EIC404: The Beauty Behind Ethnicities' Architecture in Malaysia Portfolio by INTAN FARAH ALEEYA

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The Peranakan Heritage: Baba Nyonya
Seafaring foundations: Bugis
The Longhouse Legacy: Iban
The Buffalo Horn Roof: Minangkabau
Faith and Form: Sikhs

A bit About Myself

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In this portfolio, we will dive into the characteristics, layout and designs, and components of the 5 ethnicities' architecture that most of us have always seen. Hope you enjoy reading it!

Introduction

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Baba Nyonya or also known as Peranakan Chinese date back in between the 14th and 15th century where the roots originally came from the union between Chinese Immigrants and local women which after the marriage, terms such as Baba which is for the male and Nyonya for the females existed. Since then, Chinese immigrants who went to Southeast Asia mostly married the local women. This ethnic can be found mainly in Melaka, Penang and Singapore as the places were popular for especially the traders.

Layout

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Baba Nyonya style of architecture can be easily found mainly in Penang, Melaka and Singapore as the building embodied the straits-eclectic characteristics, however the style could differ a little bit across the states due to each respective beliefs and values. The main characteristics of the house is the famous shop-house layout where the layout mostly are two storey houses, the ground floor usually serves as a shop and the upper is the house. Apart from that, Baba Nyonya houses are known for having natural lights and good air ventilation which are the courtyard located usually in the centre of the house. Baba and Nyonya houses include a formal sitting room, a dining hall, and the kitchen.

European Influenced

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Moving on to the next unique characteristic is the terracotta style of roof. Starting the late 1800s, the European majorly influenced society, so did the houses. This could be seen through the adaptation of roofs where Baba Nyonya people use the V-shape terracotta roof. The roofs were clay-baked, thus this explains why they are mostly brown-reddish coloured roofs and over the years, it became darker. Apart from that, the floor of the houses always stands out because of the colourful tiles pattern. The pattern also was influenced by the Europeans. They are made of ceramic.

Eastern Components

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The major components that heavily influenced Baba Nyonya architecture are the Chinese and the Malay elements. From the outside, we could see the carved timber door and windows that stand out from the soft-hue colour of walls. On top of that, gable end where the Chinese often used in their architecture, is also being constructed as this helps with the ventilation of the houses.

Sikh and Their Unique Architecture

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Malaysian Sikh architecture are built to promote community, spirituality, and service while adhering to Sikh principles and making special adjustments for Malaysian culture, climate, and history. From the architectures, there are few components that can be broken down into several parts that correlates with the Sikh’s beliefs, tradition and culture. The Sikh main architecture that will be looked at in this section is the temple, called as Gurdwara Sahib that means the Doorway to the Guru.

Baba Nyonya and Their Influence On Architecture Across The Country

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Baba Nyonya houses involved two major components of influenced which are Western influenced and Eastern influenced. This were due to the surrounding during the time where lots of traders from Europe and the East came to Peninsular Malaysia.

Introduction

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The ethnicity of Bugis started off due to migration of the Buginese to Malay Peninsular due to several factors such as cultural, political and social factors. The wave of migration began in the late 1700s, where most of the Buginese of South Sulawesi decided to evacuate their land due to the war outbreak between Makassar and Dutch colonists. As the Buginese managed to adapt with the local society, the Malay, the ethnicities established community such as friendship, family and work community. Now, the Bugis-Malay ethnicities can be found mainly in Johor and Selangor.

Bugis and Their Bugis-Influenced Architecture

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The Buginese have strong beliefs in spirits whether it is good or bad, thus this factor influenced the construction of the house.

Part of the House: The Trilogy Cosmo

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Before breaking down the part of the house, the Buginese have a deep belief in cosmos that is known as the trilogy cosmos, so the people apply it for the house.

There are three major part of the house that has different elements representing the floor;

the uppermost
the central
the lowest

Starting with the roof that is known as ‘rekkeang’ or ‘pemmakkang’ that represent the holy spirits and valuable items such as inherited goods. The roof style of Buginese houses has a steeply inclined long ridged roof and also the gable roof or limas that were mostly made from local Johor or Selangor craftsmen.

Elements

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One of the elements of the house that will catch people’s attention is the main post or what the Buginese called ‘tiang seri’. According to Bugis' belief, Ampo Banua (dewi pelindung rumah), the house's guardian, lives at the main post to protect the occupants. The main column or pillar is thought to be home to the spirit of the house, or 'semangat rumah'.

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Indoor courtyard mostly in the heart of the house

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The kitchen inside the Baba Nyonya house

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Two storey shop-house (rumah kedai) style houses

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Open areas without clear partition visuals

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Rumah Bugis at Selangor

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Trilogy cosmos: From the roof to the below level

Introduction

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The Minangkabau ethnic comprise most of the state of Negeri Sembilan, where the descendants came from West Sumatra, Indonesia. Following the widespread migration of the Western Sumatera Minangkabau people throughout Southeast Asia in the 16th century, the Minangkabau culture and society in Malaysia emerged in Negeri Sembilan. On top of that, Minangkabau people practised Islam since their migrations and are still practising their adherence to the matrilineal inheritance (adat perpatih). One of the inheritance is the women of the family that reside there own the house since Minangkabau society is matrilineal; ownership is transferred from mother to daughter.

Minangkabau and Their Beautiful Architecture of House

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The Minangkabau houses have evolved throughout the years following the beliefs and cultures of the ethnicities, however, there are still few characteristics of the house that are still kept till this day to preserve the tradition and identity of Minangkabau people.

Layout and Materials

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To start with, The Minangkabau houses apply simple construction that follows the region’s climate where places such as Negeri Sembilan and Western Sumatera have a hot and timid climate. The constructions oftenly used indigenous materials which is timber that could be gotten locally. Using timber as the main construction material, it gave the Minangkabau people spaces that could be transformed into many parts of the house such as the kitchen and the open living halls or the communal living. With those spacious areas, the Minangkabau houses could provide a cool environment for the residents to live in.

Subtle Traditional Elements

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The architecture of Minangkabau houses further demonstrate the distinctiveness and beauty of the traditional building. The cultural norms of a traditional community that upholds matrilineal roles and authority through the strength of the maternal bloodline primarily impact them. From the outside of the house, carved and ornate timber that are associated with Islamic teachings. For instance floral and geometrical patterns that have Islamic motifs. Apart from the Islamic motifs, the carving could be shown as the owner’s abiding by the customs and traditions.

The Difference On West Sumatra and Negeri Sembilan

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Though the Minangkabau people came from the same place, the design of the house differs a little in terms of the roof and the layout. First off, the roof. West Sumatra’s Minangkabau people have a buffalo horn roof or ‘bumbung bergonjong’. Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan have a subtle lift at the end of the roof to symbolise it. Next is the layout. The West Sumatra’s floor plan appears to depict a traditional, linear house layout, divided into distinct areas from front to back. Starting from the verandah, hallway, foyer and rooms. They do not have a clear separation of the house as the families live all together. On the other hand, the Negeri Sembilan has partitions but still emphasises the verandah.

Introduction

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Iban people are the second largest ethnicity in Malaysia that can be found throughout Malaysian Borneo, Sarawak. The Ibanese are also known as Dayak and Sea Dayak. The name ‘Iban’ holds many meanings, but the most widely known is wanderers. Today, the Iban people live lives similar to the majority of Malaysians, but they traditionally lived tribal lives. Historically, Iban people do headhunting and practise territorial expansion. The reason why they are called ‘Sea Dayak’ is the community lives near the river line where they tend to rely a lot for food, accommodation and source of living. Due to the Iban people's culture of living together, the architecture of the houses are influenced by the way they live.

Iban Ethnic and Their Architecture Style

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The Ibanese’s longhouses (Rumah Panjang) is the well-known tradition of many natives in Sarawak. 'Rumah panjang' is a terraced street of individual homes with a single roof which has a headman known as a ‘tuai’ leads each longhouse. Each family that stays at the longhouse has a room of their own. Longhouse is one of Sarawak's rich cultural assets with historical and normative significance because of these distinctive characteristics.

Layout Influenced On Several Factors

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The construction of longhouses are affected by several factors such as the culture, weather, and geographic location. However, as modernisation is taken by, vehicle accessibilities and available services are looked into. To begin with, the longhouse has two to three floors, called as ‘sadau’, the upper floors and one of the Ibanese’s culture is living together in the longhouses as a community of family, thus the house consists of;

apartment units for different families (bilek, ramin)
a covered long gallery (ruai)
an open veranda (tanju)

Roof Thatchings

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The roof of the longhouse differs according to each culture and lifestyle. But, the roof’s design is the same, which is the pitched roof where it is made from sago leaves or palm thatchings. Making the roof from the manmade materials consumes lots of time to prepare, therefore, the people prefer zinc sheets as a substitute as it could overcome heavy rain better than the thatching ones.

Traditional Values

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The traditional values that the house still implement are two vital spaces that are worth mention;

The long covered gallery (ruai)
The veranda (tanju)

Firstly, the vital spaces that connect all of the residents that are living in the house called 'ruai' the covered long gallery. Additionally, it serves as a meeting place every day for evening discussions aimed at strengthening household togetherness and communal cohesiveness. It also functions as a place for amusing guests, and commemorating holidays like Gawai Dayak (the harvest festival). Next, ‘tanju’, the open veranda. As the Ibanese produce their own food from local sources, the open spaces have long been utilised as a place to dry goods, particularly rattan and paddy.

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Exterior and Interior Areas

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The Buginese house in general has 2 parts; the exterior and the interior where they believe that anything that is outside of the house is exposed to dangers like ghosts or bad luck while the inside is the safe haven for residents. The layout of the house has many partitions where this partition is influenced by the Malay culture which gives the residents privacy for their family members. Through the partition, one house would have, the kitchen, the living room, bedrooms, and some would have one halls without any partition for events such as cooking (merewang).

Materials Used For Construction

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Next is the materials that the Buginese use. The main frame of the house is the timber where they would get it from the locals and this includes the stairs and the frame for the roof. At the same time, the house would also be decorated with crafted timber for the windows and doors which they would get from Nusantara, Kalimantan.

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Western Sumatra's Minangkabau house floor plan

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Negeri Sembilan's Minangkabau house floor plan

References

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References

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References

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References

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Introduction

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Sikh started way back in Punjab, India where the ethnicity originates from Sikhism. Sikhism is a mix between two religions which are Hinduism and Islam that were to reform Islam (the Sufi movement) and Hinduism (the Bhakti movement). Then, during the British colonial era in Malay Peninsular, the Punjab people migrated and brought their beliefs and culture in the 1870s. Most of them, especially the men, mainly served in the police and military forces. This is because the British valued the Sikh armed forces for their martial reputation. Slowly, the Sikh has built a community particularly in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Ipoh. This can be seen through the construction of the Sikh temple.

References

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The Overall Layout of Gurdwara Sahib

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The floor plan of Gurdwara Sahib varies across the region due to each belief and tradition as it does not have a set of architectural designs. Generally, the temple in Malaysia mostly is a one-storey or two-storey temple. The vital areas are;

Main Prayer Hall
Langar Hall and courtyard
Verandas

Starting with the main prayer hall or ‘Darbar Sahib’. This is the central part of any gurdwara, where the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture) is placed on an elevated platform called the Takht. Then, the langar area which is the communal dining area, where free meals are served to anyone who enters, regardless of faith or background, reflecting the Sikh principle of seva (selfless service) and langar (community kitchen). Lastly, courtyards and verandas. Due to Malaysia’s warm, humid climate, gurdwaras frequently include courtyards and shaded verandas, providing ventilation as it helps manage the tropical climate, keeping the gurdwara cool and comfortable.

Gurdwara Sahib’s Designs and Choice of Colours

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Next, the Gurdawara Sahib can be recognised by the domes that oftenly coloured in yellow gold and the white-coloured building. The domes act as a central features of the Sikh architectural designs, while bright colour such as white symbolise purity. The combination of the two colours; yellow gold and white can be spotted through the Sikh appearance where they would wear gold bangles and white turban (dastar). On the other hand, the design of the temple implies simplicity and minimalist style. The interior of the building mostly comprises the office, two Granthi’s quarters, classrooms, store as well as one room for Sikh visitors.

Architectural Elements

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There are a few architectural elements that can be dissected which are;

the domes, towers
windows with balconies

First off, the domes that come in either hemispherical, and three-quarters spheres. The most popular form is the latter one. With an inverted lotus sign on top, the dome rises from a floral foundation, from which the delicate decorations emerge. Slabs of marble or fragments of white or coloured ceramic tiles cover some domes. Four additional domes, one at each corner, are frequently included in addition to the great centre dome. A number of substantial domes adorn the parapet as well. An elaborate design in brass or gilded copper always crowns the centre dome.

Bugis House in Selangor

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Baba Nyonya house at Melaka

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Amazing carving on timber

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The main pillar (tiang seri)

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Wide spaces for residents to gather

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The head house or 'tuai'

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The covered long gallery (ruai)

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Iban longhouse floor plan

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Traditional roof thatchings

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Details of the baked-clay roof

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Soft-hue tiles pattern

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Timber door and windows

Local Materials

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Next would be the weather and the geographic location. The ethnicities majorly use materials that could cool down the surrounding which they use timber. They commonly used heavy hardwood post and beam structure by constructing it using simple timber joinery method. As the Ibanese live near the river and the way of moving is by water, they mostly choose a place that is near the river.

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The veranda (tanju)

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The domes and the white-coloured building

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The view of windows with balcony

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Secondly, the towers which have two to four towers in a gurdwara. Like the domes, they have an octagonal or square plan. Last but not least, the windows with the balcony. Typically seen in Mughal and Rajasthani construction, this kind of overhanging enclosed balcony extends from the wall and was utilised for ventilation and light.

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Next, the central part where the residents live. In the Buginese beliefs, the central part is the middle part of the cosmos. Lastly, the lowest layer or from the picture the below section of the house, that is believed for the evil spirits known as ‘awaso’ or ‘passiringang’,. It correlates with the cleanliness which the below always has dirt, thus explaining the logical reason of the beliefs.

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Colourful floor tiles made from ceramic

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V-terracotta roof style

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Timber used majorly in the construction of a Bugis house

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The Longhouse located near river line

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Buffalo Horn Roof in Indonesia

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'Teratak Perpatih''s roof in Negeri Sembilan

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The Main Prayer Hall

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The Langar area where the people cooks

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The making of the Gurdwara Sahib's domes

EIC404: The Beauty Behind Ethnicities' Architecture in Malaysia Portfolio by INTAN FARAH ALEEYA

Table of Contents

A bit About Myself

Introduction

Layout

European Influenced

Eastern Components

Sikh and Their Unique Architecture

Baba Nyonya and Their Influence On Architecture Across The Country

Introduction

Bugis and Their Bugis-Influenced Architecture

Part of the House: The Trilogy Cosmo

Elements

Introduction

Minangkabau and Their Beautiful Architecture of House

Layout and Materials

Subtle Traditional Elements

The Difference On West Sumatra and Negeri Sembilan

Introduction

Iban Ethnic and Their Architecture Style

Layout Influenced On Several Factors

Roof Thatchings

Traditional Values

Exterior and Interior Areas

Materials Used For Construction

References

References

References

References

Introduction

References

The Overall Layout of Gurdwara Sahib

Gurdwara Sahib’s Designs and Choice of Colours

Architectural Elements

Bugis House in Selangor

Baba Nyonya house at Melaka

Local Materials