MALAYSIA'S TERRACED HOUSING Towards An Environmentally Sustainable Future Sumita 1

MALAYSIA’S TERRACED HOUSING
Towards an Environmentally Sustainable Future
by
Sumita Jayapalasingam
Bachelor of Interior Architecture (Hons)
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Architecture
Deakin University
January 2009
DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
CANDIDATE DECLARATION
I certify that the thesis entitled
MALAYSIA’S TERRACED HOUSING

Towards an Environmentally Sustainable Future
submitted for the degree of
Master of Architecture
is the result of my own work and that where reference is made to the work of
others, due acknowledgment is given.
I also certify that any material in the thesis which has been accepted for a
degree or diploma by any university or institution is identified in the text.
Full Name.................................................………………………………….
(Please Print)
Signed ..................................................................................……………….
Date......................................................................................……………….
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS x
ABBRIEVIATIONS xi
1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Problem Statement and Research Aim 2
1.2 Research Approach 3
1.3 Outline of Thesis 4
2 LITERATURE REVIEW 6
2.1 Housing Malaysia’s Masses 7
2.1.1 Malaysia – A Brief Introduction 7
2.1.2 A Concise Historical Overview 8
2.1.3 The Terraced House 15
2.2 Regionalism – Architectural Identity 30
2.3 Green Design 35

2.3.1 Definitions 35
2.3.2 The Malaysian Government’s Involvement 39
2.4 Hypothesis 43
3 METHODOLOGY 44
3.1 Introduction 45
3.2 Questionnaire 48
3.3 Interviews 51
3.4 Case Studies 51
3.5 Analysis of Data 53
4 RESULTS 56
4.1 Results : Questionnaire 57
4.2 Results : Interviews 75
4.3 Results : Case Studies 76

4.3.1 Category 1 : Typical Terraced Housing 76
4.3.2 Category 2 : Connecting With The Environment 90
4.3.3 Category 3 : Alternative Options 94
iii
5 DISCUSSION 107
5.1 Introduction 108
5.2 Malaysia’s Terraced Housing in the Twenty-First Century 109

5.2.1 Greenery 110
5.2.2 Spatial Organisation 111
5.2.3 Thermal Comfort 113
5.2.4 Energy Consumption 113
5.2.5 Conclusion 115
5.3 Responses from the Environment 115
5.4 Roles and Responsibilities 118

5.4.1 General Population 118
5.4.2 Developers 120
5.4.3 Industry Professionals 120
5.4.4 Government Bodies 121
5.4.5 Summary 122
6 CONCLUSION 123
6.1 Findings 124
6.2 Limitations of the Research 124
6.3 Further Research 125
APPENDICES 126
APPENDIX 1 – The People of Malaysia 127
APPENDIX 2 – Malaysia’s Architectural Chronology 130
APPENDIX 3 – Plain Language Statement & Consent Form 133
APPENDIX 4 – Letter of Invitation 139
APPENDIX 5 – Fact Sheet and Questionnaire 140
APPENDIX 6 – Guidelines for Extensions to Terraced Houses in Kuala Lumpur 147
APPENDIX 7 – 20 Trees Marketing Excerpts 174
APPENDIX 8 – Housing Price Categories in Malaysia 176
APPENDIX 9 – Newspaper Articles : Landslide 177
REFERENCES 183
iv
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 Houses with Austronesian influences. 9
Figure 2.2 Orang Asli homes in the Taman Negara (National Park) forest. 10
Figure 2.3 A Malay House in Sandakan, Sabah. 10
Figure 2.4 An illustration of a longhouse belonging to the Orang Ulu ethnic group. 11
Figure 2.5 The Malaccan townhouse. 17
Figure 2.6 An axonometric illustration of a Malaccan townhouse. 17
Figure 2.7 The early settlements in Kuala Lumpur-1884. 19
Figure 2.8 An axonometric illustration of a shophouse. 20
Figure 2.9 English terraced houses in Reading- c.1900. 20
Figure 2.10 Early Chinese shophouses (L) & the earliest form of the terraced house (R) 21
Figure 2.11 A generic terraced housing development with 24’x80’ homes in Selangor
scheduled for completion in June 2009. 23
Figure 2.12 Rows of terraced housing dominate the residential scene in Bangsar. 25
Figure 2.13 General modifications to the terraced house. 26
Figure 2.14 Summary of Supply of Residential Units by Type in Malaysia 27
Figure 2.15 Summary of Supply of Residential Units by Type in Malaysia 29
Figure 2.16 A colonial bungalow: the Agnes Keith house, Sandakan, Sabah. 32
Figure 2.17 The Amanda Superlink Home – D’Kayangan Township. 33
Figure 2.18 The Amanda Superlink Home Floor Plan. 33
Figure 3.1 An overall diagram of the research process 45
Figure 3.2 Outline of research methodology 46
Figure 3.3 Percentage breakdown of participants 49
Figure 4.1 Percentage breakdown of response to Question 1 57
Figure 4.2 Site Plan – Bukit Prima Pelangi 2 Storey Terraced Houses 76
Figure 4.3 Location Map – Bukit Prima Pelangi 2 Storey Terraced Houses 77
Figure 4.4 Streetscape – Bukit Prima Pelangi 2 Storey Terraced Houses 77
Figure 4.5 Intermediate Lot Layout Plan – Bukit Prima Pelangi 78
Figure 4.6 Rear of houses and back lane – Bukit Prima Pelangi 79
Figure 4.7 This adjacent housing development, by the same developer 79
Figure 4.8 Streetscape – Bukit Prima Pelangi 2 Storey Terraced Houses 80
Figure 4.9 Intermediate Lot Elevations – Bukit Prima Pelangi 80
Figure 4.10 Intermediate Lot Cross Section – Bukit Prima Pelangi 81
Figure 4.11 Location Map – Opal 2 Storey Terraced Houses 82
Figure 4.12 Streetscape – Opal 2 Storey Terraced Houses 83
Figure 4.13 Intermediate Lot Layout Plan – Opal 2 Storey Terraced Houses 83
Figure 4.14 Front Facade – Opal 2 Storey Terraced Houses 84
Figure 4.15 Rear of houses – Opal 2 Storey Terraced Houses 84
Figure 4.16 Location Map – Studio M 2 Storey Terraced Houses 86
Figure 4.17 Intermediate Lot Layout Plan – Studio M 2 Storey Terraced Houses 87
v
Figure 4.18 Show Unit Front Facade – Studio M 2 Storey Terraced Houses 88
Figure 4.19 Show unit interior – Studio M 2 Storey Terraced Houses 88
Figure 4.20 Artist’s Impression – 20 Trees 3 Storey Terraced Houses 90
Figure 4.21 Location Map – 20 Trees 3 Storey Terraced Houses 91
Figure 4.22 Site Plan – 20 Trees 91
Figure 4.23 Type B1A Layout Plan – 20 Trees 3 Storey Terraced Houses 92
Figure 4.24 Type B1 Garden Home Front Facade - 20 Trees 93
Figure 4.25 Site Plan – Nong Chik Heights 95
Figure 4.26 A generic honeycomb housing layout & a generic terraced housing layout. 95
Figure 4.27 Location Map – Nong Chik Heights 96
Figure 4.28 Artist’s Impression of Layout – Nong Chik Heights 96
Figure 4.29 Artist’s Impression – Quadruplex & Sextuplex – Nong Chik Heights 97
Figure 4.30 Quadruplex Layout Plan – Nong Chik Heights 98
Figure 4.31 Quadruplex drawings – Nong Chik Heights 100
Figure 4.32 Sextuplex Layout Plan – Nong Chik Heights 101
Figure 4.33 Sextuplex drawings – Nong Chik Heights 102
Figure 4.34 Thermal comfort levels achieved with an insulated roof and mechanical
ventilation. 103
Figure 4.35 An artist’s impression of the terraced house prototype 104
Figure 4.36 UKM lecturer and researcher Mazlan Tahir with a scaled model of the terraced
house prototype 105
Figure 4.37 A cross section diagram of the terraced house prototype 106
Figure 4.38 A diagram illustrating the prefabricated modular panels that would form the walls
and floors, accommodating various configurations 106
Figure 5.1 Abstract of Case Study Analysis 110
Figure 5.2 The slope for the Damansara 21 development. 117
vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Malaysian Architectural Chronology - Extracts 15

Table 3.1 Questionnaire target groups and number of responses received 49
Table 3.2 Data sources for case studies 52
Table 4.1 Response to Question 1 57
Table 4.4 Further Breakdown of Response to Question 3 61
Table 4.15 Breakdown of Response to Question 10 71
Table 4.18 Response to Question 11(a) 74
Table 5.1 Land-use efficiency based on generic layouts in Figure 4.27. 112
vii
ABSTRACT
The study builds on and contributes to existing studies in the implementation

of environmentally sustainable elements into Malaysia’s housing
developments for the general population. It concentrates on the terraced
house typology because it is most common in the form of a single storey or
double storey unit, and is the dominant form of housing in Malaysia.
Studies in this area have examined the feasibility of using different

construction methods and materials, and developed prototype housing
models as environmentally sustainable alternatives for the Malaysian
terraced house typology. However, there has not been enough focus on
producing such housing from developers or the government. This study
provides additional insight into where the current focus is on housing
developments incorporating environmentally sustainable elements, and
possible future directions of such housing developments. Although these
housing developments exist in other countries, based on the scope of the
literature review, it appears that little analytic attention has been paid towards
identifying methods and strategies that will enable the creation of
environmentally sustainable housing developments for Malaysia’s general
population.
The data analysis for this study involves information gathered from primary
sources and secondary sources comprising house plans, papers, journals,
newspaper articles, reports, a questionnaire, interviews and case studies.
The questionnaire was created to obtain personal opinions and perceptions
of home owners, developers and industry professionals on the topic of
terraced housing design in Malaysia with a focus on environmental
sustainability. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the willing
participants in the form of further discussions on the responses given in the
questionnaire. Categories of case studies were formed to group the various
housing projects that were looked at in order to understand terraced housing
in Malaysia. The categories consist of typical terraced housing
developments, terraced housing developments purporting to adopt
viii
environmentally sustainable elements and alternatives to the current form of
terraced housing.
The findings of this study discuss the feasibility of enabling the incorporation
of environmentally sustainable elements into housing developments for
Malaysia’s general population. This is done by looking at the reasons why
such elements have not been incorporated into these housing developments
and discussing methods of implementation.
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank Dr Mirjana Lozanovska and Dr David Beynon of the School of

Architecture and Building of Deakin University, for their supervision, patience,
guidance and support throughout the course of this thesis.
I would also like to thank all the participants involved with this research
project for their contributions, valuable time and insight.
Sumita Jayapalasingam
x
ABBRIEVIATIONS
IBS Industrialised Building System

KLCH Kuala Lumpur City Hall
NMP Ninth Malaysia Plan
RM Ringgit Malaysia - the Malaysian currency unit
SDB Selangor Dredging Berhad
xi
1 INTRODUCTION
Introduction
1.1 Problem Statement and Research Aim
“For people always seem to have known how to produce the habitat they
need, as naturally and intuitively as birds build nests.”1 -Charles Correa
This thesis concentrates on the terraced house typology because it is

presently the dominant form of housing in Malaysia, and is most common in
the form of a single storey or double storey unit.
Malaysia’s vernacular homes such as the Orang Asli2 dwellings, the Malay
house and the longhouse, as well as the original Malaysian terraced house
typologies were built to comfortably accommodate its occupants in the
tropical climate. However, in the current Malaysian context, the intuition
mentioned above by Correa, appears to have been somewhat clouded by
today’s ever-present technology, as the natural environment is ignored and a
more acceptable version of the climate is tailored to accommodate the built
environment with the use of active cooling systems such as air conditioning
units. Besides the issue of thermal comfort, this study also addresses the
effects of housing developments on the natural environment.
This thesis hypothesises that the terraced housing presently being built to
accommodate Malaysia’s general population does not contain
environmentally sustainable elements. Consequently, for housing developers
to produce housing developments for Malaysia’s general population which
incorporate environmentally sustainable elements, there is a need to
establish if the lack of such elements is perceived as a problem by members
of the general population, building and construction industry professionals,
housing developers and the government.
1
Lim, W & Tan, HB 1998, Contemporary Vernacular – Evoking Traditions in Asian Architecture, Select Books,
Singapore, pp.10.
2
Orang Asli translates into English directly as ‘Original People’. Orang = people ; Asli = original. Refer to Appendix
1 for further information on the Orang Asli.
2
Introduction
Studies in this area have examined the feasibility of using different

construction methods and materials, and have developed prototype housing
models as environmentally sustainable alternatives for the Malaysian
terraced house typology. However, there has not been enough focus from
developers or the government on producing such housing. This study
provides additional insight into the position of terraced housing developments
incorporating environmentally sustainable elements in the Malaysian context,
and possible future directions of such housing developments.
Although these housing developments exist in other countries, based on the

scope of the literature review, it appears that little analytic attention has been
paid towards identifying methods and strategies that will enable the creation
of environmentally sustainable housing developments for Malaysia’s general
population.
The thesis aims to identify the factors that are enabling the current production
of terraced housing developments for Malaysia’s general population which
are lacking environmentally sustainable elements. Doing so will allow for
possible solutions to be put forward to improve the relationship between
these housing developments and the surrounding natural environment.
1.2 Research Approach
The data analysis for this study involves information gathered from primary
sources and secondary sources comprising house plans, papers, journals,
newspaper articles, reports, a questionnaire, interviews and case studies.
The questionnaire was created to obtain personal opinions and perceptions
of home owners, developers and industry professionals on the topic of
terraced housing design in Malaysia with a focus on environmental
sustainability.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the willing participants in the

form of further discussions on the responses given in the questionnaire.
3
Introduction
Categories of case studies were formed to group the various housing

projects that were looked at in order to understand terraced housing in
Malaysia. The categories consist of typical terraced housing developments,
terraced housing developments purporting to adopt environmentally
sustainable elements and alternatives to the current form of terraced
housing.
1.3 Outline of Thesis
The Literature Review chapter begins with discussing housing for Malaysia’s
masses by providing a brief introduction to Malaysia, which is followed by a
concise historical overview of the country’s housing and a section on the
Malaysian terraced house and its origins.
Theoretical issues pertaining to regionalism and architectural identity are

briefly discussed in the Malaysian context. The definitions and principles of
green and sustainable design are discussed towards the end of this chapter.
This section ends with outlines and aims of the Malaysian government in
relation to environmentally sustainable design. A hypothetical statement
concludes this chapter.
The Methodology chapter discusses the methods employed to tackle the

hypothesis. Mixed methodologies comprising qualitative and quantitative
approaches are used to gather data. The nature of the questionnaire,
interviews and case studies are addressed before the chapter concludes with
a discussion of the data analysis process.
The Results chapter compiles and analyses the outcomes of the

questionnaire and interviews. The case studies are analysed and compared
using four categories : Greenery, Spatial Organisation, Thermal Comfort and
Energy Consumption.
4
Introduction
The Discussion chapter summarises the outcomes of the Results chapter

and elaborates on the various factors that will enable a better relationship
between housing developments for Malaysia’s general population and the
natural environment.
The Conclusion chapter states the findings of this thesis and discusses its
implications. This thesis draws its conclusions primarily from the
questionnaire and interview results as well as the analysis of data from the
case studies.
5
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature Review
2.1 Housing Malaysia’s Masses
2.1.1 Malaysia – A Brief Introduction
Situated in the South East Asian region, the Federation of Malaysia

comprises Peninsula Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the
island of Borneo. Located between 2º and 7º north of the Equator, Peninsula
Malaysia is separated from the states of Sabah and Sarawak by the South
China Sea.3 Peninsular Malaysia shares its northern border with Thailand and
has Singapore as its southern neighbour. Sabah and Sarawak both share its
borders with Indonesia while Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei.
The tropical climate provides warm, humid weather all year round.
Temperatures in the lowlands range from 21ºC to 32ºC, and in the highlands
range between 15°C to 25°C.4 The mean monthly humidity range is 70% to
90%.5 Coastal areas are exposed to trade winds, while inland areas are
windless, resulting in thermal stress during the day.6 Annual rainfall, usually
in the form of thunderstorms varies from 2000mm to 2500mm.7
Malaysia is considered one of Asia’s most culturally diverse nations with its
multi-ethnic, multicultural population comprising Malays, Chinese, Indians
and more than 200 tribal indigenous ethnic groups.8 Over 27 million9 people
live in this country, with seventy per cent concentrated in Peninsular
Malaysia.10 The average household comprises 4.6 persons.11
3
Tourism Malaysia, About Us-Fast Facts, retrieved 14 November 2008,
<http://www.tourism.gov.my/en/about/facts.asp>
4
Ibid.
5
Malaysia Meteorological Department, retrieved 14 November 2008,
<http://www.met.gov.my/english/education/climate/climate04.html>
6
Ahmad, SS 2008, ‘Kuala Lumpur: A Hot Humid Climate’, in R Hyde (ed), Bioclimatic Housing – Innovative designs
for warm climates, Sterling, London, pp.269.
7
8
UNICEF Malaysia, Malaysia – Nationhood in Progress, retrieved 14 November 2008,
<http://www.unicef.org/malaysia/overview.html>
Refer to Appendix 1 for further information on the people of Malaysia.
9
10
UNICEF Malaysia, Malaysia – Nationhood in Progress, retrieved 14 November 2008,
<http://www.unicef.org/malaysia/overview.html>
11
UNDP in Malaysia, retrieved 14 November 2008, <http://www.undp.org.my/index.php?navi_id=8>
7
Literature Review
Manufacturing constitutes the largest single component of Malaysia's

economy, which has tourism and commodities such as petroleum, palm oil,
natural rubber and timber as other major contributors.12
2.1.2 A Concise Historical Overview
This section aims to briefly discuss Malaysia’s history of housing for the
general population. Malaysia’s vernacular houses, with the exception of the
simple makeshift shelters of nomadic groups, are in essence post and beam
structures raised on stilts, with gabled roofs and permeable walls and
flooring.
These vernacular houses are built by the occupants or members of the

community to suit their socioeconomic, cultural and environmental
requirements. Besides being flexible with their design and the use of the
interior spaces, these houses accommodate the tropical climate fairly well.
The types of vernacular houses found in Malaysia generally consist of three
main types: Orang Asli dwellings, the Malay house, and the longhouse.
Vernacular homes in Malaysia take on a range of forms with subtle

differences. The process of seeking the origins of these vernacular homes
leads to the Austronesian-speaking seafarers whose migrations through
South East Asia and Oceania began at least 6000 years ago13. The use of
the post-and-beam method of construction, with raised floors is probably the
most distinct features of the Austronesian house architecture.
12
13
Fee, CV 1998, The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, Vol. 5: Architecture, Archipelago Press, Singapore, pp.14.
8
Literature Review
Figure 2.1 Houses with Austronesian influences.

Source : Fee, CV 1998, The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, Vol. 5: Architecture, Archipelago
Press, Singapore, pp.17.
There are 18 distinct Orang Asli groups which live on the Malay peninsula.
The three main groups are the Negritos in the north, the Senoi in the centre
and the Proto-Malays in the south.14 The Orang Asli traditional forest
dwellings are basic timber shelters with thatch roofs. These dwellings are
built to perform as basic shelters as the Orang Asli regard the forests as their
home and they do not have to store material goods.
It is uncertain what the future holds in regards to maintaining their cultural

identity because even though there are still some Orang Asli who continue to
live in their traditional dwellings in the forest, a growing number have moved
14
9
Literature Review
to zinc-roofed raised houses on the outskirts of small towns as a result of

rapid modernisation.15
Figure 2.2 Orang Asli homes in the Taman Negara (National Park) forest.
Source : S.Jayapalasingam’s photograph – 2007.
The Malay house styles differ slightly based on their locations throughout the
different states on the Malay peninsula. Evolving throughout the years, the
Malay house is typically constructed using local materials, methods and
craftsmanship.
Figure 2.3 A Malay House in Sandakan, Sabah.

Source : S.Jayapalasingam’s photograph – 2008.
The generic features of the Malay house are the posts which support the
raised house, and its high steeply sloping roof with gables at both ends. The
15
10
Literature Review
house is constructed with prefabricated timber components. The roofing

generally at present, has evolved from the thatch roof made of palm leaves,
to zinc sheets which fail to match the insulation properties of the thatch roof.
The thatch roof provided an acceptable level of thermal comfort.
In West Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, the common traditional vernacular

dwelling was the longhouse. The form and layout of the longhouse varied
according to the ethnic groups who built them, as well as the relationships
between families and the community. The longhouses housed hundreds of
people, ranging from 20 to 80 apartments per unit.16 With several families
being accommodated in each longhouse, generally, each family has its own
private unit but shares communal areas such as the area for drying crops or
the gallery for social activities.17These houses were built on stilts, using the
materials from the surrounding environment such as timber and bamboo. The
houses had pitched roofs made with thatched leaves or bamboo.
Figure 2.4 An illustration of a longhouse belonging to the Orang Ulu ethnic

group.
Source: Fee, CV 1998, The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, Vol. 5: Architecture, Archipelago
The raised floor being a key element of the local vernacular architecture, has
its advantages. Some of these advantages are as follows18:
(i) Using stilts enables the building to work better with the natural
terrain, when it comes to creating a level floor.
(ii) In low lying, flood prone areas, raised dwellings will not be
seriously affected by flash floods.
16
17
Ibid.
18
Chai, ML 2007(18 March), ‘Houses on stilts exude a rustic charm’, New Sunday Times, pp.31.
11
Literature Review
(iii) The raised floor also provides the occupants with an increased
level of privacy as there is no direct visual connection at eye level
from the streets.
(iv) Levels of internal thermal comfort are increased as direct heat from
the ground is diffused and the raised level optimises the
opportunity for the interiors to be naturally ventilated with land
breezes.
The following table comprises relevant extracts from S.Vlatseas’s Malaysian

architectural chronology.19
Period Architectural Origins / Influences

Pre-16th c. 40000-2500 -The earliest inhabitants of the region (the Orang Asli
Century BCE Negritos) build temporary shelters of saplings and
palm leaf thatch, the prototype of the first indigenous
dwelling.
c. 2800-500 -Houses built on posts are probably introduced to

BCE Sabah and Sarawak via Austronesian sea migrations.
-Orang Asli Senoi houses are constructed with poles,
bamboo, palm thatch and rattan.
-Hindu-Buddhist beliefs introduced through trade

500-1300 CE contacts are incorporated into existing indigenous
beliefs, Permanent architecture in brick, stone and
laterite blocks appear in the form of Buddhist and
Hindu shrines.
500-1300 CE -The arrival of Islam in the 14th Century greatly

influences Malay culture and tradition.
-A new state, Malacca, is formed. Chinese and
Portuguese accounts describe wooden palaces, watch
towers and palisades located in Malacca.
th
16 1500 -The Spice Trade between the East and West
19
Fee, CV 1998, The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, Vol. 5: Architecture, Archipelago Press, Singapore, pp.8-9.
Refer to Appendix 2 for detailed chronology.
12
Literature Review
Century develops Malacca into a vast, cosmopolitan trading

centre in which Tamils, Arabs, Chinese, Persians,
Javanese and others each live in their own quarters in
the town.
-In the countryside, the houses of the Malays are
raised off the ground on trees trunks or bamboo posts.
Immigrants and traders from Minangkabau, Sumatra,
introduce their house-building techniques and forms,
such as the shallow ‘U’ shaped curved roof.
-Chinese settlers introduce traditional elements such
as courtyards and masonry staircases.
-On the east coast of the peninsula, immigrants from
southern Thailand introduce their artistic traditions and
house styles which include high-pitched roofs.
1511 -The Portuguese conquer Malacca and it becomes the

centre of their eastern trading empire.
th
17 1641 -The Dutch take over Malacca from the Portuguese
Century and control it as a trade emporium until 1824.
-A permanent settlement of shopkeepers, craftsmen
and farmers from southern China establishes itself in
the early 17th Century, although Chinese traders came
and settled as early as the 14th Century. Many of these
early settlers come without their families and form
marriage and working ties with the local population.
The Baba-Nyonya culture is formed. They develop a
distinctive brand of the Malay language, dress, food
and customs, but maintain the traditional Chinese
urban house form.
-The earliest types of townhouses, or row houses in
Malacca are built during the Dutch occupation. They
are much deeper than elsewhere in the country, often
extending from one street back to the next. Some of
these houses had their back out to the sea allowing
goods to be loaded and access to water transportation.
th
18 1786 -Captain Francis Light founded Penang. This signals
13
Literature Review
Century the start of British involvement in the Malay Peninsula,

which is to have a profound influence on the political
system, administration, architecture and lifestyle of the
country.
-The Malayan bungalow emerges, a mixture of
European and local features, such as timber posts and
thatched roofs.
1795 -The British disembark in Malacca where they

establish a joint Anglo-Dutch administration. Malacca
goes into a decline as Penang and Singapore emerge
as trading posts.
th
19 1824 -The Dutch are assigned Indonesia while the British
Century set up the Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and
Singapore in 1826, and continue their process of
expansion in the country.
1869 -New tin mines open in Perak and Selangor and lead
to the growth of small towns. There is a mass
migration of Chinese labourers to the tin mines, who
bring with them their traditional dwelling design. Two-
storey shophouses become common in all new towns.
1877 -Indentured labourers from South India and Ceylon are

brought in to work on rubber plantations.
1885 -The narrow-fronted townhouse becomes the prototype

house of the urban Chinese in major towns. In 1884,
the British introduce formal building by-laws.
1896 -Kuala Lumpur, located in Selangor is made the capital

of the Federated Malays States. Tremendous growth
and a building boom ensues, due to the colonial
government and private enterprise.
-Although solid masonry replaces timber and thatch in
the towns, the Malays and indigenous groups continue
to live in their own style of housing. Civil servants and
14
Literature Review
colonial entrepreneurs live in spacious wooden

bungalows raised on brick piers.
th
20 1920s-1930s -European and Chinese merchants, the nouveau riche
Century of the time, build vast, opulent mansions. Ornate
facades are grafted onto traditional Chinese
shophouses.
-Most urban dwellers live in modest link houses ( also
known as row houses or terraced houses), and in most
rural areas, timber dwellings continue to reflect local
styles.
1950s-1960s -Mass migration to the cities results in the creation of

new towns. Terraced housing developments increase.
1980s-1990s -Increased urban migration and a growing middle class

result in a demand for mass residential housing on the
outskirts of towns. The traditional urban shophouse is
no longer the choice of residence for the general urban
population.
Table 2.1 Malaysian Architectural Chronology - Extracts

(Refer to Appendix 2 for full chronology)
2.1.3 The Terraced House
Origins of the Terraced House

Moving on to another typology; the Malaysian terraced house has its origins
associated with the Malaccan townhouses which date back to the
seventeenth century and the Chinese shophouses which date back to the
nineteenth century.
The earliest types of townhouses or row houses were built in Malacca during
the Dutch occupation in the seventeenth century. The architectural influences
on these townhouses were Chinese and Dutch. The Chinese influences were
identified by the unique roofs with rounded gabled ends, which originated in
15
Literature Review
China, and they were tiled with Chinese clay tiles. As for the Dutch
influences, according to Chun, Hassan and Noordin, from the Universiti Sains
Malaysia’s School of Housing, Building and Planning, these townhouses
were very similar to the traditional Dutch row houses as:
“ (i) The brickwork of the drainage system has its own characteristics.
(ii) The material used for the steps at the main entrance and at the doorway
of the passage leading into the air well, indicated the social status of the
owner.
(iii) The hood which existed above the kitchen was made of wood.”20
A number of the Chinese traders who stopped by at the Malaccan port chose
to settle down in Malacca as early as the fourteenth century. In the early
seventeenth century, a settlement of shopkeepers, craftsmen and farmers
from southern China was established.21 As these Chinese migrants were all
men, they married the local Malay women, resulting in a community of Sino-
Malayans also known as Baba-Nyonya people.
The dwellings of these settlers were in the form of the Malaccan townhouse,
which was of Chinese origin, fused with Malay and European influences. In
the mid seventeenth century, Malacca, which was a Portuguese colony, was
taken over by the Dutch. The Dutch remained until the British took over in the
late eighteenth century.
20
Chun, HK, Hassan, AS & Noordin, NM, An Influence of Colonial Architecture to Building Styles and Motifs in
Colonial Cities in Malaysia, 8th International Conference of the Asian Planning Schools Association, 11-14th
September 2005, retrieved 3 February 2008,
<http://www.apsa2005.net/FullPapers/PdfFormat/Full%20Paper%20(AH)/Ho%20Kah%20Chun.pdf>
21
16
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Figure 2.5 The Malaccan townhouse.

Figure 2.6 An axonometric illustration of a Malaccan townhouse.

Source : Vlatseas, S 1990, A History of Malaysian Architecture, Longman, Singapore, pp.99.
The Malaccan townhouse is generally 10 meters wide and stretches to a

depth of about 68 meters.22 These houses have internal courtyards which
allow for air and light to enter the long narrow edifice which is otherwise
closed off from the outside world. According to Ismail, a Universiti Teknologi
22
17
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Malaysia lecturer with an architectural background, this townhouse typology

reflected the desire of the Chinese settlers to copy dwellings in China. She
states that it is surprising the townhouses occupied such narrow elongated
sites, when there was an abundance of land in Malacca at the time they were
constructed.23
Ismail concludes that it is possible that the Chinese settlers simply wanted to
replicate the houses in their homeland, which occupied such narrow plots.
The influences of the Malay house can be seen in the form of the external
main front door which is only half solid, a pintu pagar (fence door) allowing
light and air through when the internal main front doors were open.24 The
European influences appear in the form of decorative elements such as the
Palladian and Baroque details on the pediments and pillars.
Malaysia became a British colony in the early nineteenth century.25 The

opening of tin mines caused the growth of small towns. People from China
came to work in the mines, and they brought with them their traditional
building designs. The architectural influences of the Chinese were
materialised in the form of the two-storey shophouse or the townhouse.
The Chinese mine workers who formed a significant part of the new mining
towns, initially lived and worked in atap (thatched leaves) shophouses26,
constructed with elements derived from the Malay vernacular typologies. In
Kuala Lumpur, one of the early mining towns, these atap shophouses were
replaced with two-storey brick shophouses due to a major fire in 1881. The
brick buildings with tiled roofs were seen as a lesser form of a fire hazard.
23
Ismail, WHW 2005, Houses In Malaysia – Fusion of the East and the West, Penerbit Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia, Johor, pp.24.
24
25
Malaysia, formerly known as Malaya, gained her independence from the British in 1957.
Population and Housing Census 2000, retrieved 1 March 2008,
<http://www.statistics.gov.my/english/census/pressdemo.htm>
26
“Atap shophouses were the first physical mark of the Chinese n all major settlements of Malaya.”
Kohl, DG 1984, Chinese architecture in the Straits Settlements and western Malaya : temples, kongsis, and houses,
Heinemann Asia, Kuala Lumpur, pp.179.
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Figure 2.7 The early settlements in Kuala Lumpur-1884.

The shophouse was a common type of dwelling in Southern China, and

similarities to the Malaysian shophouse can be drawn from the elongated
plans, ornamentation and external facades.27 The Malaysian shophouse also
featured internal courtyards, which were a typical feature of the homes in
Southern China.
The British may have influenced certain elements based on the English
terraced houses which were, at that point in time, a common form of housing
in England. The lower levels of these Malaysian shophouses were used for
business, and the upper levels served as residences. They had an average
width of 6 meters and a depth of 30 meters. Like their Malaccan townhouse
counterparts, the Chinese shophouses in Malaysia featured European
decorative elements on their facades.
27
Ismail, WHW 2005, Houses In Malaysia – Fusion of the East and the West, Penerbit Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia, Johor, pp.21-23.
19
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Figure 2.8 An axonometric illustration of a shophouse.

Source : Vlatseas, S 1990, A History of Malaysian Architecture, Longman, Singapore, pp.92.
Figure 2.9 English terraced houses in Reading- c.1900.

Source : Muthesius, S 1982, The English Terraced House, Yale University Press, London,
pp.191.
20
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Figure 2.10 Early Chinese shophouses (L) & the earliest form of the terraced
house (R)
Source : Ahmad, AG, Southern Chinese Architecture, retrieved 6 February 2008,
<http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/chinese__architecture.htm>
In the early twentieth century, most urban dwellers occupied shophouses

which became a common feature in all the new towns. The Malays and
indigenous groups outside the towns, continued to live in their own style of
housing. Tihough these masonry shophouses did not tread lightly on the
ground like the vernacular architecture did, they had architectural design
elements which allowed the occupants to live comfortably with the tropical
climate.
Some of the key features were the jack roofs, air wells and courtyards which
kept the interiors well ventilated. The sheltered veranda also known as the
‘five foot way’ in front of the main entrances which allowed for pedestrians to
access the shops without being affected by the elements of nature, such as
the harsh direct sunlight or rain.
According to historian Kohl, the shophouses made possible the combination

of high population density and intensity of economic activity in the Chinatown
areas of Malaysian towns28. During the latter half of the twentieth century, as
the cities expanded, and levels of rural-urban migration increased, the
shophouse eventually became used purely for businesses and urban housing
28
Kohl, DG 1984, Chinese architecture in the Straits Settlements and western Malaya : temples, kongsis, and
houses, Heinemann Asia, Kuala Lumpur, pp.172.
21
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took on the form of the single or double storey terraced house, also known as
the row house or link house.
Terraced Housing : 20th – 21st Century

Though Malaysia’s terraced house plans have been drawn and re-drawn
over the years, the lot size has remained the same averaging 20’x65’ (6
meters x 19.5 meters) to 22’x70’ (6.6 meters x 21 meters). The variations of
these lot sizes range from anything between 16’x50’ (4.8 meters x 15 meters)
for housing at the lower end of the market to 24’x100’ (7.2 meters x 30
meters) for more residences at the upper end of the market.29 The typical
single storey terrace contains 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms, and the typical
double storey terrace contains 5 rooms and 3 bathrooms.
This terraced house typology, found in the major cities and towns across the
country, appears to have evolved from the early shophouse. Key elements
relating to thermal comfort and the relationship of the spaces with the
surrounding natural environment have not been carried through. They include
the amount of natural light that fills the interior spaces and adequate cross
ventilation. These elements which are lacking in the current terraced house
typology affect the quality of the occupants’ life. Figure 2.11, representing a
generic terraced house, illustrates the exclusion of a courtyard; an
architectural design element present in the early shophouse and Malaccan
townhouse.
The ever increasing number of housing developments in and around major

cities in Peninsular Malaysia have been fuelled by rural-urban migration. The
obvious result of this rural-urban migration is an increasing urban population,
which consists mainly of a burgeoning middle class and the industrial working
class with a strong purchasing power.30 Twenty-first century terraced housing
developments in major towns and cities cater to a varying range of
socioeconomic backgrounds, leaning more towards the middle to high-end
29
Davis, MP, Ghazali, M & Nordin, NA 2006, Thermal Comfort Honeycomb Housing, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
Kuala Lumpur, pp.99.
30
Ibid, p.98.
22
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Figure 2.11 A
generic terraced
housing
development
with 24’x80’
homes in
Selangor
scheduled for
completion in
June 2009.
Source : SPK
Homes brochure –
Cahaya SPK
Superlink @
Precinct 2A.
23
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sector. Low cost housing developments are usually sidelined by housing

developers because of the relatively low profits to be gained.
In dealing with the rapid pace of development over the last few decades, the
task of drafting up a more relevant set of by-laws has been ignored. On one
hand the existing by-laws have not encouraged innovation in regards to the
layout and architectural design of the terraced house typology. On the other
hand, not keeping up with the technologies affecting the Malaysian
population’s current life style has prevented the by-laws from encouraging
the production of environmentally sustainable buildings.
The use of the existing building by-laws has resulted in housing

developments with homes based on the adaptations of the housing codes
and regulation introduced by the British. One example would be the 6 meter
wide back lane which is still a standard requirement for nearly all local
housing authorities.31This lane was introduced by the Sanitary Board in the
late nineteenth century as the ‘sanitary lane’ to allow for the collection of
night soil.32
With today’s modern sanitation, the purpose of the back lane fails to be
justified.33 The current housing developments with the back lanes, have them
assigned for garbage collection. In a society where all windows and doors on
the external facades of homes are fitted with security grills, to prevent theft,
the back lane is seen by some of the general population as a negative
feature in terms of security. A possible approach to this situation could
involve increasing the dimensions of the rear building setback and removing
the lane, thus creating a larger backyard for the houses.
31
Hassan, AS, Towards Sustainable Housing Construction in Southeast Asia, retrieved 6 September 2007,
<http://www.sustainablesettlement.co.za/docs/a21_hassan.pdf>
32
33
Hassan, AS, Towards Sustainable Housing Construction in Southeast Asia, retrieved 6 September 2007,
<http://www.sustainablesettlement.co.za/docs/a21_hassan.pdf>
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The following section presents an example of how the terrace house has
evolved from its initial form to its present state. Bangsar is a residential
suburb located about four kilometers southwest of Kuala Lumpur’s city
centre. Terraced houses mushroomed in this suburb during the 1970’s.
Internal courtyards were a feature of the houses when they were built. There
are just a fraction of the houses at present, which have maintained the
internal courtyard or air well (smaller courtyards) as a source of fresh air and
natural light. This analysis is based on an observation of the ratio of
renovated houses versus the original houses in this suburb as shown in
Figure 2.13.
Figure 2.12 Rows of terraced housing dominate the residential scene in

Bangsar.
Source : S.Jayapalasingam’s photograph -2007.
The 1984 Uniform Building By-laws state that any alterations to existing open
spaces would only be allowed, if the local authority under its own discretion
25
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issued a permit on the condition that the free movement of air was not
hindered as a result of this alteration.34
Looking at the houses in Bangsar, many courtyards have been closed. This
allowed the occupants to gain more enclosed internal floor area more now
that it was sheltered from the rain. The high volumes of the courtyards were
generally maintained, and operable clerestory windows were fitted to these
altered spaces. Appendix 6 contains guidelines provided by the Kuala
Lumpur City Hall for extensions allowed for the typical terraced house.
Figure 2.13 General modifications to the terraced house.

In the National Property Information Centre’s (NAPIC) 2007 Residential

Property Stock Report35, produced quarterly, the residential units available in
Malaysia have been listed as the following types :single storey terraced
house, double/triple storey terraced house, single storey semi-detached
house, double/triple storey semi-detached house, detached house, town
house, cluster, low cost house, low cost flat, flat, serviced apartment and
condominium or apartment.
Figure 2.14 clearly illustrates that the terraced house is the dominant form of
housing in Malaysia. The terraced house typology is most common in the
34
Legal Research Board 2000, Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (as at 20th November 2000), International Law
Book Services, Kuala Lumpur, pp.14-15.
35
NAPIC is a Malaysian government body attached to the Valuation and Property Services Department.
26
Literature Review
form of a single storey or double storey unit. Singapore, a neighbouring

island nation with the same tropical climate, does not have the terraced
house as its dominant form of housing due to the lack of land area for such
residential developments in relation to the size of the country’s population.
1,600,000
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
Condominium
Town House
Low Cost House

Semi-Detached
Low Cost Flat
Serviced Apartment
Terraced
Detached
Flat
Cluster
Figure 2.14 Summary of Supply of Residential Units by Type in Malaysia

– Existing Stock.
Source : Chart data obtained from: Residential Property Stock Report – Second Quarter
2007, published by NAPIC.
The Developer’s Role

Associate Professor Abdul Rashid Abdul Aziz and Ho Shiew Yi from the
Universiti Sains Malaysia’s School of Housing, Building and Planning,
conducted a research project to find out what it takes to succeed in the
housing development sector.36 This sector is a highly competitive one, in
which terraced housing plays a significant role. The results showed that
prime location, cash flow and understanding the market potentials were
among the highly regarded factors in the housing development sector.37
36
Aziz, ARA & Ho, SY 2007(7 April), ‘Built to Compete’, Property-New StraitsTimes, pp.6-7.
37
Ibid.
27
Literature Review
On the other hand, factors such as the skill of the developers’ employees,
which would include design skills, and project innovation were the least
highly regarded. The low level where the project innovation factor sits is
probably a major reason why the new terraced housing developments
available today are not much different from earlier versions. The lot sizes and
building facades are fairly similar to early terraced houses, but there is a
significant loss in regards to the design elements that contribute towards
achieving acceptable levels of indoor thermal comfort without depending on
active cooling systems.
Innovative design is embraced by developers especially when it will not affect

sales profits negatively. While a handful of developers strive to be innovative,
many developers are content with just marketing conventional styles of
housing which they think suits the needs of the public.38 With factors such as
a rising population, affluence and rural-urban migration, the demand for
housing in the country’s towns and cities will continue to be strong, and
conventional style houses will still sell, so long as the location is acceptable.39
The developers who see no need to be innovative and creative with their
product, are generally those who have the location of their developments to
use as the key selling point. When it comes to innovation, all it takes is for
one developer to be successful with a new design, and imitators will
immediately emerge to compete. This situation places the innovative
developers in the position of a trend-setter.40
In his book ‘Housing Crisis’, Mohd.Tajuddin Mohd. Rasdi conveys that the
concept of ‘worker housing’ which came about due to the industrial revolution
in the western world, which appeared in the form of terraced housing has not
been successfully translated to suit the present day environment in
Malaysia.41Trend-setting developers should be aware of their significance in
38
Aziz, ARA & Ho, SY 2007(7 April), ‘Built to Compete’, Property-New StraitsTimes, pp.6-7.
39
Ibid.
40
Ibid.
41
Rasdi, MTM 2007, Housing Crisis – Back to a Humanistic Agenda, Penerbit Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor,
pp.7-8.
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regards to providing the general public with the affordable versions of their
‘dream home’.42 Typically, members of the general public cannot afford to
hire architects to provide them with homes that are designed to
accommodate their individual life styles.
Conclusion
Though followed closely by condominiums, as shown in Figure 2.15, based
on the figures of the existing residential stock in Malaysia, as per Figure 2.14,
the terraced house typology will continue to dominate the residential scene
for years to come.
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Condominium
Low Cost
Cluster
Town House
Low Cost Flat
Flat
Apartment
Terraced
Detached
Detached
Serviced
House
Semi-
Figure 2.15 Summary of Supply of Residential Units by Type in Malaysia

– Scheduled for Completion.
Source : Chart data obtained from: Residential Property Stock Report – Second Quarter
2007, published by NAPIC.
The objective of this thesis is to examine the terraced house typology and
ways in which it can move towards a greener form as it continues to be
42
Wong, A 2007(23 June), ‘Giving life to style’, Property-New StraitsTimes, pp.2.
29
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developed and mass produced. A greener approach is most crucial when it

comes to the methods of land development and construction, as a significant
amount of damage to the environment happens at this stage.
In the words of architect Ernesto Rogers, “To consider the environment

means to consider history.”43 There are lessons which can be learnt from
earlier forms of vernacular housing which were built by the occupants or
members of the community to suit their socioeconomic, cultural and
environmental requirements. Key elements involving the integration of natural
light and ventilation into the spatial configuration of the house layouts are
what future housing developments should draw from the early shophouses,
terraced houses and other traditional vernacular dwellings.
2.2 Regionalism – Architectural Identity
Regionalism is a term used to categorize the balance of architectural identity

between globalization and creating a local identity.44 The exposure to various
architectural cultures over the years has resulted with Malaysia’s architecture
comprising eclectic styles. Brazilian architect Severiano Porto practices in the
tropical climate with these underlying key factors: to understand and utilize
the local climate and strengths of the local construction industry in terms of
workmanship and building materials, resulting in buildings which could not
suit its locality any better. In term of design approach, Porto argues:
“The search for quality, good design, beauty, technical solutions, is

something we have to assume as an important task of our time. And for this
you only need coherence: coherence with possible technology, with available
materials, with the workmanship of our people. More than searching in the
examples of great masterpieces, of the great ideas, sometimes we should
43
Lefaivre, L & Tzonis, A 2001, ‘The Supression and Rethinking of Regionalism and Tropicalism After 1945’, in
Tzonis, A, Lefaivre, L & Stagno, B (ed), Tropical Architecture – Critical Regionalism in the Age of Globalization,
Wiley-Academy, Great Britain, pp.30.
44
Lefaivre, L & Tzonis, A 2003, Critical Regionalism – Architecture & Identity in a Globalized World, Prestel,
Munich, pp.10.
30
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look back to popular houses, to the opinion of the people who live in them, to
the voice of the community.”45
One if the issues this study reveals is that today’s Malaysian “community”
has adapted their lifestyle to accommodate dwellings which fail to work in
harmony with the surrounding natural climate, in comparison with their
predecessors.
When it comes to the issue of defining or describing a cultural identity, in his

article on Regional Transformations, Chris Abel suggests that “things
become more realistic and manageable if it is allowed that the sought-for
continuities are not the all-or-nothing relations of identity, but more tolerant
connections of some sort between different states of existence, most usefully
described in terms of relations of analogy.”46 He explains this further in a
Malaysian context by stating that as opposed to a romantic ideal of pure
culture, looking at how the archetypal mosque, the Malay house and the
colonial villa originate in diverse precedents and come to function in their own
respective roles as models of architectural form, is more relevant to
understanding the nature of architectural continuities.47
As a way of summary, Abel aptly concludes that “…the true gist of regional
architecture lies in a creative process of cultural cross-fertilization and
localization of imported models…”48 On a similar note, Lefaivre and Tzonis in
their paper on Tropical Critical Regionalism conclude a discussion on the
environmentally successful approach by colonialists in Costa Rica stating
that “instead of trying to invent a new architecture appropriate to a region
from scratch, one should rely rather on syncretic recombination of solutions
accumulated over time.”49
45
Porto, S 2001, ‘Architecture and National Identity’, in Tzonis, A, Lefaivre, L & Stagno, B (ed), Tropical
Architecture – Critical Regionalism in the Age of Globalization, Wiley-Academy, Great Britain, pp.108.
46
Abel, C 2000, Architecture & Identity, 2nd edn, Architectural Press, Oxford, pp.169.
47
Ibid.
48
Ibid.
49
Lefaivre, L & Tzonis, A 2001, ‘Tropical Critical Regionalism: Introductory Comments’, in Tzonis, A, Lefaivre, L &
Stagno, B (ed), Tropical Architecture – Critical Regionalism in the Age of Globalization, Wiley-Academy, Great
Britain, pp.11.
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The cultural cross-fertilization and the interwoven solutions mentioned above

place such architecture under the ‘hybrid’ label. This issue of hybrid
architecture is addressed by William Lim and Tan Hock Beng as a part of one
of their strategies aimed at avoiding the “homogenizing effect of globalization
and to preserve the richness of local traditions.”50 The strategy labeled
‘Reinventing Tradition’ entails the search for new paradigms via hybridization,
in the same manner the British colonials applied in Singapore and Malaysia:
drawing lessons from the Malay house into their colonial bungalows, in order
to have buildings that work with the local climate.51
Figure 2.16 A colonial bungalow: the Agnes Keith house, Sandakan, Sabah.
Though situated in a tropical region, not all of Malaysia’s buildings fall under
the category of Tropical Architecture. Figure 2.17, a showunit comprising two
end lots of a terraced housing development, illustrates this point. The
Amanda Superlink home is one of the housing types offered by developer
Lebar Daun in their D’Kayangan township. This 26’ x 80’ home is one version
of the terraced house typology currently filling up housing developments in
Malaysia.
50
Bay JH, P 2001, ‘Three Tropical Design Paradigms’, in Tzonis, A, Lefaivre, L & Stagno, B (ed), Tropical
51
Ibid.
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Figure 2.17 The Amanda Superlink Home – D’Kayangan Township.

Source : D’Kayangan, Kumpulan Lebar Daun, retrieved 1 August 2008,
<http://www.lebardaun.com.my>
Figure 2.18 The Amanda Superlink Home Floor Plan.

Source : D’Kayangan, Kumpulan Lebar Daun, retrieved 1 August 2008,
<http://www.lebardaun.com.my>
The house, built with standard construction methods and materials

comprising a reinforced concrete frame, brick and plaster walls topped with a
33
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clay-tiled roof, is being marketed by the developers with the following

description:
“D'Kayangan, a low-density township with its unique and refreshing
difference giving homes a fusion of both European and Asian elements that
reflects distinct exquisiteness. With the touch of Andalusian architectural
design surrounded by 10 acres of vast landscape, our tropical Andalusian
township will be the ideal place to call home.”52
The term ‘tropical Andalusian township’ has to be questioned, as there

appears to be nothing tropical about the house. The surrounding landscape
is presumably what the word tropical would be referring to.
In his paper, ‘Three Tropical Design Paradigms’, after briefly discussing a

range of viewpoints on tropical architecture by various writers, Bay Joo Hwa
identifies three key aspects of tropical architecture:
“(i) Regional expression – as a result of responding to needs related to the
tropical climate.
(ii) Performance – in providing climatic comfort and convenience for social
and cultural requirements.
(iii) Materials and means of building – appropriate to the tropical zone.”53
Environmental sustainability would be assured if those key aspects are used

as a guideline for all built environments in the tropics. At present, a significant
amount of Malaysia’s urban built environment consists of buildings which
provide its occupants with acceptable levels of thermal comfort in isolation
from the surrounding climate with the aid of active cooling systems.
52
D’Kayangan, Kumpulan Lebar Daun, retrieved 1 August 2008, <http://www.lebardaun.com.my>
53
Bay JH, P 2001, ‘Three Tropical Design Paradigms’, in Tzonis, A, Lefaivre, L & Stagno, B (ed), Tropical
34
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2.3 Green Design
2.3.1 Definitions
Words such as ‘green’ and ‘sustainability’ are loosely applied in relation to

the current environmental concerns. These words have been given various
definitions by various authors in not only the context of the built environment,
but also the social, political and economic context.54 In an attempt to define
what is ‘green’, in his book titled A New Eco-Architecture, Colin Porteous
claims that with such generic terminology, the variety of definitions available
is a problem whereby the definition becomes illusive.55
In the context of the built environment, Porteous, defines the scope of

‘green’, stating that at one end issues include fundamental planning
strategies, policies and dilemmas such as ‘greenfield’ versus ‘brownfield’
development, suburban versus urban housing, mixed versus zoned
development, and on the architectural end, it includes the size and shape of
buildings, their usefulness, their materiality, their embodied and recurring
energy loads and output of pollution, their longevity and vulnerability to
disrepair; their recyclability and reusability, and their contribution or disruption
to microclimate and biodiversity.56
In her editorial for Architectural Design’s issue on Green Architecture, Helen

Castle highlights the ambiguity involved with defining ‘green’:
“As sustainability enters the mainstream, becoming the accepted goal if not
always practice of governments and architects alike, it seems to be slipping
through our fingers. No longer an alternative route out in the cold, green
architecture is, as a result, ever more elusive and difficult to define. With
increasing numbers claiming it for themselves, it is no longer possible to
describe it in counterpoint – purely in terms of what it clearly is not. It seems
54
Porteous, C 2003, The New Eco-Architecture, Spon Press, London.
55
Ibid, pp.47.
56
Ibid, pp.48.
35
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to be everything for everyone who wants it – the Queen and President of the
RIBA included.”57
Porteous and Castle both agree upon the illusiveness of defining ‘green’.
Throughout this thesis, the portrayal of ‘green’ will be based upon Daniel
Williams’s definitions from his book titled Sustainable Design.
Williams claims that green design is an element of sustainable design,

whereby green buildings and communities that integrate the local climate and
building resources, create healthy interior spaces with natural light, and
complete recycling and reuse of materials are critical to the development of a
sustainable future.58 Williams goes on to clearly explain how sustainable
design differs from green design:
“Sustainable design differs from green design in that it is additive and
inclusive – it includes continuing, surviving, thriving, and adapting. Green
design incorporates ecologically sensitive materials and creates healthy
buildings and processes that do not negatively affect the environment before,
during or after manufacture, construction, and deconstruction. Green design
incorporates efficient mechanical systems and high-performance
technologies but still functions primarily through the use of fossil fuels.
Sustainable design integrates the principles of green design and goes further
to become a passive and active structure that is designed to maximise the
use of sites’ natural renewable resources. When buildings are conceived as
organisms instead of objects, they become part of the ecological
neighbourhood, and since they operate off existing site and regional
renewable energies, they are sustainable.”59
To conclude defining sustainable and green design, Williams states that

there are varying degrees of green design, but sustainable design is an
absolute, whereby the building can function “unplugged”.60 Designers
57
Castle H 2001(July), ‘Editorial’, Architectural Design : Green Architecture, Vol.71, John Wiley & Sons, United
Kingdom, pp.5.
58
Williams, D 2007, Sustainable Design: ecology, architecture & planning, John Wiley & Sons, USA, pp.16.
59
Ibid.
60
Ibid, pp.17.
36
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choosing to take on the “unplugged” challenge will create sustainable

buildings.
Sustainability comes from design. Design is a powerful process which can

satisfy a need as well as add value to its creations when correctly infused
with knowledge on sustainable systems.61 Such creations empower design
with the potential to change how buildings, communities and societies
function.62 The awareness of this potential will enable designers of the built
environment to successfully create buildings and environments which exist
and function in synchronicity with its natural surroundings.
The rating and measurement systems related to sustainability existing at

present, measure energy efficiency instead of sustainability, and typically that
measurement of efficiency is in the use of non-renewable energy.63 Efficient
use of non-renewable energy alone, is not a path to sustainability, as when
the proverbial plug mentioned above is pulled due to a natural disaster, a
sustainable design has to be able to function and comfortably accommodate
its occupants.64
Williams claims that if the imperative is to be sustainable, the design program

for buildings and communities is as simple as ensuring that the projects meet
the following criteria:
(i) “Be developed within existing urban boundaries and within walking
distance to transit options.
(ii) New projects would preferably be built on a cleaned-up brownfield.
(iii) Use green energy and be “unplugged” from nonrenewables.
(iv) Be fully useful for intended function in a natural disaster, a
blackout, or a drought.
(v) Be made of materials that have a long and useful life – longer than
its growth cycle – and be anchored for deconstruction (every
design should be a store-house of materials for another project).
61
62
Ibid, pp.18.
63
Ibid.
64
Ibid.
37
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(vi) Use no more water than what falls on the site.

(vii) Connect impacts and wastes of the building to useful cycles on the
site and in the environment around it. Be part of a cycle.
(viii) Be compelling, rewarding and desirable.” 65
On a broader note, Williams discusses sustainable design at the regional

scale which begins with gaining a working knowledge of the ecological
system at that larger scale.66 Urban and regional planning practices that
incorporate ecological thinking form the foundation of community, economic
and environmental sustainability, therefore it is crucial to pay attention to
sustainable design at the regional level.67
Another point brought about by Williams on the statement above is that

designing future development patterns on a regional scale creates a win-win
situation for the business world, as the developer would no longer have to
make assumptions on whether a project site is buildable or whether the
environmental impacts are significant enough to cause delays or, worse,
litigation.68 Such regional planning would delineate buildable locations, water
recharge areas, best transit locations, agricultural preservation zones, open
space, conservation zones, soil reclamation zones, and livable, pedestrian-
friendly communities, taking into account the best mixes to simultaneously
improve the economy, the communities, and the environment.69
A paper titled ‘Taking Cues From the Past : Increasing the Livability of
Terrace Housing in Malaysia Through the Raised Floor Innovation’ by
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Architectural Research Group
acknowledges the terrace house as the key form of housing for the
Malaysian general population, and highlights the fact that little has changed
in terms of its design innovation for the last 25 years.70
65
66
Ibid, pp.23.
67
Ibid.
68
Ibid, pp.26-27.
69
Ibid.
70
UKM Architectural Research Group, Taking Cues From the Past: Increasing the Livability of Terrace Housing in
Malaysia through the Raised Floor Innovation, retrieved 8 July 2008,
38
Literature Review
Labeling the present mass housing condition as one with an unacceptable

living culture, the group claims that designs of the terraced housing currently
being produced are devoid of design principles and generally aesthetically
offensive, noting significant negative issues such as the inflexibility of interior
and exterior spaces, inappropriate renovations, poor levels of ventilation,
lighting and thermal comfort.71 The group has associated the conditions of the
present typical housing developments which lack a connection with
orientation and climate, with the profit-oriented planning methods which result
in grid-iron layouts that maximise land use.72
The government plays a significant role in ensuring the application of

sustainable planning methods that would prevent such conditions. Tackling
the issue of sustainable design at the regional scale would presumably
encourage the creation of housing and other developments which work better
with the environment.
2.3.2 The Malaysian Government’s Involvement
The Ninth Malaysia Plan (NMP) which covers 2006 to 2010, is the first of
three 5 year blueprints for the National Mission spanning 2006 to 2020.73
Malaysia is aiming to attain the status of a developed nation by the year 2020
with the implementation and delivery of the National Mission. One of the
steps taken to aid in achieving this goal was the introduction of Islam
Hadhari74 in 2004 as a comprehensive and universal development framework
<http://www.fab.utm.my/download/ConferenceSemiar/ICCI2006S5PP13.pdf>
71
UKM Architectural Research Group, Taking Cues From the Past: Increasing the Livability of Terrace Housing in
Malaysia through the Raised Floor Innovation, retrieved 8 July 2008,
<http://www.fab.utm.my/download/ConferenceSemiar/ICCI2006S5PP13.pdf>
72
Ibid.
73
Ninth Malaysia Plan, The Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010, The National Mission, pp.19, retrieved 25 July 2007,
<http://www.epu.jpm.my/rm9/html/english.htm>
74
The Islam Hadhari framework emphasises development, consistent with the tenets of Islam with focus on
enhancing the quality of life through the mastery of knowledge and the development of the individual and the nation;
the implementation of a dynamic economic, trading and financial system; and the promotion of integrated and
balanced development that creates knowledgeable and pious people who hold to noble values and are honest,
trustworthy, and are prepared to take on global challenges. Islam Hadhari is an effort to bring the people back to
basics and back to
the fundamentals, as prescribed in the Quran and the Hadith that form the foundation of Islamic civilisation.
39
Literature Review
for the nation, which outlined 10 principles75 to empower the people to face
global challenges, while ensuring that its approach and implementation are
acceptable to all groups in the country.76 Safeguarding of the environment is
listed as one of these 10 principles.77
Improving the standard and sustainability of the quality of life is one of the
National Mission’s key thrusts.78 It is stated that the quality of life of the
population, which is intrinsically linked to fulfilling basic needs as well as
maintaining peace, security and harmony, will not be sustainable without a
concerted effort to manage resources more wisely, especially in an
environment of rising energy prices.79 In relation to addressing this issue, the
actions highlighted are as follows :
(i) “ensuring better protection of the environment and more efficient
usage of natural resources
(ii) enhancing energy sufficiency and efficiency, including diversifying
sources of energy
(iii) increasing the efficiency of water services delivery
(iv) providing better public transportation to relieve congestion and
reduce fuel usage
(v) improving access to and quality of healthcare and affordable
housing
(vi) ensuring public safety and security
(vii) enhancing the development and promotion of Malaysian culture,
arts and heritage.” 80
75
The 10 principles are: 01-Faith in and piety towards Allah, 02-A just and trustworthy government, 03-Free and
liberated people, 04-A rigorous pursuit and mastery of knowledge, 05-Balanced and comprehensive economic
development, 06-A good quality of life for the people, 07-Protection of the rights of minority groups and women, 08-
Cultural and moral integrity, 09-Safeguarding of the environment & 10-Strong defence capabilities.
76
77
Ibid.
78
In order to obtain the highest level of performance and the maximum impact from Malaysia’s national development
efforts, the National Mission identifies 5 key thrusts : 01- To move the economy up the value chain, 02-To raise the
capacity for knowledge and innovation and nurture ‘first class mentality’, 03-To address persistent socio-economic
inequalities constructively and productively, 04-To improve the standard and sustainability of the quality of life & 05-
To strengthen the institutional and implementation capacity.
79
80
Ninth Malaysia Plan, The Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010, The National Mission, pp.17-18, retrieved 25 July
2007, <http://www.epu.jpm.my/rm9/html/english.htm>
40
Literature Review
The section in the NMP which briefly describes progress from 2001 to 2005,
there is mention of a Local Agenda 21 that was launched in 2000.81 This
program which focused on enhancing understanding and cooperation
between the community, local authorities and the private sector was
implemented in 47 local authorities, out of which 16 launched their
comprehensive plan of action pertaining to sustainable development covering
social, economic and environmental aspects.82
The subsequent section which outlines prospects from 2006 to 2010, lists the
following strategic thrusts of housing development and urban services:
(i) “providing adequate, affordable and quality houses, particularly to
meet the needs of the low-income group, with greater emphasis on
appropriate locations and conducive living environment
(ii) reviewing laws and regulations to ensure proper development of
the housing sector
(iii) encouraging private sector participation in the construction of low-
and low-medium-cost houses
(iv) improving the efficiency and capability of local authorities
(v) ensuring provision of quality urban services
(vi) encouraging greater community participation in urban
development.” 83
The Kuala Lumpur City Hall(KLCH) released the Draft KL City Plan 2020 in
June 2008. The following points are listed in the plan outlining directions to
be taken to ensure a greener future:
(i) “Draft KL City Plan 2020 will adopt greener standards, where
environmental sustainability will be a priority.
(ii) The Plan calls for optimum growth where land use development
integrates and co-exists with environment.
81
Ninth Malaysia Plan, The Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010, Chapter 21 pp.443, retrieved 25 July 2007,
82
Ibid.
83
Ninth Malaysia Plan, The Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010, Chapter 21 pp.444, retrieved 25 July 2007,
41
Literature Review
(iii) Water resource management is promoted in the city, where water

recycling and rainwater harvesting will be encouraged.
(iv) Energy efficient city will be one key feature of this Plan, Kuala
Lumpur will promote alternative use of energy and renewable
energy in the City.
(v) Encourage reduction in green house gas emission by planning for
public transportation.
(vi) Reduce household waste generation and encourage reuse and
recycling of waste materials.” 84
From the perspective of a sustainable housing scene, it is encouraging to see

that the Draft KL City Plan 2020 highlights the commitment of the KLCH to
the policy of encouraging responsible parties in the housing sector to develop
good quality housing and living environments under the Kuala Lumpur
Structure Plan.85On the issue of Housing Technology and Research and
Development, the NMP states that efforts will be made to encourage the use
of alternative construction materials and technology under the Industrialised
Building System (IBS) and designs based on the modular coordination
concept in housing construction, as the use of this technology will result in
less labour, increased productivity and enhanced quality of houses while
creating a safer and cleaner working environment.86
The implementation of IBS consists of strategies such as having local

authorities enforce the use of modular coordination concepts in the
construction of affordable homes and government building projects via the
Uniform Building By-laws.87 Besides providing incentives for users of
standard plans which are designed based on modular coordination and
standard building components, the government will focus on research and
development related to sustainable building services and cleaner technology
in the construction industry based on the “3R” concept (reduce, reuse and
84
Draft KL City Plan 2020, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, 2008, p.23.
85
Ibid p.91.
86
Ninth Malaysia Plan, The Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010, retrieved 25 July 2007,
87
Ibid.
42
Literature Review
recycle), encouraging wastewater recycling and energy efficiency.88The

plans, strategies and policies laid out above allow for one to conclude that
the Malaysian government is heading in the right direction towards creating
an environmentally sustainable future in the housing development sector.
2.4 Hypothesis
The scope of literature discussed in the above sections of this chapter, focus
the topic of inquiry. This thesis hypothesises that the terraced housing
presently being built to accommodate Malaysia’s general population does not
contain environmentally sustainable elements. Consequently, for housing
developers to produce housing developments for Malaysia’s general
population which incorporate environmentally sustainable elements, there is
a need to establish if the lack of such elements is perceived as a problem by
members of the general population, building and construction industry
professionals, housing developers and the government. If this lack of
environmentally sustainable elements is perceived as a problem, action plans
and strategies can be developed to address it.
The hypothesis was developed from identifying gaps of knowledge which

comprise:
(i) How can Malaysia’s terraced housing developments evolve to
become a typology that incorporates environmentally sustainable
design?
(ii) How can the process of greening the terraced housing
developments be a responsibility shared by members of the
general population, building and construction industry
professionals, housing developers and the government?
88
Ninth Malaysia Plan, The Ninth Malaysia Plan 2006-2010, retrieved 25 July 2007,
43

MALAYSIA'S TERRACED HOUSING Towards An Environmentally Sustainable Future Sumita 1

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MALAYSIA’S TERRACED HOUSING

Towards an Environmentally Sustainable Future

Bachelor of Interior Architecture (Hons)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

I certify that the thesis entitled

MALAYSIA’S TERRACED HOUSING

submitted for the degree of

1.2 Research Approach 3

1.3 Outline of Thesis 4

2.2 Regionalism – Architectural Identity 30

2.3 Green Design 35

3.4 Case Studies 51

3.5 Analysis of Data 53

4.2 Results : Interviews 75

4.3 Results : Case Studies 76

5.2 Malaysia’s Terraced Housing in the Twenty-First Century 109

5.3 Responses from the Environment 115

5.4 Roles and Responsibilities 118

6.2 Limitations of the Research 124

6.3 Further Research 125

APPENDIX 2 – Malaysia’s Architectural Chronology 130

APPENDIX 3 – Plain Language Statement & Consent Form 133

APPENDIX 4 – Letter of Invitation 139

APPENDIX 5 – Fact Sheet and Questionnaire 140

APPENDIX 6 – Guidelines for Extensions to Terraced Houses in Kuala Lumpur 147

APPENDIX 7 – 20 Trees Marketing Excerpts 174

APPENDIX 8 – Housing Price Categories in Malaysia 176

APPENDIX 9 – Newspaper Articles : Landslide 177

Table 2.1 Malaysian Architectural Chronology - Extracts 15

The study builds on and contributes to existing studies in the implementation

Studies in this area have examined the feasibility of using different

I wish to thank Dr Mirjana Lozanovska and Dr David Beynon of the School of

IBS Industrialised Building System

1.1 Problem Statement and Research Aim

This thesis concentrates on the terraced house typology because it is

Studies in this area have examined the feasibility of using different

Although these housing developments exist in other countries, based on the

1.2 Research Approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the willing participants in the

Categories of case studies were formed to group the various housing

1.3 Outline of Thesis

Theoretical issues pertaining to regionalism and architectural identity are

The Methodology chapter discusses the methods employed to tackle the

The Results chapter compiles and analyses the outcomes of the

The Discussion chapter summarises the outcomes of the Results chapter

2.1 Housing Malaysia’s Masses

2.1.1 Malaysia – A Brief Introduction

Situated in the South East Asian region, the Federation of Malaysia

Manufacturing constitutes the largest single component of Malaysia's

2.1.2 A Concise Historical Overview

These vernacular houses are built by the occupants or members of the

Vernacular homes in Malaysia take on a range of forms with subtle

Figure 2.1 Houses with Austronesian influences.

It is uncertain what the future holds in regards to maintaining their cultural

to zinc-roofed raised houses on the outskirts of small towns as a result of

Figure 2.3 A Malay House in Sandakan, Sabah.

house is constructed with prefabricated timber components. The roofing

In West Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, the common traditional vernacular

Figure 2.4 An illustration of a longhouse belonging to the Orang Ulu ethnic

The following table comprises relevant extracts from S.Vlatseas’s Malaysian

Period Architectural Origins / Influences

c. 2800-500 -Houses built on posts are probably introduced to

-Hindu-Buddhist beliefs introduced through trade