1. English Assignment One
Name: Chan Pei Shan
ID: 0318350
Module: English I
Session: February, 2014
Title: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”

2. Prewriting: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”
“Rumah Melayu” “Hanok”
Exterior
house
characteristics
 Built on stilts
 Roof the shape of boat, or
forms an “X” shape
 Built on a wide platform
just above soil
 Roof the shape of china
imperial houses’ roof
Interior
design
characteristics
 Have large windows that is
open to the outside to
nature, and for natural
light to enter
 Two parts: the main house
and the kitchen annex
 Windows layered with
Korean paper to create
diverse color
 Four parts of the house: the
main building, the men’s
part, the servant part, and
the “separated house”
Overcoming
Climate
(Overcoming hot weather)
 Large windows for
ventilation of hot air
 Timber stilts that elevate
house from ground level
 During monsoon season,
the timber stilts helps in
case of flooding and the
steep roofs helps trapping
of water
(Overcoming different types of
weather in different seasons)
 Winter: Have a layer of
stones (“Ondol”) that
transfer hot air to all room
(the hot air comes from the
kitchen fire
 Summer: “Ondol” helps
avoid the moisture and heat
 House positioned to
mountains and fields so
that the wind helps
ventilation easily

3. Essay: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”
There are many types of traditional houses from different country and races.
Even so, they are unique in their own ways. Like the Malay traditional house “Rumah
Melayu” and the Korean traditional house “Hanok”, are two very beautiful preserved
houses, and their beauty are actually comparable. If one were to compare between
the two traditional houses, there would be three things to compare over, which is the
exterior features, interior characteristics and factors to overcome the climate.
Firstly is the exterior feature of the traditional houses because it is the main
feature that differs them from each houses. “Rumah Melayu” looked very peaceful
and safe on the outside, mainly because it is built on stilts (1). It is designed this way
so that the residents could work under the shady area it provides. It functions as a
storage as well. The roof of the house is commonly shaped as a boat or forms a
large “x” shape. The other unique traditional house, “Hanok, has a grand look that
make it looks prosperous. Unlike “Rumah Melayu” it is built on a platform above the
ground (3). The roof, on the other hand, resembled the shape of china imperial
houses’ roof, making it looks strong.
Secondly, if you are fortunate enough to visit the two traditional houses, you
might be overwhelmed to see the interior design of the houses. In a “Rumah Melayu”
it might seemed that their large windows are not too safety for a house, but in actual
it helps to open up the residents to the nature , and it also allows natural light to
enter into house so that no power supply would be needed. There is two parts of the
house, which is the main house known as “Rumah Ibu” that is built according to the
proportions of the wife, so that it fits perfectly well for the wife, and the kitchen annex
that is separated from the house. It also has a veranda for non-family guest to visit
and be entertained (2). The “Hanok” is similar to “Rumah Melayu” in several ways,

4. but has differences in between. The windows of the “Hanok” is layered with Korean
paper to create a diverse colour of natural light into the house. Like “Rumah Melayu”,
no power supply would be needed. The house has four parts, that is the main
building, where the woman would normally be in and is in the most inner part of the
house, the men’s part of house, where guest would be served, servant’s area, where
servants lives in for wealthier families, and a “separate house”, for the unmarried
daughters to stay (6).
Lastly, because both houses are located in different countries with varying
climate, they have their own ways to overcome the climate issues. The weather in
Malaysia is hot and tropical, so that “Rumah Melayu” had to be designed to adapt to
that. The large windows can not only be used for the natural lighting, but also useful
in ventilating hot air out of the house (1). Other than that, the timber stilts help during
the monsoon season where flooding happens very often in the rural areas, so that
the residents are a level above the flood (2). The roofs too, are designed to be very
steep so that it prevents water from trapping on the roof, making leakage into the
house. Korea, on the other hand, has the four different types of seasons. In “Hanok”,
the floor would contain a layer of stone called the “Ondol” that would help the
residents in winter and summer. During the cold season, the stones will absorb the
heat released in the kitchen where fire would be used for cooking, and then
transferring the heat to all around the house, producing warmth to the residents.
Whereas during the hot season, the “Ondol” helps to avoid the moisture and heat
produced from the hot weather from the air (3).
People often say the traditional houses designers are good architects,
because they could design something so beautiful yet could accommodate many
values. Not only that, they actually consider combining the exterior feature, interior

5. characteristics and climate issues together, which wasn’t an easy thing to do. We
should appreciate these houses as they might never exist in 20 years later.
(712 words)

6. References: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”
1. Ghafar, A. (2001). Malay vernacular architecture. Retrieved 23, March, 2014,
from http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/malayvernacular.htm
2. Wijnen, B. V. (2001). Malaysian house. Retrieved 23, March, 2014, from
http://www.malaysiasite.nl/malayhouse.htm
3. Kim, J. G. (2013). Korean’s wisdom with Hanok. Retrieved 23, March, 2014,
from http://www.han-style.com/english/hanok/science.jsp
4. Korean Tourism Organization. (2010). Hanok house. Retrieved 23, March,
2014 from http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_8_1_3_1.jsp
5. Korean Tourism Organization. (2008). Hanok (Korean Traditional House).
Retrieved from 23, March, 2014 from
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_8_1_3.jsp
6. The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea. (2009). Hanok (Korean Traditional
Housing). Retrieved from 23, March, 2014 from
http://www.prkorea.com/english/e_intro/e_introto4_4.htm