Having a sense of belonging is one of several fundamental human needs and national identity refers to a person’s sense of belonging to one country with its history, values and traditions. Since achieving independence in 1957, the issue of Malaysia’s national identity has been in the spotlight due to its strong social, political and economical factors implication. As a multi-cultural country, the search for a national identity is not an easy undertaking as Malaysians consist of different ethnics such as Malay, Chinese and Indian. Each ethnic group contributes their own unique culture and religion, hence making it difficult to form a Malaysian identity. In fact, in September 2010, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced the 1 Malaysia concept. This concept acts as a call-for-action for the government leaders and bodies to place a greater emphasis on national unity and ethnic tolerance. This demonstrates that even at present day, Malaysia’s national identity remains unsettled. Architecture plays an important role in achieving national identity and this essay aims to discuss the significant events that transpire throughout the history of the country that contributed in shaping and altering Malaysian vernacular architecture as well as to examine why Malaysia’s national identity still remains unsettled.
The role of vernacular architecture in the 21st century has been kept to a minimum, given the practice of modern-day architects placing aesthetic quality above function, comfort, or ecological benefits. Vernacular architecture is defined by the understanding that form follows function and there is a prevalent usage of local materials taking into consideration the manner of how its intended user will utilise the structure. Vernacular ...
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...cology and Ethics in Design and Architecture
John Hilley, Malaysia: Mahathirism, Hegemony and the New Opposition (London: Zed Books, 2001). Mahathir’s role in initiating this search for Malaysia identity in architecture was further affirmed in an interview with Tay Kheng Soon, 29 July 2004.
The headman’s house, Chen, Voon Fee “Architecture” The Encyclopaedia of Malaysia (Singapore: Archipelago Press,1998)
Yeang, Ken The Architecture of Malaysia (Amsterdam: The Pepin Press, 1992)
Oakman “Young Asians in our homes: Colombo Plan students and White Australia”p89
Oakman, Daniel “Young Asians in our homes: Colombo Plan students and White Australia” Journal of
Australian Studies | (1 January 2002) 72, pp. 89-98
http://blogs.artinfo.com/objectlessons/2012/05/09/malaysia-looks-to-local-talents-and-vernacular-architecture-to-design-public-transit-system/
James F. O'Gorman, Dennis E. McGrath. ABC of Architecture. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998. Document. October 2013.
101) these attention would later convert to protests being formed in the colonial Malaya and Singapore and are described by Blackburn(2001) as being “risen to high levels” (p. 101). Demonstrating that the effects of the White Australia policy were affecting Asian countries, not just by the prevention of immigration, but as well as affecting them at an emotional level. These protest were in response to a series of deportations and Blackburn(2001) ”mentions how the divided ethnic communities in Malaya and Singapore had become united in the subject of anti colonialism and the apparent “manifestation of the racism of European colonialism”(p. 104) Once again demonstrating the magnitude of the policy and how it was negatively
Architecture traces the changes in history through various traditions, nations, regions, overarching stylistic trends, dates and so on. Many factors have their own ability to change the scheme or style of architecture, and these factors also have particularly relationship to each other. When it comes to a country, nationalism or regionalism is a good start to analysis a county’s architecture theory. The definition of nationalism can be simply described as a devotion to one’s country. But when it comes to Australia, the concept of nationalism is becoming more complex and even ever-changing. Australia is a federated country with a relatively homogeneous culture. However, to some of the people, nationalism is a kind of
It will discuss the different types of dwellings throughout recorded human history from the perspective of how art and culture influences building design. This will fulfill my own curiosity to understand the different influences on homebuilding and design over the years and how people have dealt with these changes.
The paper tries to identify the techniques applied in postmodern architecture in the similarities to traditionalism that leads to the revision of old knowledge and revival of traditional forms through tangible or intangible activities. The
But these contrived differences give rise to esthetic difficulties too. Because inherent differences—those that come from genuinely differing uses—are lacking among the buildings and their settings, the contrivances repre...
In conclusion, the debate between aesthetics and functionalism has been around for a long time. It becomes clear however, through research, that the first thing architects consider is function, and then aesthetics. It is because of this approach that aesthetics becomes somewhat of a by-product of the whole design process. By looking at examples of various buildings, it is apparent that aesthetics is important to structure and in many instances has been successfully coupled with function. But in no circumstance should aesthetics take precedence over the function and practicality of a building. It seems more likely that a happy medium between function and aesthetics can be reached, on a project by project basis, and then applied to the design process of creating the building.
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In the process of development of human society, architecture and culture are inseparable. Cuthbert (1985) indicates that architecture, with its unique art form, expresses the level of human culture in different historical stages, as well as the yearning towards the future. According to his article, it can be said that architecture has become one of the physical means for human to change the world and to conquer the nature. Consequently, architecture has been an important component of human civilization. Since 1980s when China started the opening and reforming policy, a variety of architectural ideas, schools and styles have sprung up. Accompanying with a momentum of...
Frank Lloyd Wright has been called “one of the greatest American architect as well as an Art dealer that produced a numerous buildings, including houses, resorts, gardens, office buildings, churches, banks and museums. Wright was the first architect that pursues a philosophy of truly organic architecture that responds to the symphonies and harmonies in human habitats to their natural world. He was the apprentice of “father of Modernism” Louis Sullivan, and he was also one of the most influential architects on 20th century in America, Wright is idealist with the use of elemental theme and nature materials (stone, wood, and water), the use of sky and prairie, as well as the use of geometrical lines in his buildings planning. He also defined a building as ‘being appropriate to place’ if it is in harmony with its natural environment, with the landscape (Larkin and Brooks, 1993).
Architecture is the concept of bringing structure, materiality, form and space together as a whole, provide people with enclosed atmosphere to experience. Considering this, it is important to identify that materiality and the purpose of details has been a key methodology to bringing architectural intentions into the design in an affective manner, more over producing an architectural expression. However, this position is rather declining in architecture, reducing tectonics and materiality to being secondary to form and space. With the start of modernism, the attempt to achieve minimalistic style has caused detailing to increasingly develop into a decorative aspect of a building, neglecting its individual contribution to architecture.
Landscape architecture is a design discourse that evolves over time in responding to past influence that imparts form and gives expression to a place. Edmund Husserl, whose thought profoundly influenced the landscape of 20th century, says ‘each expression not merely says something, but says it of something; it not only has meaning, but refers to certain objects’. The landscape can, therefore, be seen as a nonverbal expression by injecting intangible past into physical material palette through certain design technique. That is, landscape elements are shaped and arranged by the designer, but their presence and design triggers the expression. As a tool for the elements’ application, design strategy can be summarized as a combination of point,
In the following essay, I will be comparing and contrasting to architectural pieces by the Indians. The first is the Taj Mahal, a building constructed from white marble that took seventeen years to build in honor of Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Z. Haq). This piece of architectural beauty belonged to the Mughal’s, the Muslim emperors in India (Z. Haq). The second is the Great Stupa at Sanchi, a holy, dome shaped structure that covers the body of the Buddha in honor of him and his contributions to Buddhism (Fischer, Julia). Furthermore, this structure was made of ruins, rocks, mud, and covered in bricks (Fischer, Julia). Both pieces of architecture are significant to the Indians, however they do contrast in some ways.
Jencks believes “the glass-and-steel box has become the single most used form in Modern Architecture and it signifies throughout the world ‘office building’” (27). Thus, modern architecture is univalent in terms of form, in other words it is designed around one out of a few basic values using a limited number of materials and right angles. In...
From my opinion off what I have gathered, I came to an understanding that Critical regionalism can be seen as an approach to architecture that tries to stand up for places culture and identifies the identity of a place where Modern Architecture has failed to, by using the building's geographical context and reference of vernacular architecture. The term critical regionalism was first used by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre and, with a somewhat different meaning, by Kenneth Frampton. Critical regionalism could be considered as a particular kind of post-modern response. This response developed as a result of the failure of Post-modernism, together with the influence of Globalization and the spread of Western culture. Critical Regionalism could also be seen as the best solution to cultural issues and the problems of architectural identity. Frampton’s argument is that critical regionalism should not only answer to context, but it should also value the progress of universal modern architecture.