M arch dissertation proposal

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN
MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE
RESEARCH METHODS (RES70103)
A RESEARCH PROPOSAL:
STRATEGIES IN DESIGNING MICRO LIVING FOR QUALITY COMFORT
AND MENTAL WELL-BEING IN MALAYSIA
KONG XHIANG LYNN (0317730)

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Abstract
There has been a growing trend of micro housing recently in the context of Malaysia as
an approach towards affordable housing in the city center. The Kuala Lumpur City Hall
(DBKL) have recently offered micro housing with minimal rental towards the low-
income young professionals in hopes of providing a footing for them. While micro
apartment may seem to answer the housing issues of Malaysia, questions were risen
in regards of the security, maintenance and cleanliness of the micro apartment. A
report by Urist (2013) shows that living in a small apartment may lead to mental health
risk due to crowding-related stress. Urban Land Institute (2013) have suggested that
through proper design considerations such as storage, volume, and light, it helps
creates an illusion of additional space and thus increases the livability and versatility of
micro units. By using this as a starting point, the paper aims to determine the strategies
in designing micro housing for quality comfort and mental well-being in Malaysia. In
order to achieve the aim, the study will seek to identify the Malaysian’s perception on
micro housing, analyze the micro house design elements in relation to comfortability
and mental well-being, and identify the impact of the design elements on comfortability
and mental well-being. Through qualitative research the study analyses the microhouse
design elements with the aid of literature review as a guideline. The interpretation will
also be informed by a synthesis of focus group interviews carried out on young
prospective participants to identify how the design elements of the micro house impacts
on the comfortability and mental well-being. The research will inform that volume, air,
light, and multi-functional furnishes are essential in ensuring the comfortability and
health of micro apartment’s residents in Malaysia.
Keywords: Micro housing, comfort, mental well-being

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1.0 Research Background
The term micro housing, micro apartment, and micro living has become increasingly
popular in the recent years as dense cities around the world have been struggling to
deal with urban population growth, mainly to house the large numbers of people
wanting to live in the city centre (Ravenscroft, 2017). Micro living has taken root in city
centres like Tokyo, where home areas can fall below 200 square feet. Whereas Seattle
has recently welcomed boarding house-style micro housing, offering rooms of less than
100 square feet, by sharing kitchens and living rooms with the unit residents in a
communal living format (“Malaysia’s Micro Future,” 2018).
In spite of growing urban population, it is also the expectations of the individuals to own
a home. According to Suraya, Jalil, & Muzafar (2018), in 1972 there were 182
households for every 1,000 people in Malaysia, by 2020, they predict that the number
will increase up to 250 households for every 1,000 people. Affordability also play an
important role in the housing issue, as house prices continue to increase dramatically
especially in city centres like Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian are forced to live in the suburbs,
resulting in an increase of travel hour, traffic jams and pollution (“Malaysia’s Micro
Future,” 2018). The theory behind micro apartment or micro housing is that by building
smaller living units, more living units can be built as part of the development, and
therefore the individual cost of an apartment can be reduced. (Ravenscroft, 2017).
Thus, micro living has slowly entered the conversation here in Malaysia, tackling the
issues of affordability and sustainable living in the city centre by offering the young
Malaysians a step-up to the housing ladder in an accessible and affordable way.
Although micro living may seem to be the perfect solution towards the housing issue, it
causes a paradigm shift in the notion of home and raise several questions on the
quality of life it provides. According to Chew (2019) the living space of Malaysian
homes have shrunk tremendously over the years. Based on United Nations
Commission on Human Settlements (UNCHS), the availability of sufficient space
for the occupants is an important element of housing, in which sufficient space
does not only include the provision of physical accessibility and basic infrastructure,
such as water-supply, sanitation, and waste management facilities, but also
includes adequate privacy, lighting, heating or ventilation, suitable indoor
environmental quality, and health-related factors; all of which should be available
at an affordable cost (Chew, 2019). This statement is also supported by Teige
(2002), that the term “minimum dwelling” should not be mistaken as a tiny dwelling,
or a “live-in cell” for a single person. And that it should provide more comfort for

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less money through rationalized plan and improved overall organization to deliver
“higher value and higher efficiency with less floor area” (Teige, 2002, p.33). The
minimum dwelling can also be labelled as the mini-max concept as stated by Teige
(2002), a minimal space accommodating “maximal life” for the class of the
subsistence minimum, defining a dwelling that does not fall below standard needed
for biological survival, one that provides its inhabitants with sufficient light, access
to sun and air, and a sense of open space.
As micro living is designed in a way that it caters only for the necessary functions
at minimum standards suitable for human dwelling, residents may be exposed to
health risks in result of tight living spaces like micro living. Urist (2013) state that
resident with demanding job may feel trapped in a claustrophobic apartment where
they are forced to choose between the physical crowding of the furniture and
belongings in his unit, and social crowding caused by other residents in the
building’s common space. This is supported by “A Look At Micro-Housing” (2019),
where it states that people would not feel comfortable staying with strangers in a
close proximity.
The existing planning and design qualities to ensure the living quality of the micro living
residents in Malaysia have received little academic attention as it has only recently
been introduced in the country. There is also an absence of academic research on the
architectural design aspects of the indoor thermal comfort for small apartment units
especially in the tropics like Malaysia. The increasing attention from the industry given
to this dwelling form have prompted research to be done on the subject capable of
informing future design decisions. Thus, the design strategies to be implemented in
micro housing for quality comfort and mental health in Malaysia is identified as the
main research question in this paper.

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2.0 Aim and Objectives
2.1 Aim
To determine strategies in designing micro housing for quality comfort and mental well-
being in Malaysia
2.2 Objective
To identify the Malaysian’s perception on micro housing
To analyze the micro house design elements in relation to comfortability and mental
well-being
To identify the impact of design elements on comfortability and mental well-being
3.0 Literature Review
Definition of Micro Living
Micro living is hard to define and in academic literature, there does not seem to be an
agreement on the terminology, “some scholars and planners speak of “micro-units”,
others use the phrase “micro-apartment” (Geffner, 2018). In general, they are an
ambiguous term which covers all the small and compact living units which are designed
to include all the living necessities. Consisting of a single room for sleeping and sitting,
together with a kitchenette, a bathroom and a limited amount of storage space. To
make matters worse, the definition of micro apartment is contextual and varies from
cities across the world. Iglesias (2014) states that the typical size of housing in a city
corresponds with the average size of the micro apartment, which means that cities with
larger apartment sizes have a tendency to have larger “micro” apartment sizes.
Nonetheless, micro apartment typically falls between the range of 400 square feet to
200 square feet in size, that is between 37 and 19-meter square (Ravenscroft, 2017).
Micro living often follows a communal living approach, whereby the occupants own a
small private area like the bedroom, while sharing a communal kitchen and living
rooms which offer a rather convenient and cost-reducing solution (“Micro Housing in
Malaysia,” 2018).
Micro Living in Malaysia
The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) have recently offered a lifeline towards the lower-
income (B40) youngsters by providing micro homes with a rental of RM100 a month
(Babulal, Athirah, 2019). This can solve the housing issues in a short-term as “micro-

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apartment developers are able to charge less for rent because these projects
economize on land and reduce per-unit construction costs” (Stern & Yager, as cited in
Geffner, 2018, p.9). The housing scheme is based on a shared space concept,
whereby the interior of the two blocks of seven-storey buildings on Lot 54 and 56 in
Jalan Tar will be renovated to form four to five units on each floor, each units
measuring 7 meters square and furnished with beds and cupboards (“KL Mayor,” 2019).
The main goal of DBKL implementing the micro apartment was not only to help the
young professionals find their footing, but to bring new life back into the dying districts
within the city centre (Babulal, Athirah, 2019).
Malaysia Micro Living Prototypes and Background
Two micro housing prototypes by architecture firms Tetawowe Atelier and Studio Bikin
were showcased in Medan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur during the 9th
World Urban Forum
back in 2018. The model is a collaborative project between Urbanice Malaysia, Think
City, and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). The idea was to rejuvenate the old areas of
Kuala Lumpur to spots brimming with life (Bavani, 2018).
Figure 1. Tetawowe’s Micro House sectional perspective. Adapted from ‘Microhousing (WUF2018)’ by
Tetawowe, 2018, Retrieved from http://www.tetawowe.com/mircrohousing-wuf2018.html
Tetawowe Atelier’s prototype of micro house focuses on 2 parking plot size (measuring
2.5 x 5m x 2 nos), in hopes of replacing excessive car park plots in Kuala Lumpur with
micro houses, driveways reinterpreted to open place, green belts and bike lanes,
forming a micro urban village.

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Figure 2. Tetawowe’s Micro House cross section drawing. Adapted from ‘Microhousing (WUF2018)’ by
Tetawowe, 2018, Retrieved from http://www.tetawowe.com/mircrohousing-wuf2018.html
The design of the micro house by Tetawowe emphasizes on the adaptability of various
space programmes and usage. The ground floor consists of an open plan with kitchen
and laundry facilities, which can also be used as a semi-public meeting and dining
space, alternatively it can be converted into a micro business for the immediate
neighbourhood. An all-in bathroom is tucked to a corner in a more private domain with
a door and a staircase leading up to the mezzanine level, where the more private living
space and a sleeping bed is placed. This arrangement makes it possible for public and
private activities to take place simultaneously and without much interference in the
same zone (Tetawowe, 2018).
Figure 3. Studio Bikin’s Micro House Plan. Adapted from ‘MICRO HOUSING WITHIN DISUSED MULTI-
STOREY BUILDINGS’ by Studio Bikin, 2017, Retrieved from https://www.studiobikin.com/ub-micro.php
Studio Bikin approach on micro house were different than Tetawowe, assumption was
made that the skeletal shell of an existing building will be kept. Therefore, their
proposal framework is formed on the insertion of fixed elements such as prefabricated
bathrooms, service stacks and vertical circulation (Studio Bikin, 2017). The unit size

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ranges between 210sqft and 300 sqft (refer to Figure 4). The infill of the 2 types of
modular units within the Cartesian grid of 3mx3m allows for the common area to grow
organically and allowing for an infinite permutation of the common and public
circulation area (Studio Bikin, 2017).
Figure 4. Studio Bikin’s Micro House Units. Adapted from ‘MICRO HOUSING WITHIN DISUSED MULTI-
STOREY BUILDINGS’ by Studio Bikin, 2017, Retrieved from https://www.studiobikin.com/ub-micro.php
Figure 5. Studio Bikin’s Micro House Sectional Perspective. Adapted from ‘MICRO HOUSING WITHIN
DISUSED MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS’ by Studio Bikin, 2017, Retrieved from
https://www.studiobikin.com/ub-micro.php

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Controversy on Micro Living
Several critics of micro-housing have voiced concerns for tenants. They argued that the
small spaces created by micro-apartments would compromise the quality of life of the
occupant. As reported by Jun (2019) and Tan (2019), several issues and questions
were risen by the Malaysians when the micro housing was introduced by DBKL, such
as security measures in place for residents of these micro-homes, general house rules,
maintenance and cleanliness of the units. Other than that, a study by Urist (2013) on
the health risk of small apartments shows that living in small spaces can cause
psychological problems. The over crowding of belongings and furniture within the tight
space may lead to crowding-related stress which can lead to an increase in domestic
violence and substance abuse (Urist, 2013). Furthermore, an apartment should not
only fit the basic living necessities but it also has to “fill other psychological needs as
well, such as self-expression and relaxation, that might not be as easily met in a highly
cramped space” (Gosling, as cited in Urist, 2013, p.3).
Malaysia’s Space Standard in Housing for Comfortability
Space design standards in Malaysia follows Standards of Malaysia Act 1996 (Act 549)
which defines standard as a document which are approved by a recognized body.
Ironically enough, requirements are not mandatory under the legislation, and become
more like a guideline unless adherence is explicitly stated to be compulsory (Ishak,
Ariffin, Sulaiman, & Zailani, 2016). The space standard can be specified as a set of
structures that determine minimum fixed internal space. Basic rules prescribe the
quantity of living space to be provided, minimum acceptable ceiling heights and
requirements for ventilation and lighting, etc. (Gallent et al. as cited in Ishak et al., 2016,
p.3). In the meantime, the design standard sets out design guidelines to be followed to
ensure that all housing units are efficient, comfortable and suitable for occupancy
(Ishak et al., 2016). There is currently only one law in Malaysia that provides for space
and design standards, which is the 1984 Uniform Law on Building (UBBL 1984). Part III
of the UBBL 1984 addresses precisely the space (dimensions), natural light and
ventilation needed for buildings (Ishak et al., 2016). Although residential occupancy
requirements and housing code guidelines provide some criteria for habitability, our
housing law and policy has never solved the issue of how much space people need to
live a healthy life. Some fundamental issues on housing still remain unsolved, “e.g. are
minimum healthy standards objective or subjective and culturally dependent? And who
should decide: governments, developers/ the market, or housing dwellers?” (Iglesias,
2014, p.5).

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Approach on Micro Living
Teige (2002) state that the idea of minimum dwelling should be approached in a way
that these dwelling units would at least satisfy the basic minimal requirements for
healthy living, and not simply just the reduction of the number and size of the rooms,
mechanical services and other amenities. Also, residents must be provided with
“sufficient sun, light and air, as well as adequate space to work, rest, sleep, eat, and
bathe” (Teige, 2002, p.248).
Design Proposition for Healthy Living in Malaysian Housing
Architects, being the intermediate person between the client and craftsmen have the
ultimate-say in the design decision. Therefore, they are required to understand the
users who will be using the spaces. As pointed out by Rasdi et al. (2005), the activity
and possible functions to be held within the house is to be considered during the house
planning and design process, as well as the spaces in regards of the privacy. Thus,
Munro & Madigan (1999) noted that a good house should therefore have a clear
demarcation between private and public, male and female, and other internal
boundaries. An intermediate interface space should also be in place to draw a line
between these regions, in which it acts as a link and transition between the private and
public area, and plays a role in the termination of space to hinder the strangers or
visitors from entering the private area.
In addition, indoor comfort is also affected by openings as it plays a significant role in
allowing air flow, and daylighting to penetrate the living spaces. Especially in tropical
climate like Malaysia, suitable and strategic placement of openings throughout the
living spaces is crucial in maintaining a comfortable living (Lim, 2013). However, the
placement of openings is important in controlling the amount of fenestration as
excessive sunlight causes glare, which would lead to discomfort towards the occupants
(Lim, 2013). Thus, it is crucial to control the amount of day lighting as both extremes
can cause stress and discomfort (Lim, 2013).
In promoting healthy living, landscape is seen as crucial (Bedimo-Rung, Mowen &
Cohen, 2005). The surrounding environment in the housing area is also critical in
supporting occupants’ wellness, as well as providing comfortable living at home. Such
green spaces, apart from being the best place to relieve stress, can provide
recreational space especially for children in the low-cost community (Godbey, as cited
in Ismail, Mohidin, & Daud, 2017, p.151). In these pocket green parks, occupants might
also spend more time outdoors doing recreational activities together to reinforce the
sense of belonging.

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Example of Micro Apartment Designed for Mental and Physical Well-being
Eric Bunge, the principle of nArchitects which created the winning micro-apartment
design, Carmel Place, has addressed a few concerns of mental and physical well-being
on micro living. With its apartment unit measuring at only 302 sqft, the occupants
perceive the space as large and spacious as a result of clever integration and use of
transformative furniture (Plitt, 2015). nArchitects worked with built-in furnishings which
integrates with storage, bed and couch in the Carmel Place units. Convertible, built-in
furniture systems are significant in promoting the livability and versatility of micro
apartments (Urist, 2013). “Storage is critical to making micro units livable” (Urban Land
Institute, 2013, p.28). In addition, a research done by a developer on micro unit have
revealed that “the need to have flexible furniture systems and adequate storage for
units this small to be workable” (Urban Land Institute, 2013, p.25). Hence, it is essential
to design and choose furnishes that are multi-functional to avoid overcrowding of
furniture and belongings in the micro apartment.
Figure 6. nArchitect’s micro units with transformative furniture. Adapted from ‘Carmel Place’ by nArchitects,
n.d., Retrieved from http://narchitects.com/work/carmel-place/
Light, air and volume can help compensate for the small size of micro apartment units
and make tiny room feel les claustrophobic. As stated by Urban Land Institute (2013),
volume creates the illusion of additional space, so building with ceiling heights of nine
feet or more is essential. Also, the use of large operable windows allows air and
daylight to penetrate into the units, simultaneously increasing the quality of space of
the micro unit. These strategies are seen to be applied in the micro units of Carmel
Place, which was aimed to “achieve a sense of spaciousness, comfort and efficiency,
even while shrinking their footprint” (nArchitects, n.d.). The architects approached the
goal through the increment of ceiling space (3m), along with the tall sliding windows
which allows ample daylight to seep through the internal space, resulting in a
maximization of the perceived volume of space.
As a trade-off to losing physical space, a series of amenities like a gym with park views
and a lobby with public garden are provided to the residents (Urist, 2013). Such

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approach is also suggested by Urban Land Institute (2013), where it states that the
extensive array of amenities such as pool, fitness, and large landscaped outdoor space
are offered to potential residents to accept the much smaller apartment footprint.
4.0 Methodology
This research paper uses empirical study as the approach will give a potential output in
providing an insight towards the design strategies of micro living for better
comfortability and understand the impact of these design elements towards the mental
well-being of the occupants. Qualitative research can be summarized as: to experience
the situation first hand, seeking to understand how real-life actors communicate with
the current world against the perceived social, historical or geographical context of the
individual (Lucas, 2016). Qualitative research also often explores in depth the meaning
of the study participants and, by extension, how they view their own situation
(Sarvimaki, 2018). Encouraged by such testament, this research’s qualitative approach
is designed to understand what are the design elements that contributes to the
occupants’ perspective of the space and how it affects their comfortability and mental
well-being. The qualitative research applies two method of data collection: focus group
interview and building analysis. Through focus group interview, it allows for a deeper
understanding of a topic such as feeling, decision making strategy, or opinion of a
particular person on an issue or topic (Gerritson, as cited in Omar, 2018). In addition,
building analysis data collection method allows the researcher to involve actively in the
phenomenon and obtain first-hand knowledge and experience (Groat & Wang, 2004).
The research uses stratified sampling, that is on Malaysian who are single and keen to
stay within the city center. The participants would be 5 male and 5 female Malaysian
from various educational background. As most micro housing is targeted at younger
prospective homeowner, the demographic of the participants is focused between the
ages of 21 and 30. Also, the prototype micro house located at Taylor’s University is the
site chosen for the participant to visit as it is currently the only microhouse available for
access in Malaysia. The microhouse is a result of a partnership between Taylor’s
University and Me.reka Makerspace for Taylor’s Future Movement Open Day which
allows the volunteers a platform to develop skills while channeling their enthusiasm to a
deeper purpose (Taylor’s University, 2018).

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Figure 7. Microhouse in Taylor’s University. Adapted from ‘Taylor’s Microhouse Challenge Brings
Malaysians Together for a Unique Learning Experience’ by Taylor’s University, n.d., Retrieved from
https://university2.taylors.edu.my/news-events/taylors-microhouse-challenge-brings-malaysians-together-
unique-learning-experience
The double storey microhouse is based on two parking lot sizes, similar to the unit
designed by Tetawowe Atelier. It was conceptualized to be a smart home, enabling
owners to optimize the use of home space while also making full use of technology as
part of the design. Based on the research question identified, the study sought to
determine how the design of the microhouse will affect the participant’s perception
towards micro housing.
4.1 Data Collection Method
In this research, data collection methods will be done through focus group interview
and observation. The first set of data is through building analysis. The researcher will
identify the key design elements guided from the literature review, such as opening,
volume, and use of furniture in the micro housing. This information will then help form
the questions to be asked during the focus group interview. Through this, it would help
to narrow down and refine the data to be collected.
The second source of data for this study come from the focus group interview, which
will take place after the participants have visited the prototype micro house in Taylor’s
University. The immediate interview after the visit will ensure that the data collected are

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of first-hand experiences. The interview would provide and opportunity for the
participants to express their thoughts and views which other methods such as
questionnaire would not be able to provide information exchange of such depth. The
interview will be conducted in a group of 10 and recorded using audio recorder which
will be later transcribed.
4.2 Analysis Method
Objective Method
To identify the Malaysian’s perception on micro housing Focus Group Interview
To analyze the micro housing design elements in relation
to comfortability and mental well-being
Building Analysis
To identify the impact of design elements on
comfortability and mental well-being
Focus Group Interview
Figure 8. Analysis methods applied in the research paper.
In this research, qualitative knowledge was evaluated using thematic analysis.
Thematic research involves organizing concepts according to their similarity within the
data into sub-themes. There are a variety of thematic assessment steps and phases
(Braun and Clarke, 2006). For the research, three steps were applied following those of
Braun and Clarke (2006): generating themes, searching for themes, reviewing and
developing themes.
Generating Themes
There are two methods, namely the manual and computer-assisted methods, that can
be used to generate themes. The manual approach has been used in this analysis
because it allows for more versatility and also makes it easier to get the big picture
from the collected information. Multiple transcript readings were undertaken to
generate the sub-themes to allow the creation of concepts and constructs with respect
to potential sub-themes.
Searching for Themes
This section will discuss some of the results of the study extracted from the interview
data analysis. The findings will emerge from the process of reading and reviewing of
text segments from the interview. The sub-themes collected will then be divided into
groups.

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5.0 Significance and contribution of the research
Based on the current studies and reports on micro housing, there is substantial
controversy on its livability and quality of living it provides. Although it has only been
recently introduced toward the Malaysian market, reports were risen on the issue of
micro housing which concerns on the health and security of the future occupants.
Furthermore, it is recognized that tight living space will lead to psychological issues
such as stress and depression due to overcrowding. To make matter worse, the
residential occupancy requirements and housing code guidelines provide only the
criteria for habitability, while the housing law and policy does not address the minimal
space requirement for people to live a healthy life. There is also an absence of
academic research on the architectural design aspects of the indoor thermal comfort
for small apartment units especially in the tropics like Malaysia. Thus, the increasing
attention from the Malaysian government given to this housing type in Malaysia have
prompted research to be done.
By understanding and determining the strategies in designing micro housing to improve
quality comfort and mental well-being of its occupants in Malaysia, it helps to extend
the knowledge on micro housing in Malaysia which is capable of informing future
design decisions. Other than that, it will also aid the government and Kuala Lumpur
City Hall (DBKL) plans in implementing micro housing in Kuala Lumpur in hopes to lend
a helping hand towards the lower-income (B40) youngsters to secure and own a home.
The secondary purpose of this research is also to avoid the history of Seattle micro
apartment issue to be repeated here as the design review and legislation was
implemented after the boom of micro apartment. This has led to multiple generic design
of building which presents blank walls at street level and detached from its
surroundings (Hinshaw, 2018).
6.0 Limitations and expected outcomes
The research explores the strategies in designing micro living for quality comfort and
mental well-being in Malaysia. However, designs for comfortability in housing are
unique in every area, this research is only limited to the Malaysian context with tropical
climate. Due to the lack of research on comfortability design in micro housing, the
guideline used in the research is based on the comfortability design for typical housing
in Malaysia. Ideally, the research should be based on occupants who have resided in
the micro housing for a long period of time to achieve a more desirable post evaluation

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occupancy data. This is however not achievable as the microhouse does not have a
certificate of occupancy which would put the safety of the participants at risk. Thus, the
data collected from the research will be from participants who have spent a short
period of time in the microhouse.
Through qualitative research, the study will determine and analyze the design
strategies implemented in microhouse to improve comfortability and mental well-being.
The interpretation will then be informed by a synthesis of focus group interview carried
out on the participants who have visited the microhouse. The research will inform how
the volume of the space can be altered through ceiling heights to create an illusion of
large space in a tight apartment; openings position and design to increase the thermal
comfort and livability; and how innovative implementation of multi-functional furnishes
in tight living space to reduce issues are all essential in ensuring the comfortability and
mental well-being of micro housing’s residents in Malaysia. Furthermore, the research
will also give an insight towards how Malaysian view micro housing and the likelihood
of them residing in the house.
7.0 Gantt Chart
Figure 9. Gantt Chart for Dissertation I in year 2020.
Figure 10. Gantt Chart for Dissertation II in year 2020.

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8.0 References
A Look At Micro-Housing: Tiny Houses In Malaysia. (2019, August 8). Retrieved from
https://www.propertyguru.com.my/property-guides/micro-housing-tiny-house-
malaysia-17247.
Babulal, V., & Athirah, F. (2019, April 16). B40 youths can soon rent DBKL micro-
homes for RM100 a month. Retrieved from
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/480032/b40-youths-can-soon-
rent-dbkl-micro-homes-rm100-month.
Bavani, M. (2018, February 12). KL mulling village-in-the-city concept. Retrieved from
https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/02/12/urban-regeneration-
with-a-twist-modern-villages-may-be-part-of-kuala-lumpurs-future-cityscape.
Bedimo-Rung, A. L., Mowen, A. J., & Cohen, D. A. (2005). The significance of parks to
physical activity and public health: a conceptual model. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 28(2), 159-168.
Braun, V., and Clarke, V. (2006), “Using thematic analysis in psychology”, Qualitative
Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Chew , R. (2019, February 8). Five things you probably did not know about the size of
Malaysian homes. Retrieved from https://www.edgeprop.my/content/1471152/five-
things-you-probably-did-not-know-about-size-malaysian-homes.
Geffner, T. (2018). Towards a Smaller Housing Paradigm: a Literature Review of
Accessory Dwelling Units and Micro Apartments. Portland State University
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Groat, L., & Wang, D. (2004). Architectural Research Methods. In Nexus Network
Journal.
Hinshaw, M. (2018, February 7). The new Seattle, where everything looks the same.
Retrieved from https://crosscut.com/2015/04/the-new-seattle-where-everything-
looks-the-same.
Iglesias, T. (2014). The Promises and Pitfalls of Micro-Housing. Zoning and Planning
Law Report, 37(10), 1–12.
Ishak, N. H., Ariffin, A. R. M., Sulaiman, R., & Zailani, M. N. M. (2016). Rethinking
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Jun, S. W. (2019, January 12). DBKL's micro homes initiative receives mixed reactions.

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https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/01/12/dbkls-micro-
homes-initiative-receives-mixed-reactions/.
Lim, Y. W. (2013). Indoor environmental comfort in Malaysian urban housing. American
Journal of Environmental Sciences, 9(5), 431–438.
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