1. How has the Chinese Migrants and traders
from South China influenced and adapted the
typology of the Malaysian Vernacular
Shophouses to the Malaysian Context
r e s e a r c h t o p i c
O n e Y u h H u e y 0 3 3 0 2 8 9 | C h a i P a u l I e 0 3 3 0 3 1 2 | E d w a r d L o h C h u n S e n g 0 3 3 0 4 3 1 | L i m E v i a n 0 3 3 0 4 0 5 |
L o y X i n Y i 0 3 3 0 4 7 5 | N g Y o o n g S h e u n , B e r n i c e 0 3 3 0 4 2 3 | N g Z h o n g Y a n g 0 3 3 1 0 4 1
2. i n t r o d u c t i o n
The purpose of doing this study on how has the chinese migrants and traders from
south china influenced and adapted the typology of the malaysian vernacular
shophouses to the malaysian context is to identify the architectural heritage of
Penang . Francis Light founded George Town as a free port to entice traders away.
Since then, greater number of newer immigrants from China throughout the 19th
century, effectively made the Chinese the largest ethnic group in Penang by the
1850s. Chinese immigrants brought with them architecture from their ancestral
land as can be seen in the many Chinese temples and clan houses thus influenced
and adapted the local architecture of the old Malayan. With that began the
emergence of the evolution of the typology of the malaysian vernacular shophouses.
Elavation of Sun-yat-sen museum.
3. i n t r o d u c t i o n
Penang’s architectural heritage is one of the finest in Southeast Asia. Perhaps the
most characteristic building form is the shophouse whose design style has evolved
over nearly two hundred years, picking up influences from many different cul-
tures. After the British East India Company founded George Town in 1786, ethnic Chi-
nese began to move to Penang in increasing numbers.
槟城
penang
4. r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s
The research will be based on the following questions :
How are the orginial architectural elements of the Sun Yat Sen museum
different from the 1700s and 1800s to present day ?
What are the local architectural elements that have been adopted in the
design of the shophouses ?
How has they use materials in the shophouses to suit our local context ? Do
they adapt to the local context ? Are they any changes ?
How have they modify their design to suit local climate ?
How did they create new designs with the local technology and
socio-economic development that was available the time ?
1
2
3
4
5
5. m e t h o d o l o g y
The methods that was used to carry out the research was through qualitative method.
Qualitative methods used includes reading through journals,case studies and
research papers done by researchers. We have also used articles and online e-journals
to conduct our research.
qualitative method
6. q u e s t i o n o n e
01
The transition of shophouses design in 1700s, 1800s
til present day
7. q u e s t i o n o n e
‘’Early
Penang Style
“
1790-1840s
1-2 storeys
(low)
Simple
Facade
Design is
simple
Unglazed
roof tiles
Wall orna-
mentation is
minimal
“Early Straits”
1890-1910s
2-3 storeys
Chinese influ-
ence: carved
timber door, air
vents, gable
end, air well.
European influ-
ence: full
length shut-
tered windows,
geometric-pat-
terned coloured
clay tiles.
“Neo
Classical”
1910-1930s
Adapt to Gre-
cian and Roman
Styles building
Wall painted in
pastel or white
finishing
Ornamented
window frames
Keystones on
the top of
window arches
“ A r t - d e c o
style”
1943-1960s
Granulat-
ed/Shanghai
Plaster
High pediment
or parapet wall
Heavy use of
straight lines
either vertically
or horizontally
“Early modern
Style”
1950-1970s
Typified by simple
geometric forms
Glass curtain rail-
ing
Reinforced con-
crete construction
No ornamenta-
tion
Flat roof
“Southern Chi-
nese Eclectic
Style”
1840-1910s
2-3 storeys
Chinese influ-
ence : carved
timber door, air
vents, gable end.
Use of ornamen-
tation on wall.
Bright facade co-
lours.
9. q u e s t i o n t w o
Simple attap huts
introduced by Chinese. The
roofs of early shophouses
were made of attap. Also
terracotta roof tiles
replace wooden shingles.
The materials commonly
used in the shophouses
includes, Timber, clay bricks,
limestone, granite , U or V
shaped Terracotta roof tiles
and also floor tiles.
In the 1890s, European
influences can be seen
from their full length
wooden shutter windows
Introduction of
geometrical pattern
coloured floor tiles
(tessellated encaustic clay
floor tiles). Then, this was
replaced by brick and
mortar wall with two or
three windows.
Included fanlights above
the windows with majolica
ceramic wall tiles
By 1930 Art Deco has
become the latest trend on
the streets. The highly
stylized Art Deco period was
characterized by vertical
emphasis on the façade.
Pilaster elements were
applied that stretched
through the entire height of
the building. Metal framed
windows became part of
the shophouse.
10. q u e s t i o n t w o
03
The materials in shophouses to
adapt to local context
11. q u e s t i o n t h r e e
Instead of producing replicas of buildings from their country of origin, builders took
note of what local Malay houses had to offer and adapted accordingly. These
features, along with the building materials, were largely borrowed by other
traditions such as chinese and european influences as they went about building their
own abodes.
Elavation and section of Sun-yat-sen museum.
12. q u e s t i o n t h r e e
These earliest shophouses were:
1. The first shophouses were built of timber and roofted with attap.
2. Sloping atap roof offered shade over the verrandah.
3. Squat and crudely built by local builders
4. Mangrove logs and roughly - sawn planks
5. Meranti wood to construct the underside of roof structure ceiling
6. Merbau or Balau wood for the facade parapet walls.
However, after a few early fires in Georgetown, the inhabitants were forced to build
with bricks and tiles. Apart from that, Malaysia has a strong tradition in geometric
and floral pattern work. This can be seen in the application of Malay designs in
ceramic tiles that were laid down on the ground of the walkway in front of each
shop.
Interior of the Sun-Yat-Sen museum.
14. q u e s t i o n f o u r
2
2
4
3
1
1. COURTYARD
Help facilitate the ventilation between levels
as well and bringing in natural light into the
center of the shophouse.
2. ATRIUM
Serve as airwells for ventilating. Reduce
overheating during daytime and to increase
cooling of building structure during
night-time.
3. OVERHANGING EAVES
Minimizes direct sunlight on exposed walls.
4. TERRACOTTA TILES
Absorbs the moisture from the ground and
allows them to evaporate through the tiles and
allows to cool the ground floor. Terracotta roof
tiles allow easy drainage of rainwater and it
keeps moist and cool long after the rain.
5. LIME WASH WALL
Traditional permeable lime wash wall coating
further cools the walls via evaporation.
Lime plaster acts as a breathable skin. It helps
to deflect the light and heat from exterior
walls.
16. q u e s t i o n f i v e
For the late 19th century shophouse walls, thin clay bricks with irregular sizes were
used. The brickwork was of Chinese origin common bond without a regular course
repetition pattern.
Decorative elements such as cement tiles and majolica tiles also appeared mostly in
the 20th century.
The bricks also came in
thicker and more
consistent sizes.
Moreover, the brickwork
became English bond
with a distinguished
pattern.
RC beams and concrete
slabs also began to
appear.
17. q u e s t i o n f i v e
4
2 1 3
The minimum open-space provision of a two-storey shophouse was
determined at 10 feet or 15 feet for houses with more storeys, including the
service area and the regulations on open space were tightened.
The width of the openings was to be no less than one-tenth of the room
frontage, the room height no less than 10 feet.
All new houses were to be provided with access to a back lane with a second
entrance to facilitate drainage and sewerage. The construction of the earlier
compact blocks of back-to-back houses was thus forbidden.
Timbers that are susceptible to rot were separated from the ground and supported
by clay brick walls.
1
2
3
4
18. c o n c l u s i o n s
This research has explore on the contextual response of how the Chinese
traders that migrated here to Malaya and influence the art and architecture
here with their culture and tradition. As we can see, the shophouses of
penang has a rich influence from both eastern and western influences.
There are influences from Chinese architecture, dutch and also british influ-
ences intto the shophouses designs. The shophouses in Penang demon-
strates how the Chinese traders have made their influence through the ar-
chitecture here in Malaysia. To conclude, architecture should response to
the culture and context of a site.
conclusions
19. r e f e r e n c e s
Books
TAN, Y. (1960). PENANG SHOPHOUSES: A HANDBOOK OF FEATURES AND MATERIALS. Penang: Tan Yeow Wei Culture
and History Research Studio 2015.
ZWAIN, A., & BAHAUDDIN, A. (2017). THE TRADITIONAL COURTYARD ARCHITECTURAL COMPONENTS OF ECLECTIC
STYLE SHOPHOUSES, GEORGE TOWN, PENANG. Journal of the School Of Housing, Building & Planning, Universiti
Sains Malaysia, Penang, MALAYSIA, 8(2). ISSN 2228-9860. Retrieved from http://tuengr.com/V08/069M.pdf.
Website
AHMAD, G. SOUTHERN CHINESE ARCHITECTURE. Retrieved from http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/chi-
nese__architecture.htm
QUAINT CHARM OF SHOPHOUSES - METRO NEWS | THE STAR ONLINE. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.the-
s t a r . c o m . m y / m e t r o / c o m m u n i -
ty/2015/08/05/quaint-charm-of-shophouses-architect-and-author-speaks-on-intricate-elements-of-the-buildings/
#mK3bAScdFvQcP0DU.99
WAGNER, A. (2017). "MALAYSIAN SHOPHOUSES: CREATING CITIES OF CHARACTER”. ARCHITECTURE UNDERGRAD-
UATE HONORS THESES. 20. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.uark.edu/archuht/20
TUT, C. (2011). LEARNING FROM THE SINGAPORE SHOPHOUSE: TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE TROPICAL ARCHITEC-
TURE. Retrieved from http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0043863/GUAN_T.pdf
TAN, C., & FUJITA, K. (2014). BUILDING CONSTRUCTION OF PRE-WAR SHOPHOUSES IN GEORGE TOWN OBSERVED
THROUGH A RENOVATION CASE STUDY. Journal of the EX Research Institute Ltd., Japan, 13(1), 199 - 200. doi:
10.3130/jaabe.13.195. Retrieved from https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jaabe/13/1/13_195/_pdf.
20. Website
AHMAD, G. SOUTHERN CHINESE ARCHITECTURE. Retrieved from http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/chi-
nese__architecture.htm
TUT, C. (2011). LEARNING FROM THE SINGAPORE SHOPHOUSE: TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE TROPICAL ARCHITEC-
TURE. Retrieved from http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0043863/GUAN_T.pdf
TAN, C., & FUJITA, K. (2014). BUILDING CONSTRUCTION OF PRE-WAR SHOPHOUSES IN GEORGE TOWN OB-
SERVED THROUGH A RENOVATION CASE STUDY. Journal of the EX Research Institute Ltd., Japan, 13(1), 199 - 200.
doi: 10.3130/jaabe.13.195. Retrieved from https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jaabe/13/1/13_195/_pdf.
PERANAKAN HERITAGE | SUN YAT SEN MUSEUM PENANG. Retrieved from http://sunyatsenpenang.com/per-
anakan-heritage/
SHOPHOUSE STYLES | PENANG SHOPHOUSE. (2018). Retrieved from http://penangshop-
house.com.my/?page_id=191
HUSSIN, N. (2014). SHOP HOUSES IN PENANG. Retrieved from http://www.penangheritagecity.com/shop-hous-
es-in-penang.html
SABAH, O. (2016). PENANG/ GEORGETOWN’S SHOPHOUSE FACADE AND VISUAL PROBLEMS, ANALYTIC STUDY.
Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/25979471/PENANG_GEORGETOWNS_SHOP-
HOUSE_FACADE_AND_VISUAL_PROBLEMS_ANALYTIC_STUDY
r e f e r e n c e s
