This document summarizes woodwork features found at a traditional Malay house in Terengganu, Malaysia. It describes the general forms, categories, and shapes of woodwork as well as examples from Rumah Tok Ku Paloh built in 1800. Reliefs commonly depicted symmetrical floral or abstract motifs and used techniques like perforation for ventilation and decoration. Wood types included soft pine and various hardwoods like jelutong and merbau. The document also provides guidelines for conserving traditional wooden structures and ensuring repairs respect historical and aesthetic values.

1. KULLIYAH OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED ART AND DESIGN
AAD 2100 SEMESTER 1, 2020/2021
PROJECT 2
WOODWORK AT TRADITIONAL HOUSE
NURUL SYARA AINAA BINTI RAHIM l 1912994 l YEAR 2, SEMESTER 1 l LECTURER: ASST. PROF. DR. ZUMAHIRAN
3.0 CASE STUDY
(RUMAH TOK KU PALOH, TERENGGANU)
3.1 FACTS 3.2 HISTORY BACKGROUND
NAME : RUMAH TOK KU PALOH
LOCATION : TERENGGANU
BUILT YEAR : 1800
ARCHITECTURE STYLE : RUMAH
BUJANG BERSERAMBI
This house was built for Tok Ku Paloh, who was
one of the most important religious scholar
and a religious teacher who had a great follow-
ing. In 1989, the house was cut and gone
through some development, which cause the
building lost most of its characteris�c.
WALL DECORATION 3
• SYMMETRICAL
• RECTANGLE
• RELIEF CARVING WITH FULLY
PERFORATED
• VERTICAL LAYOUT
• COMPLETE PATTERN (AWAN
LARAT )
• VENTILATION AND DECORATION
WALL DECORATION 2
WALL DECORATION 1
• SYMMETRICAL
• BAYAM LEAF MOTIF
• RECTANGLE
• RELIEF CARVING WITH
FULLY PERFORATED
• VERTICAL LAYOUT
• COMPLETE PATTERN (AWAN
LARAT
• VENTILATION AND DECORATION
2.4 TYPE OF WOOD
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Tradi�onal Malay houses is a house building
style that use familiar symbolic forms of a par�cu-
lar culture of a par�cular people in a par�cular
place in Malaysia (Marcantono, 2010). Each place
and culture in Malaysia have their own unique
style of architecture and woodwork style.
WOODWORK IN TERENGGANU SERAMBI HOUSE
2.2 GENERAL CATEGORY OF WOODWORK
2.1 GENERAL FORM OF WOODWORK
3.3 SOCIO CULTURAL VALUE
Terengganu is a state where most of the people prac�ce Islam as their religion.
• Man and woman have a different path into the house. Usually the woman will use the door at
the kitchen or at the side of the house, while man will use the front door where serambi located.
• The serambi or porch part at the front of the house are normally space for man socialize. While
woman, they usually gathered in the house, either at the kitchen part or at the rumah ibu.
• The usage of figural element is prohibited, only floral and abstract mo�f are allowed. There-
fore, most of the mo�f at the woodwork panel are decorated with flower mo�f.
STUPA
A volumetric com-
ponent that be-
comes the jewel of
carving,
PICTURE 2 : STUPA SHAPE
(ISMAIL, 2008)
SIMPLE
PICTURE 5 : SIMPLE PATTERN (ZUMAHIRAN, 2011)
• free style design
• Structural (3d) design
• Not related to other pa�ern
(single)
• Non- overlapped technique
MODERATE
•In a panel form
• less intertwined character
• Iden�cal repe��on of simple geometric
and floral elements in a rhythmic flow
PICTURE 6 : MODERATE PATTERN (ZUMAHIRAN, 2011)
COMPLICATED
• Complete pa�ern
• Mostly used floral as mo�f
• Use overlapped technique
which contributes to the com-
plexity of cra�smanship
PICTURE 7 : COMOPLICATED PATTERN (ZUMAHIRAN, 2011)
3.4 LIST OF WOODWORK
GUNUNGAN
PICTURE 1 : GUNUNGAN SHAPE
(ISMAIL, 2008)
a silhoue�e of a
mountain or tree of
life, a symbol of
status.
MAKARA
reflects the center of
the cosmological
imagina�on for a
mythological sea
monster
PICTURE 3 : MAKARA SHAPE
(ISMAIL, 2008)
LOTUS
a symbol of
purity.
PICTURE 4: LOTUS SHAPE
(ISMAIL, 2008)
2.0 BACKGROUND RESEARCH
Woodwork or woodcarving is an orna-
mental feature found in many Malay ver-
nacular. It serves as iden�fying and unify-
ing architectural element between the
house form and its building component
(Zumahiran et al., 2010).
2.3 GENERAL SHAPE OF WOODWORK
Square Oblong / rectangle Floral
octagonal
Circle Semicircle Triangle
KING POST
• SYMMETRICAL
• KASTURI FLOWER MOTIF
• RECTANGLE
• RELIEF CARVING WITH
FULLY PERFORATED
• VERTICAL LAYOUT
• COMPLETE PATTERN (AWAN LARAT)
• VENTILATION AND DECORATION
• SYMMETRICAL
• STRUCTURAL CARVING
TECHNIQUE
• VERTICAL LAYOUT
• SIMPLE DESIGN
• DECORATION
TYPE OF
WOOD
CHARACTERISTIC EXAMPLE
So� Wood • Coniferous �mbers, which are lacking in
fibres, vessels.
- Pine
- Red wood
Light
Hardwood
• Density from 400 to 720 kg/m3 air
• Not durable in tropical climates, some
are quite durable in temperate regions.
- Jelutong wood
- Sentang wood
Medium
Hardwood
• Density from 720 to 880 kg/m3 air dry
• Not durable when exposed to the
weather or in contact with the ground
• Most are naturally durable in temperate
countries where wood destroying agents
are less ac�ve.
- Kempas wood
- Keranji wood
Heavy
Hardwood
• Density from 800 to 1,120 kg/m3 air dry
• Naturally durable and can therefore be
safely used
• The sapwood is not durable.
- Merbau wood
- Sentang wood
PINE WOOD
JELUTONG WOOD
KEMPAS WOOD
MERBAU WOOD
PICTURE 8: LIST SHAPE OF WOODWORK (ISMAIL, 2008)
Type Of Wood Category Based On Malaysia Timber Council :

2. JELUTONG WOOD
9.0 DILAPIDATION STUDY (CASE STUDY 2 : RUMAH TELE)
9.1 FACTS
NAME : RUMAH TELE
DATE BUILT : 1888
LOCATION : TERENGGANU STATE MUSEUM, LOSONG
ARCHITECTURE STYLE : RUMAH BUJANG BERSERAMBI
CONSERVED BY : Sheppard, Haji Wan Sulong and Wan
Muda assisted by a group of twelve Malay carpenters
In 1889, Rumah Tele became part of the inn
for the entourage of King Chulalongkorn
(Rama 5) Siam who visited Kuala Trengga-
nu. Later Che Khalsom who was one of the
wives of Sultan Zainal Abidin III resided
with his two daughter un�l 1913/14. Then,
Tengku Nik Haji con�nued to live in this
house.
ROTTEN WOOD
The ro�en column were replace by using the
original type of wood, which is Chengal �mber.
The twenty rectangular carved panel at this
house were delicately take care without
damage or loss.
1) Restora�on
Heartwood color ini�ally almost white, darkening
to a yellowish brown color with age.
P
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
7.0
According to ICOMOS “PRINCIPLES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF
HISTORIC TIMBER STRUCTURES (1999)”
• Contemporary materials, such as epoxy resins, and tech-
niques, such as structural steel reinforcement, should be
chosen and used with the greatest cau�on
• If it is necessary to renew or replace surface finishes, the
original materials, techniques and textures should be duplicat-
ed as far as possible.
• In the repair of a historic structure, replacement �mber can
be used with due respect to relevant historical and aesthe�cal
values, and where it is an appropriate response to the need to
replace decayed or damaged members or their parts, or to the
requirements of restora�on.
11.0 ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
In islam, the purpose of crea�ng arts is to appreciate the beauty
of the crea�on of god, especially the nature and cosmos.
Therefore, we must avoid using art that have a depicted human
and animal for worshippping purposes as it is prohibited in
Islam.
PICTURE 28 : PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF GEOGRAPHER CAFE AFTER CONSERVATION APPLIED
TEBUK TIMBUL
9.2
HISTORY
BACKGROUND
10.0 GUIDELINE OF CONSERVATION
4.0
DESIGN CONCEPT
The objec�ve of this design is to represent the beau�ful Islamic
teaching in Malay community life. This design shows that Islam teach
its believer to have a good manner and represents that Islam have a
guidance and boundary that need to be follow.
This design used the technique of Awan Larat Punca Pasu. It have a
complete pa�ern of sunflower plant. According to Proflowers (2015),
sunflower symbolize the word beau�ful. Therefore, the sunflower
mo�f in this design represent the beau�ful of Islamic teaching.
Beautiful Of Islam
4.1 DESIGN AESTHETIC (AWAN LARAT)
• symmetrical
• The leaf and flower edge in this design is not
sharp and does not stab other element of the plant.
• The design of the branch is flowy and gentle
• The leaf and the flower design has silat tech-
nique, which is folded and make it look alive.
• The design consist of stroke like and texture
which make it look more beau�ful.
4.1 THEORIES OF ISLAMIC VISUAL ART
The purpose of installing the carving at kaed office is to let the
worker, student and guess to always remember Allah’s power and
always realize that they are on duty as a vicegerence of allah
MOTIF : FLORAL ( SUNFLOWER )
CATEGORY : COMPLETE PATTERN OF AWAN LARAT
SIZE : 500mm x 300mm x 30mm
TECHNIQUE : RELIEF CARVING WITH COMBINATION PERFORATED
AND NON PERFORATED TECHNIQUE
DESIGN ORIENTATION : VERTICAL
MATERIAL : JELUTONG WOOD
• In Islam, the purpose of art is to reflect the beauty of nature
create by god. (the beauty of sunflower)
• Islam prohibited the usage of depicted human and animal in arts
• Flower, nature and geometric were mostly used for crea�ng arts.
(sunflower and rectangle)
9.3 TYPE OF DAMAGES
9.4
CONSERVATION METHOD
2) Refurbishment
The Tele house were refurbished to become a
state Museum, that displaying tradi�onal
Terengganu Malay Palace ornament costume
and furniture.
In 1987, the Tele house has been re elocated
at the present site, which is in the compound
of the Terengganu State Museum Complex,
Losong, Terengganu
6.0 TECHNICAL DRAWING
LOCATION : the collumn of the house
CAUSES : water due to raining and flood
CHARACTERISTIC : - Wood appears darker in ro�ng areas
- Texture of wood is so� and spongy
- A black and white fungus visible
- the surface of the �mber is cracked
and crumble
4.2 DESIGN STATEMENT
TEBUK TEMBUS
TIMBUL
TEBUK TEMBUS
2D DRAWING
3D DRAWING
8.0 PROPOSED PLACEMENT
5.0 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Light Hardwood Category
Easy for saw machine and carving
not durable
The grain is usually straight, inter-
locked with moderately fine and even
1) KAED GALLERY
2) KAED GALLERY
3) KAED OFFICE
NURUL SYARA AINAA BINTI RAHIM l 1912994 l YEAR 2, SEMESTER 1 l LECTURER: ASST. PROF. DR. ZUMAHIRAN
Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: I heard the
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying,
"Every painter will go to Hell, and for every portrait he has
made, there will be appointed one who will chastise him in
the Hell.'' Ibn `Abbas said: If you have to do it, draw pictures
of trees and other inanimate things. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].