Adaptation of Malay Traditional Architecture on Newly Built Mosques in Kelantan

Abstract

Malay traditional architecture and mosque architecture are related in some design approaches, where traditional mosques are built with same design approaches as the traditional houses. Nevertheless, modern development has affected both mosque and house architectures, where the intervention of foreign influences started to assimilate with the traditional architecture. Some efforts are made to reinstate the traditional architecture such as adapting it on new building construction, including the mosques. Hence, this study aims to understand how the Malay traditional architecture can be adapted to the new building construction by choosing three newly built mosques in Kelantan as the case study. The characteristics of Malay traditional architecture and the adaptation of Malay traditional architecture’s design approaches on the newly built mosques are identified. Literature studies on the architectural qualities, construction system, building form and decorative elements of Malay traditional architecture, site observations on the adaptation of these elements, and interviews with the mosques’ committee members are carried out. Findings showed that all three mosques adapted the design approaches of Malay traditional architecture: however, some modifications have been made on the building materials and roof forms. Moreover, Javanese traditional architectures are also found to be adapted on some of the decorative elements.