Asian Architecture Final Report

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN (SABD)
ASIAN ARCHITECTURE [ARC 2234]
PROJECT 1: CASE STUDY PAPER
The integration of Malay vernacular architecture with modern architecture into design of Kampung Villa, Belum Rainforest Resort, Pulau Banding to achieve thermal comfort
NAME : ADELINE TING YUH CHEE
STUDENT ID : 0314648
LECTURER : MS. SHAHRIANNE
SUBMISSION DATE: 11TH NOVEMBER 2014

The integration of Malay vernacular architecture with modern architecture into design of Kampung Villa, Belum
Rainforest Resort, Pulau Banding to achieve thermal comfort
ARC 2213/2234 Asian Architecture Page 2
The integration of Malay vernacular architecture with modern architecture into design of Kampung Villa, Belum Rainforest Resort, Pulau Banding to achieve thermal comfort.
Table of Contents Page
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………… 3
1.0 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………
1.1 Overview of modern and vernacular design…………………………………. 4
1.2 Research questions…………………………………………………………….. 4
2.0 THERMAL COMFORT…………………………………………………………….. 5
3.0 VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE………………………………………………..
3.1 Principles in Vernacular Design……………………………………………..... 6-9
3.2 Traditional Vernacular Architecture features in Kampung Villa……………. 10-17
4.0 INTEGRATION OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE AND
TRADITIONAL VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN KAMPUNG VILLA…... 17-22
5.0 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………… 23
6.0 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………… 24-25

ABSTRACT
This paper mainly focuses on the research of the integration of Malay vernacular architecture with modern architecture into design of Kampong Villa, Belum Rainforest Resort, Pulau Banding to achieve thermal comfort. In modern architecture, the design and quality of a functional space are focusing mainly on style and modernity rather than the tradition and context of the particular region. The vernacular architecture design is based on the local religion and culture with respect to nature. The Malay vernacular house design is affected by three climatic factors which are wind, sun and rain in order to provide a comfortable living space. Both architecture styles aim to achieve thermal comfort through different approach by which one uses passive design features and the other on electrical devices. Design principles from the Malay vernacular architecture such as the spatial layout of the houses, materials, construction method and environmental values are incorporate into Kampong Villa‟s design. These principles are further reinforced with the use of the modern resources and elements to provide a long term sustainable development. The integration of vernacular and modern architecture enhances the design of the building by providing the occupants the balance of functional and comfort space without compromising the aesthetic value or the rich historical elements. Both architectural styles play an important role to achieve thermal comfort, hence ensuring the spatial quality without overlooking the other architectural aspects.

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview of modern and vernacular design
Societies are often captivated by the style, aesthetics and the grandeur of modern building rather than its tradition or culture of the particular regional context. The fragile balance that had been maintained for centuries has been destroyed by the spread of modern architecture. As a consequence, the essence of vernacular architecture is often neglected by designers due to the changes in culture and ecological situations. Vernacular architecture has played an essential role in shaping architecture and defining the perceptions of modernity. The concept of functionality, simplicity, environment and culture context in the vernacular design helps to improve the comfort living in the building. Modern architecture styles more often practice by architects at this century as the aesthetic value are often over often preferred rather than its functionality and the tradition.
1.2 Research questions
This paper will investigate on the the integration of Malay vernacular architecture with modern architecture into design of Kampung Villa, Belum Rainforest Resort, Pulau Banding to achieve thermal comfort by responding to the following questions :
1. What are the factors of thermal comfort?
2. What are the basic design principles of the traditional Malay house adapted in Belum Rainforest Resort‟s Kampung Villa to achieve thermal comfort?
3. How does the vernacular architecture design in Kampung Villa differ from the typical/traditional vernacular architecture?
4. How does the integration of the two architecture styles help in improving the thermal comfort of Kampung Villa?

2.0 THERMAL COMFORT
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55 (2004) defines thermal comfort as “….a condition of mind that expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment and is assessed by subjective evaluation.” The temperature to optimize indoor thermal comfort is ranged from 19°C to 28°C averagely, whereas the average human body temperature is approximately 37°C. This thermal comfort level for human varies differently because it will be affected by the psychological and physiological factors. There are three categories of factors that will affect thermal comfort which are; personal, psychological and measurable environmental. (Grondzik, Kwok,Stein and Reynolds, 2010, p. 92)
Personal factor in thermal comfort is affected mainly by the metabolism of an individual and also the clothing insulation. The metabolic rate of an individual depends on their own physical characteristics based on factors such as size, weight, age, fitness level and sex. (Occupational Health and Safety, 2007) These factors will have different impact to the person‟s thermal comfort as they carry out activities within the space. Whereas for clothing, different types of clothing have different insulation values which are measure in CLO units. The thicker the clothes, the faster the person will feel hot and start sweating.
The measurable environmental factor is affected by the air temperature, radiant temperature, air velocity and humidity. These factors can be measured and dependent to each other. For example, when the humidity is low, the air temperature will be high and vice versa. Lastly, the psychological factors such as sound, texture, aroma and light are different and difficult to measure as the resistance and taste of each individual are different from each other.

3.0 VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
3.1 Principles in Vernacular Design
Stewart Brand (1994) refers vernacular architecture as “adaptive building” and also a design that offers a valuable model as its aim is accomplishing the most with the least. (Kristian, B., n.d.) Vernacular architecture first started from how mankind was forced to build a shelter by using the local materials. The main aim of this architecture design is to provide a comfortable shelter to the locals rather than focusing on its aesthetic value. Vernacular design is often built by reflecting the ethnic or regional heritage and cultural traditions of the context or builders. It is built from materials that are readily available at the site to minimize the environmental impact towards the land.
In Malaysia, the traditional Malay houses are built by following the vernacular design principles as a solution to the hot and humid weather conditions. The three main climatic factors are the wind, rain and sun. The local Malay houses are built with mainly adaptability in mind, it has very humble yet practical design language that reflects its culture and it is dependent on nature. Furthermore, the design of the Malay houses varies differently based on different states in Malaysia as each state have their own different cultures and tradition which affects the design of the building.

The main design principles in Vernacular Architecture are:
1) Building Materials
The usages of lightweight construction such as timber consist of low thermal capacity that holds little heat and helps to cool the building at night.
2) Layout of the building
The traditional Malay houses are arranged randomly to ensure the wind velocity in the houses in the latter path of the wind will not be blocked or reduced.
Figure 1: The variation in design of a traditional Malay House in Malaysia. (Source: Hbp, n.d.)

3) Vegetation
Tall trees are used as shading devices as it can block excessive sun glare into the building and it does not block the passage of the winds at the house level.
4) Cross Ventilation
The elongated open plan of the traditional Malay house allows the flow of air and good cross ventilation throughout the spaces in the house. There are minimal partitions within the spaces which will provide comfort to the occupants.
5) Ventilation at Body Level
The traditional Malay house consists of many full-length fully openable windows and doors at the body level to maximize the ventilation.
6) Orientation of the building
The shorter façade of the buildings are oriented to the face Mecca (East-West direction) as believe due to the religious reasons. The east-west orientation minimizes area exposed to the solar radiation therefore reducing excessive sunlight and heat into the building to ensure the building can be cool during the day.

Figure 2: The design principles of a typical Malay House (Source: Archfullstop, 2010) Figure 3: Climatic Responds in Traditional Malay House (Source: Ahmad, n.d.)

3.2 Traditional Vernacular architecture features in Kampong Villa, Belum Rainforest Resort
The phase 2 of Belum Rainforest Resort have two different kind of designs which one is more towards the modern and contemporary design whereas the other focuses more on the traditional Malay House in Perak. The design approach for this phase is different from one other because of the intention by the architects. Kampong Villa is one of the accommodations provided in Phase 2 that consist of the traditional Malay house design features integrated into it. The chalet was said to be inspired by the Malaysia's traditional architecture and was built to respond to the immediate context of the site‟, to provide „intimate relationship with nature‟. (Belum Rainforest Resort Official Site, n.d.)
Figure 4: Location of the Kampong Villa in the Belum Rainforest Resort map. (Source: author)

The main features of the traditional Malay house can be found from the Kampong Villa in Belum Rainforest Resort as the designer intention was to integrate the local traditional house design into the chalet design. This design provides the user to achieve thermal comfort within the space and also to provide tourist to experience different kind of living space of the resort.
Figure 5: Kampong Villa in Belum Rainforest Resort, Pulau Banding. Figure 6: Example of a Traditional Malay House in Malaysia. (Source: Guwen Travel, n.d.)

Building Materials
The use of lightweight building materials in the Kampong Villa design can be seen at the exterior of the building. The chalets are constructed using mainly timber as it consists of low thermal capacity which helps to reduce the heat gain into the building. This is to ensure that the spaces in the building will not absorb too much heat during the day and it will be cool at night. The use of timber is also an approach to a more sustainable design. The two tables below shows the comparison of the timber types used in the construction of the Traditional Malay house (Table 1) and construction of Kampong Villa (Table 2).
Table 2: Materials used in the construction of Kampong Villa, Belum Rainforest Resort
Based on the comparisons from the two tables and the figures above, it can be concluded that the materials used by the chalets are similar to the traditional Malay house.
Construction Part Materials Roof Nipah, Rumbia, Kabong Structural (columns, beams, joists) Cengal, Merbau Non-Structural (walls, windows, doors) Meranti, Bamboo Construction Part Materials Roof Meranti Panels Window and Door Frames Meranti Wall Meranti Panels Flooring Merbau Stilts Steel I-Beams Exterior Columns Cengal
Table 1: Materials used in the construction of Traditional Malay House
(Source: Lim, 1987)

Layout of the building
Figure 7: Layout of the Kampong Villa in Belum Rainforest Resort. (Source: Author) Figure 8: The Linear layout of the typical Malay House. (Source: Aimran Samsudin, N. (n.d.)

Based on the observations, the layout of the chalets are arranged in a more orderly order similar to the linear arrangement of the typical Malay house that are usually found along the river bank, stream and the main road. (Aimran Samsudin,N., n.d.).There are still distances between the chalets to the other to ensure the flow of air will not be blocked. The linear and orderly arrangement is to ensure that it have a good vantage point for sightseeing as it is a tourism resort.
Context/Vegetation
Figure 9: Vegetation surrounding the chalets. (Source: Author) Figure 9: Surrounding trees around the kampong house acts as shading devices. (Source: SKAT, 1993)

From the Figure 9, it can be observed that the Kampong Villa is surrounded by nature. Similiarly to how the tall trees are used as shading devices in traditional Malay house(Figure 9), the tall trees around the chalet helps to block excessive sunlight penetration into the building therefore it will be less hot inside of the chalet. Similarly the tall trees will not block the air movement throughout the exterior of the building therefore ensuring the chalet to have good air ventilation.
Cross-Ventilation
The elongated plan of the 2-Bedroom Chalet helps to improve the air movement throughout the spaces in the building. Based on Clause 4.6.1 of the MS 1525 (Department of Standards Malaysia, 2007), it is stated that more openings should be provided on opposite walls for optimum cross ventilation effectiveness. The air flow are maximize in the space to ensure the occupants‟ thermal comfort as it will not be hot and humid. Figure 10: Cross-Ventilation Diagram of the 2-Bedroom Chalet (Source: Belum Rainforest Resort Official Site, n.d.)

Ventilation at Body Level
The full-length windows and doors in the chalet design are similar to the traditional Malay houses in order to maximize the ventilation at the body level. The body level is usually the part where ventilation is needed for comfort as it helps to cool down the body. The large openings also help in providing natural sunlight into the building with the use of large overhangs to avoid direct sunlight penetrations.
Figure 11: Full-length windows are the chalet. (Source: Author) Figure 12: The large overhangs of the Kampong Villa. (Source: Author)

Orientation of the building
As stated in the clause 4.3 of MS 1525 (Department of Standards Malaysia, 2007), “For climatic zones near the equator, the best orientation for buildings is minimizing East-West orientation while long directional axis of buildings are facing North-South.” For instant, Kampong Villa acts as an example, where such approach has been applied, where placements of the openings such as windows are reduced in East-West direction to ensure minimal sunlight into the building which helps to cool down the building.
Figure 13: The direction of path against the orientation of the building. (Source: Author)

4.0 INTEGRATION OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE AND TRADITIONAL VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN KAMPUNG VILLA, BELUM RAINFOREST RESORT
From the site in Belum Rainforest Resort, the integration of both modern and traditional vernacular architecture principles was the main design approach as a solution to upgrade the existing settlements and blending in the resorts with the surrounding context. The Kampong Villa houses design is mainly inspired by the traditional Malay house in Malaysia in order to achieve the thermal comfort aspects without neglecting the physical and cultural aspects of the site. Nevertheless, these features are improvised and integrated with the modern design to ensure it will not affect thermal comfort within the space but also to provide a valuable aesthetic to the design. It is fundamental to keep a balance between both modern and vernacular design because it will influence the quality of thermal comfort in the space and provide a design solution which are culturally and environmentally appropriate.
From the observation, the Kampong Villa in Belum Rainforest Resort consist of differences compare to the traditional Malay house in terms of materiality, construction method, the use of electrical cooling devices, gable roof design and the use of more operable windows. In terms of construction method and materiality, some of the construction materials are replaced with the modern materials. For example the traditional wood stilts are replaced with steel I- beams because it can last longer and also will not corrode easily and attacked by termites. This ensures that the building will be safe for the occupants in a long term. The changes on materials help to reduce the use of heavy materials in construction which reduces air pollution so thermal comfort will be better.

Figure 14: The traditional Malay house that uses wood stilts. (Source: Neil Perry, 2011) Figure 15: The Kampong Villa that uses steel I-Beam stilts. (Source: Author)

The changes in construction materials can be observed at the Kampong Villa chalet as the material used for roof have changed from the typical thatch roof to meranti panels. This in is to ensure that there will be no leakage on the roof into the interior of the building and also for easier maintenance. The façade of the chalet are painted with light color materials to reflect heat. This is to ensure no heat will be absorbed into the interior of the building therefore providing the occupants comfort living space.
Figure 16: Light color meranti roof panels. (Source: Author)

The Kampong Villa also installed electrical cooling devices into the building due to commercial purposes as it is a chalet for tourism purposes. These changes could be an advantage and disadvantages as each have its own usage. The use of electrical cooling devices can be used without the need to consider about weather condition, whereas the disadvantage is it may increase the environmental pollution. Due to all this electrical devices, the roof design also changes from the traditional design to gable roofing in order to accommodate the wires and pipes. Gable roof is much cost saving and also easier to construct compare to the traditional roof.
Figure 17 & 18: The use of electrical cooling devices such as aircond and fan. (Source: Author)

The operable full-length windows (Figure 19) provide advantage to the user as the openings can be manually controlled. For example, during a hot day the user could open the windows to allow ventilation whereas on a rainy day the windows can be closed to prevent the heavy rain to enter the interior of the building during rainy weather. However, since the windows now have been implemented with glass, it will no longer allow ventilation through the building naturally and do not require large overhangs from shading the interior. This modification allows more openings without getting the interior wet or compromising the thermal comfort of the user.
Figure 19: The openable full-length doors and windows. (Source: Author)

5.0 CONCLUSION
The main foundations of the vernacular mode are basically the harmonious adaptation, using materials found on the site, to the geographical environment, the balance between social or economic functionality and aesthetic value and the architectural elements that are subjected to show the evolution of region‟s traditional styles. Whereas, the main aim of the modern architecture are to achieve the aesthetic value in society. Therefore, the amendments made by integrating the modern architecture and vernacular architecture into design of the chalet of Kampong Villa at Belum Rainforest Resort are one of the solution from the architect to combat the downsides or flaws of each architecture style itself. Design features from the traditional Malay house employed in the Kampong Villa traditional chalet are responsive and resistive to the local climate condition, ensuring the comfort in the occupants.
Although the implementation of modern architecture together with vernacular architecture might not appear as a stable architecture style to be practiced by architects in this century, but the ideology of this integration may be improvised further to achieve a sustainable design. It is important to understand and create awareness of the significance of the past and vernacular traditions needed among academics, professionals, and the society. The interplay of the modern architecture along with vernacular architecture enables traditions and culture to change while remaining rooted in history and place.

6.0 REFERENCES
Adaptation Design of Traditional Malay House to Meet the Requirements of Comfort Living in Modern Houses. (2007, March 7). Retrieved September 27, 2014, from http://buildingconservation.com/2007/03/adaptation-design-of-traditional-malay.html Aimran Samsudin, N. (n.d.). Influence of Traditional Malay Settlements Physical Design Attribute On Social Characteristic. Retrieved November 3, 2014, from http://www.academia.edu/5418878 Aishwarya, T. (2012). Vernacular Traditions: Contemporary architecture. New Delhi, India: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). Chiko, N. (2013, August 13). Vernacular and modern architecture lessons from corbusier. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http://www.slideshare.net/chikoNcube/vernacular-and- modern-architecture-lessons-from-corbusier Kristian, B. (n.d.). Principles of Vernacular Design (and their application today). Retrieved November 3, 2014, from http://www.response-abilityconference.com/paperspdf/Bjornard- VernacularPrinciples.pdf Lim. J. Y. (1987).The Malay House: Rediscovering Malaysia's Indigenous Shelter System . Kuala Lumpur: Institut Masyarakat Occupational Health and Safety (2007). Indoor thermal comfort. Retrieved November 3, 2014, from http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/topics/info-sheets/thermal-comfort.html Tan, H., & Siew, N. (1998). The New Asian Architecture: Vernacular Traditions and Contemporary Style. Virginia: Periplus Editions. Walter T., G., Alison G., K., Benjamin, S., & John S., R. (2010). Mechanical and Electrical Equipment (11th ed., p. 92). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Wan Ismail, H. (2005). Houses in Malaysia: Fusion of the East and the West (First ed.). Johor Bahru: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

ARC 2213/2234 ASIAN ARCHITECTURE PROJECT 1 LITERATURE REVIEW FINAL ESSAY MARKING SHEET (20%)
Name : ADELINE TING YUH CHEE
Lecturer : MISS SHAHRIANNE
CRITERIA
1
2
3
4
5
TOTAL
Unsatisfactory
Developing
Satisfactory
Proficient
Excellent
(100%)
Content (40%)
No evidence of thesis statement
Has written a thesis statement (at least inferable), using appropriate language (although not necessarily with the best choice of words); may use passive voice verb(s)
Has written a thesis statement (at least inferable), using appropriate language (although not necessarily with the best word choice); at least one active verb
Has an understandable thesis statement, using some strong language, active verb(s), and appropriate descriptive words and / or phrases
Has a clear thesis statement, using strong language, active verb(s), and appropriate descriptive words and / or phrases
Consequences of the issue are absent
Consequences of issue are vague or confusing
At least one consequences of the issue is presented
Short and long term implications of this issue are presented
Short and long terms implications of issue are clearly outlined and linked together
Discussions and/or recommendations are absent or confusing
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Two or more thoughtful discussions and/or recommendations are convincingly presented
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Many run-ons, fragments and awkward phrasings making it hard to read the paper
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