d

1. A R C H I T E C T U R A L
E L E M E N T S A N D

2. The Sentul shop houses consist of a variety of architectural components that
define the Malaysian architecture in its very way. Influenced by both local
and foreign styles, Sentul shop houses are undoubtedly the most unique in
its area. Along Jalan Sentul were shop houses with three different functions
namely Cultural Shop Houses, Community Convenience Shop Houses and
Public Services Shop Houses.
The obvious elements of Art Deco present in these shop houses are the
strong emphasis on vertical elements as the buildings are closely packed.
From the outside, Sentul shop houses seemed combined to one another
but are divided by rear boundary walls on the inside.
Figure 5.1 Site A,
B and C shop
houses (Source:
Arvindhan, 2015)
The vertical elements are
strongly defined by the
upright structure of the
walls called pilasters
from Shanghai that is
portrayed on the façade.
Interior boundary walls
were used to set a
variance in spaces
between one shop house
and another.
Figure 5.2 Sketch shows the diving walls in shop houses
Also, the façade portrays a strong
emphasis on geometrical
elements from Art Deco that is
acquired in most shop houses
along Jalan Sentul.
Figure 5.3 Sketch shows geometrical elements found on façade of shop houses
FA Ç A D E S
I N T R O D U C T I O N

3. Unusually, the facade is always recessed at ground level, leaving a space
here that for walkways to be constructed. Walkways play an essential
role in the user circulation around a building. Along the rows of shop lots
are walkways that provide a walking passage for pedestrians and
customers.
Site A Site B Site C
Materials used for walkways vary from site A to B and C.
Figure 5.4 Walkways on site A, B and C respectively (Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
Figure 5.5 Length of walkway sideways Figure 5.6 Differences between sites A, B and C
The walkways are made wide up to 1.5 metres to allow pedestrians to circulate with ease. The walkway
in Site A is different than in Site B and C. Site A has extended pavements along as well for stall setting
purposes. Site B and C however implemented green features such as planting trees and bushes along
the walkways for both aesthetic value and health wise.
The materials used for these walkways are Art Deco styled :- a riot of
multicolour tiles and random arrangement of tiles.
The tiles used in Site A walkways
are small and vary in colour for
aesthetic purposes. These colours
are randomly placed to show a
diverse in contrast.
Figure 5.8 Sketch shows dimensions of tiles used
Figure 5.7 Site A walkway
material (Source:
Arvindhan, 2015)
The cement walkways on Site B and C provides a
seamless pathway that is easy to construct and
strong overtime.
Figure 5.9 Concrete cement walkway (Source : Arvindhan ,2015)
Figure 5.10 Sketch shows pavement practicality on site
WA L K WAY S

4. Entrances found on ground level of shop lots consist of grills and shades.
These entrances come in different lengths depending on the business
being run. The grills, made from metal act as safety barriers against
miscreants when the shop is left unattended. The shades, made from
aluminium however reduces impurities from walkways or roads from
entering the building.
Figure 5.27 Entrances from site A,B and C (Source: Arvindhan & Sue Hwa, 2015)
The metal grills can be opened and
closed in one direction either left
or right only. Most of these
entrances are found in front of
staircases to the upper floor.
The shades are pulled downwards to
close the entrance. These entrances
are big to allow more customers to
go in and out of the shop and also to
allow easy carriage of goods.
Figure 5.28 Two types of entances found in Sentul shop houses
At the back of the shop houses are storage spaces at ground level, with an
open courtyard or light-well which explains the need for bigger back
entrances. These back entrances are either partially closed or fully closed.
Figure 5.29
Back
entrances for
site A, B and C
(Source:
Arvindhan,
2015)
Figure 5.30 Sketch of back door entrance
One of the many unique features that can be
found in Sentul shop houses is the utilization of
an assortment of open-to-sky spaces to admit
natural daylight as well as natural air called
internal courtyards. Contingent upon their size,
these courtyards may be landscaped spaces for
any household activities.
Figure 5.29 Courtyard that has been made into a kitchen and storage space ( Source: Sue
Hwa, 2015 )
E N T R A N C E S
C O U R T YA R D S

5. W I N D O W S
All shop houses have a
common setting whereby
the architect
implemented sun
adaptation concepts as
well as natural ventilation
openings, making the
shop houses sustainable.
The diversity of numbers
and types of windows
also add on to the beauty
on the façade of the shop
houses.
Figure 5.13 Site A,
Band C buildings
respectively (Source :
Arvindhan ,2015)
The windows found in
Sentul shop houses
are almost similar to
each other because of
developers that come
from the same era.
They either come in
threes or in rows.
Figure 5.14 Sketch of windows
on site that come in three and
one row
Windows are crucial for a building’s sustainable approach as it is a
medium that allows natural light to penetrate through. Shop houses
along Jalan Sentul is embodied with windows of different shapes and
sizes. Each window has a purpose depending on its response to building
topography. The most common windows are louvre windows and
casement windows.
Figure 5.15 Sketch
shows types of
windows and how
windows work for
natural lighting
N AT U R A L L I G H T I N G S
Figure 5.16
Windows on site
(Source: Arvindhan,
2015)
Figure 5.17
Sketch shows
function of types
of windows
Shop houses at
the end of each
row carry an
advantage by
having more
windows at the
sides to allow as
much light from
the sun’s
orientation
possible.
Figure 5.19
Sketch
shows
adaptation
of building
to Sun’s
orientation

6. N AT U R A L V E N T I L AT I O N S
Most of the Sentul shop houses implement the use of natural
ventilation to cool the interior spaces. Hence, air vents of all shapes and
sizes were designed in this architecture to support the idea of natural
ventilation. The placing of these air vents were based on the concept of
“hot-air rises”.
Figure 5.20 Air vent In Site A (Source: Arvindhan,
2015)
Site A building has air vents that are longitudinal
to allow more air to enter the shop houses.
Figure 5.21
Sketch
shows
ventilation
in Site A
Site B building air vents are small and right
above the windows for easy circulation of air.
Figure 5.22 Air vent in Site B (Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
Figure 5.23
Sketch shows
ventilation of air
in Site B
Figure 5.24 Air vent in Site C
(Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
Site C building air vents are
numerous and cluttered to allow
more hot air to rush out during the
hot day.
Figure 5.25 Sketch shows ventilation in Site C
S H A D I N G S
Shading plays an important role in preventing the hot sun from entering parts
of a building and rain as well. Some shades found in Sentul shop houses were
built protruding out from the building and some awnings were also installed
right above window panes.
Figure 5.35
Sketch
shows
shading
function in
Site A
Figure 5.34 Shading structure in
Site A (Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
Shading in Site A shop houses are built protruding
out from the building as natural shading structure
for its louvre windows.
Side B shadings are
built seamlessly
with the façade as
the windows are
inside the building.Figure 5.36 Site B Shading
(Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
Figure 5.37 Sketch shows Site B shading
Site C shadings are awnings that are aligned to the
windows on facades.
Figure 5.38 Site C shading
(Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
Figure 5.39
Sketch
shows
shading
function in
Site C

7. A R C H E S
One of the most unique characteristics on the Sentul shop houses are
the arches through the “five-foot walkways”. These arches contain
impost and keystones that are used in Art Deco designs to replace
European influenced columns which is not weight supportive compared.
Also, these arches represent the advancement of Malaysian architecture
during its time. This covered five-foot way, typically an arched opening,
joins one house with the rest on the street front. Thus, creating a
continuous walkway on the front facade of the shop house block.
Figure 5.40
Arches on Site B
and C walkways
(Source:
Arvindhan,
2015)
The arches
throughout the
walkway are the
same in height.
However, the
horizontal length
of the arches vary
according to the
side of pathways.
Figure 5.41
Sketch
shows
height of
arch
Art Deco arches are
essential in making the
building more stable as
weight force from
above is distributed
evenly towards the
ground. Aesthetically it
provides a sense of
stability when walking
through it.
Figure 5.42
Sketch
shows
structure of
the arches
Stairs are essential in shop houses as they act as a platform of access from the
ground floor to the first floor and second floor. However they vary depending
on the type of building function and the place of installation. Most stairs in
Sentul shop houses are found in between main buildings.
Figure 5.43 shows
types of stairs found
on Site A, B and C (
Source: Arvindhan,
2015)
Materials used for staircases
Concrete and brick staircases. Building was built in 1964 which
shows advancement in materiality for Malaysian architecture.
Wooden stairs. Timber was used as it was
found abundantly in 1938 before World
War.
Figure 5.44 Concrete stairs ( Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
Figure 5.45 Wooden stairs ( Source: Arvindhan,
2015 )Spiral staircase
Spiral staircase made out of steel found outside of a shop
house in Site B. It was used to excess the upper floors
directly from the outside without having to excess from the
inside.
Figure 5.46 Spiral staircase in Site B ( Source: Arvindhan, 2015)
S TA I R C A S E S
Figure 5.39 Sketch shows stairs
found on site

8. Shop houses are ordinarily manufactured with pitched rooftops secured with
orange clay rooftop tiles. Again, this marks an important shift away from the
use of more organic coconut frond thatch (called "attap") in traditional
architecture. The included expense of dirt tiles was borne because of their
more prominent solidness and particularly their imperviousness to flame.
Figure 5.49 Rooftop structure of shop houses
The facade of Sentul shop houses are all light colored. Traditionally,
numerous shop houses would have had a grayish shading on their walls.
Other well known early hues were indigo and ochre, given the scope of
accessible shades.
Figure 5.53 Bright façade colors of Sentul shop houses
It is concluded that the Sentul shop lots have defined the Malaysian
architectural style with a pinch of Art Deco influence that is shown through its
emphasis on vertical and geometrical elements on almost all shop lots’
facades. Other elements such as the doors, windows, walkways, shadings and
natural ventilations add up to the prominence of discovering its own identity
through architecture. The most unique feature in shop lots however, the
arches, goes to show the advancement of architectural understanding during
its period of time.
Author : Arvindhan Balasingam (0319753)
Pitched roofs plays an advantage in shop housing development as it
prevents rainwater from being collected on the top. All the shop houses
along Jalan Sentul are built in such way to endure the rainy weather in
Malaysia and acts as ventilation for the inner-courtyard.
Figure 5.50 and Figure 5.52 Function of pitched roof in
shop houses in general
R O O F S FA Ç A D E C O L O U R S
C O N C L U S I O N

9. 1. Art Deco (c.1925-40) (Art Deco Design Style: Origins, History, Characteristics)
2. Davis, Howard, Living Over the Store: Architecture and Local Urban Life, Routledge, 2012
3. Themes, E. (2012, January 8). Shophouse Architecture. Retrieved July 14, 2015, from http://www.shophousetowkay.sg/guide/styles-of-
shophouse/
4. Types of stairs - Advantages & Disadvantages. (Keuka Studios Types of Stairs Comments)
5. Mai-Lin Tjoa-Bonatz, "Shophouses in Colonial Penang", Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume LXXI Part 2, 1998, pp 122-136
6. Davis, Howard, Living Over the Store: Malaysian Architecture and Local Urban Life, 2012
7. Ahmad, D. (2008, July 7). THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF THE PERANAKAN CINA. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from
http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/SeminarPaper/peranakan cina.html
R E F E R E N C E S