GRDS Conferences

1. 4th International Conference on Advances in Social Sciences (ICASS)
(Kuala Lumpur)
Dynasty Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Art of living - Australian homes, Islamic culture:
Understanding language and use of Muslims’ domestic spaces
Zul Othman
PhD in Creative Industries
School of Design, Faculty of Creative Industries
Queensland University of Technology
Brisbane, Australia

2. Home is a mirror that reflects how diverse cultures relate to their physical environments (Altman and Chemers, 1984)

3. Current housing design may contradict with Muslim’s requirements
Their home environment needs have implications for home designs
No knowledge how Muslims in Australia live & adapt in OZ homes
476,300 Muslims in Australia (69% increment from 2001) (ABS, 2012)
2011 Census - 26% of Australian born overseas,
20% had at least one parent born overseas (ABS, 2012)
Research Problems

4. Research Questions
RESEARCH QUESTION
How do Australian Muslims perceive
privacy in their homes, and how do
they achieve privacy?
SUB QUESTION 3 SUB QUESTION 1
What are Australian Muslims’ levels of
satisfaction with current Australian
home designs with regard to
liveability and adaptability of their
current homes?
To what extent do Australian Muslims
perceive modesty to be important within
their home environment, and how do
they achieve this?
How do Australian Muslims perceive hospitality
within their home environment?
SUB QUESTION 2

5. 2. Open-ended questions
Methodology
4. Drawings and photographs
3. Observations
1. Semi-structured interviews
Qualitative case study using phenomenology approach

6. Case Studies CASE STUDY GROUP 1 CASE STUDY GROUP 2
Participants Aishah Amina Ahmet Dewi Soraya Farid
Gender Female Female Male Female Female Male
Profession Full time Full time /
Own business
Full time Student Student Student
Age range 40-50 50-60 40-50 30-40 30-40 30-40
Ethnic
background
Australian
(Pakistan)
Egyptian Palestinian Indonesian Iranian Iranian
Spouse Aziz Ali Sofia Adam James Henna
Spouse’s ethnic
background
Pakistan Egyptian Australian/ Irish Indonesian Australian Iranian
Years living in
Australia
5th Generation
Australian 31 27 3.5 3 3
Participant’s
highest level of
education
BA BA (Hons) PhD PhD
(undertaking)
MA
(undertaking)
PhD
(undertaking)
Spouse’s highest
level of
education
High School BA(Hons) BSc BA BA(Hons) PhD
Number of
children 0
3 (1 passed
away = 4) 1
3 (2 living in
Australia) 0 0
Total family
income (AUD)
> $90,000 $50,000 -
$60,000
> $120,000 $30,000 -
$40,000
$70,000 -
$80,000
$60,000 -
$70,000
Case Study Participants
Same suburb 3 different suburbs

7. Theoretical Frameworks
Methods
Outcomes
Synthesis
Tripartite Principles of
Privacy, Modesty, Hospitality
(PMH)
Liveability &
Adaptability
of Home
Qualitative Case Study
Paper 1: PRIVACY, MODESTY, HOSPITALITY AND THE DESIGN
OF MUSLIM HOMES: A literature review
+
PhD Thesis by Publication
Paper 2: OBSERVING PRIVACY, MODESTY AND HOSPITALITY IN THE
HOME DOMAIN: Three Case Studies of Muslim Homes in Brisbane, Australia
Paper 3: OBSERVING PRIVACY, MODESTY AND HOSPITALITY IN THE
HOME DOMAIN: Three Case Studies of Muslim Homes in Brisbane, Australia
Case Study Group 1
Case Study Group 2
Paper 4: ARE AUSTRALIAN HOMES LIVEABLE AND ADAPTABLE FOR
MUSLIM FAMILIES? - Six Case Studies in Brisbane

8. Privacy Modesty Hospitality
19 selected publications
• Visual privacy
• Acoustical privacy
• Olfactory privacy
• External modesty:
humility in design
• Internal modesty:
areas for religious
activities
• Public: male guests
• Semi-public:
female guests
• Private: family
Paper 1: PRIVACY, MODESTY, HOSPITALITY AND THE DESIGN OF MUSLIM HOMES: A literature review
FRONTIERS OF ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH (to be published 2015)
Design on Traditional Muslim Homes across the Globe

9. Paper 2: OBSERVING PRIVACY, MODESTY AND HOSPITALITY IN THE HOME DOMAIN:
Three Case Studies of Muslim Homes in Brisbane, Australia
ARCHNET-IJAR: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH (Volume 8 - Issue 3 - November 2014)
Aishah Amina Ahmet

10. Paper 3: UNIVERSITY LIFE AND AUSTRALIAN HOMES: Three case studies of international Muslim
students in Brisbane
JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE (Volume 3 Issue 2 December 2014 )
Dewi Soraya Farid

11. Paper 4: ARE AUSTRALIAN HOMES LIVEABLE AND ADAPTABLE FOR MUSLIM FAMILIES?
- Six Case Studies in Brisbane IJAHS (submitted)
Case studies
Criteria
Case Study 1 Case Study 2
Aishah Amina Ahmet Dewi Soraya Farid
Perceptions of
neighbourhood/
suburb
 quiet and generally a safe
neighbourhood
 multicultural society adds
richness in the suburb
 close to sister’s home
 close to nieces’ and
nephews’ schools
 close to train station and
bus stops
 peaceful and
liveable
neighbourhood
 one of the earliest
homes built
during the
development of
area
 close to mosque
and halal shops
 close to train
station and bus
stops
 quiet and safe
neighbourhood
 enjoy multicultural
neighbourhood
lifestyle
 close to mosque
and Islamic school
 close to work
 close to halal shops
 close to train
station and bus
stops
 quiet and leafy
neighbourhood
 close to
amenities and
bus stop
 safe and quiet
area
 very good
relationship
with local bus
driver on way
to university
 close to
Brisbane CBD
 easy access to
public
transportation
 within walking
distance to
university
 “it is important
to live within
multicultural
community and
talk to different
people, than just
living within
Muslim
community.”
 quiet
neighbourhood
 close to train
station
 safe at night
Relationship
with adjacent
neighbours
 no Muslim neighbours but
gets along well with them
 made cookies and
brownies for neighbours
when first moved in and
Christmas period
 gets along with
most neighbours
 minor dispute
with next door
neighbour
regarding
retaining wall
division
 very close
relationship with
neighbours, visit
each other daily
 look after
neighbours’ pets
and plants when
they are away (vice
versa)
 wife tutors
neighbours’
children at home
 knows next
door neighbour
 quiet and
peaceful
neighbourhood
 looks after
neighbour’s
cats when he is
away
 minor noise
issue with other
tenants
 close to shops
and restaurants
 no relationship
with neighbours
 “we have no
relationship
basically, just
say hello and
bye”
 no issue on
noise or break-
ins