Architectural Profession and its Role Towards the Design of Administrative Architecture in Malaysia

Hazrina Haja Bava Mohidin,Eka Sediadi,Asrul Aminuddin,Farhana Mohd Razif,Aulia Rosni

doi:10.22452/jdbe.vol19no3.6

Abstract

The paper aims to discuss the role of architects in the evolution of three main formal administrative architectures in Malaysia. All these three chosen case studies housed the main seat of the government of the era. The main concern is to outline the evolution of the administrative architecture in Malaysia through understanding the factors that may influence the production of these national buildings. A case study approach as defined by Yin (2011) was applied by using interpretivist approach in order to understand the factors that may have influenced the design of these prominent administrative architecture in Malaysia. The research shows there is a significant tie between the architect as part of the decision-maker and the design of the administrative building, making the selection of the architects for the purpose of building an important national architecture very important. To date, the research on the administration building in Malaysia focuses on design aspects, and none discussed the relationship between the administrative buildings with the architects’ background with reference to societal conditions. The research is of value for clients as patrons of national projects to understand the syntax of ‘administrative architecture’ as these buildings are deemed as meaningful national symbols.

Highlights

A government administrative architecture is a particular type of building that accommodates the work of administrators despite their levels and houses the office of the government’s lawmakers (Vale, 2014)
Past studies have found out that the design of administrative architecture is highly linked with the political background of the country (Mohidin, 2015; Mohidin & Ismail, 2014; Mohidin et al, 2012), but none has discussed the role of the architects who were involved in shaping these prominent national symbols
In conclusion, it can be seen that the design of administrative architecture in Malaysia is greatly influenced by the background of professionals; the architect involved in the design process as well as the coexistence of political influences and the country’s societal conditions

Summary

Introduction

A government administrative architecture is a particular type of building that accommodates the work of administrators despite their levels and houses the office of the government’s lawmakers (Vale, 2014). This study tries to link the relationship between the administrative architecture with the architects who were involved in the design and construction processes of these national administrative buildings. Since this paper involves the investigation of interpreting on the building design to produce a specific understanding, interpretivism too is seen as an appropriate way for inquiring this study as the aim of the paper is to interpret the meaningful nature and concepts that are embodied in the built form (Groat and Wang, 2013). Interpretivist approach expresses the researcher experience and through interpreting setting and events (Yanow and Schwartz-Shea, 2015) This is vital in order to understand the building that is bound to a specific context and setting. For the purpose of this study, three administrative buildings were chosen based on the historical timeline when architecture began to be formalized as tabulated below.

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion