culture and
religion into the shape of the building. This is
called symbolism or metaphor.
• For example, Istana Budaya which has the
image of tepak sirih, something that is
closely related to Malay culture. The Balai
Senilukis Negara building was designed
with reference to the roof of a suckling
elephant in a traditional Malay house.
Similarly, the National Library building was
designed with the image of a hat worn by His
Majesty the Yang Di Pertuan Agong.
SYMBOLISM / METAPHORE
• Datuk Hijjas Kasturi has also designed
buildings based on symbolism, such as
Menara Tabung Haji, Menara Maybank.
The same goes for the Telekom tower
which is associated with bamboo shoots
SYMBOLISM / METAPHORE
• The National Mosque was designed
by Dato 'Baharuddin from Architect
Jurubina Bertiga. It was completed in
1964. Out of patriotic spirit as well as
depicting modernity, he no longer
used the dome as usual built on the
roof of the mosque.
• He used a folded, umbrella -shaped
roof that depicted the unity of the
ummah under the auspices of 13
states in Malaysia at that time. This
mosque has become a style of
imitation in district and village
mosques built in several states after
that.
SYMBOLISM / METAPHORE
In 1967, the Negeri Sembilan state
mosque in Seremban was built. It has a
symbolic roof made from the style of the
roof of a Minangkabau house which is
famous for its curved shape.
There are nine roof sections and each
one is separated by tall concrete
columns. This represents the total of
nine colonies in Negeri Sembilan Darul
Khusus.
Once again the architects have broken
the trend of style and perception of
conventional design on mosques in the
country by using a round plan shape
and not an oval.
Climate Responsive
• There are also among the architects who try to design buildings that
are responsive to the climatic conditions of the country.
• There are buildings that have solar light protection elements, among
the early buildings are the AIA building in Jalan Ampang Kuala
Lumpur, the Parliament of Malaysia building, the Kuala Lumpur City
Hall Building.
CLIMATE RESPONSIVE
The building designed by Dr. Ken Yeang,
on the other hand, has a wall that can
control the microclimate. He has tried to
cover a comprehensive way to adapt to the
local climate. He considered the building to
need to cool its own walls by allowing the
wind to swirl around the building.
Among his buildings is the ‘atrium’
apartment, IBM Tower in Taman Tun Dr.
Ismail and Menara Mesiniaga in Subang
Jaya (1992), Penang UMNO building
CLIMATE RESPONSIVE
• Other honorary mention :
• Diamond Building, Putrajaya (designed by NR Architect)
• KKR Tower, KL (designed by GDP Architect)
• heriot-watt university, Putrajaya (designed by Hijjas Kasturi)
Islamic Decorative Elements
• There are also architects who use these
features in the design of tower buildings.
• Decorations such as gates, domes and
Islamic geometric patterns are used on
buildings that are new landmarks in Kuala
Lumpur City.
• For example, the Daya Bumi building by
Malaysia Associates Architects which uses
floor plans such as Islamic geometric patterns
and high arches at the bottom of the building
walls. The ‘grill’ section which has an Islamic
geometric pattern acts as a sun screen
ISLAMIC DECORATIVE ELEMENTS
• Menara Tabung Haji
was designed by Dato
'Hijjas Kasturi. The 34
-storey tube -shaped
tower has five service
cores that are among
the main supports of
the tower and
symbolically refers to
the five pillars of
Islam.
