Re-adaptation of Malay House Thermal Comfort Design Elements into Modern Building Elements – Case Study of Selangor Traditional Malay House & Low Energy Building in Malaysia

Abstract

The traditional Malay house is one of the richest components of Malay' s cultural heritage in Malaysia. Generally, the traditional Malay house is a reflection of the Malay community' s way of living. With greater global awareness of the environment and a renewed perspective on contemporary Malaysian architecture, architects and designers are once again looking for tropical solutions in building design. One of the main characteristics of traditional Malay house is that they are designed with a deep understanding and respect for nature, but this design- with-nature approach is no longer found in the modern buildings. The purpose is therefore to study the thermal comfort design elements such as building orientation, interior layout space, natural ventilation and lighting, window designs, and stack effect on the roof design. The investigation was carried out through observations, interviews and some research visits. A comprehensive research was accomplished on the adaptation of Malay house architecture elements with selected the Selangor traditional Malay house as the key study and one modern building which is the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology & Water (MEGTW) building, Putrajaya. This study attempts to have recorded information for those who are interested and for the future generation because the traditional Malay house was evolved by the Malays over generations, adapting to their needs, culture and environment. This study is crucial to revive the awareness in the understanding and appreciation of the technique of thermal comfort design elements of traditional Malay house adapted into modern building design.