Nangkula Utaberta

Design Flexibility of Growing and Transformable House in Malaysia

The ubiquitous terrace house is undeniably the most popular and affordable housing type in Malaysia. It has long been considered as one of the densest forms of property development and has become the common typology of accommodating the masses for this country. However, in Malaysia (like other third world countries), the design of a house has never grow from novelistic idea of style and revivalism. As stated by Tajuddin Rasdi (2003), housing in Malaysia has been plague with various issues for decades. We are currently living separate and individual lives in the sea of congested modern housing and we will be forever plagued by the mercy of crime, climate, cultural tensions and threats from accidents. For the last 50 years it has never grown to create the idea of community and fulfill the true need of a family with its culture and context called ‘Malaysia’. Based on our paper N. Utaberta (2009), we have identified the ability of traditional Malay house to grow and transform based on the need and interest of one family. This paper tries to study and evaluate the flexibility of a low rise house in Malaysia. It will explore some design and construction framework based on the flexibility of our traditional (timber) Malay house of growing and transformable house.

Sustainable campus design in malaysia: An evaluation of student's perception on four research university campuses

The issue of sustainability has been around for a long time. However, it has become a hot issue after the Earth Summit taking place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro and in 2002 in Johannesburg. Conference in 1992 led to the formulation of Agenda 21, an action plan containing broad principles to help governments and other institutions in carrying out the policies and programs for sustainable development in their respective countries. The aim of this research was to examine the effectiveness of campus physical development planning in Malaysia in creating a sustainable living on campus by assessed the problems that exist. The study was conducted in four public university campuses and limited to only the campus physical planning. Selected campuses are the research universities campus. The case studies were conducted on each campus. The methodology used in this study is qualitative and quantitative techniques. Quantitative technique involves collecting data using questionnaires distributed among 100 respondents for each campus. Meanwhile, the qualitative technique involves collecting comments and opinions from the respondents obtained from questionnaires, behavioral observation and visual research. The results were then compared for each campus for an explanation of the problem. The findings revealed that all campuses had a similar problem. However, there are some differences about the extent or severity of the problems based on campus physical development plan that is different. The result showed that there are minimal problems occurs on the campus that planned more compact compare to a wide and dispersed campus. It also indicates that a compact campus tend to create a sustainable life on campus.

Redefining sustainable outdoor learning environment in Malaysia from the understanding of natural school design and approaches in Indonesia

With current development in the pedagogy of teaching and learning approaches in the world, not many studies have been done on outdoor learning in Malaysia. Most of the study was focusing on the development of curriculum and the delivery of knowledge but not many writing and approaches has been done to see outdoor learning as one of the alternative methods of learning in school design. This paper tries to briefly explain the philosophy and approaches of one of the alternative school in Indonesia which is the Natural school or Sekolah Alam which grow tremendously fast in Indonesia. With its unique methods and learning philosophy, this Toto Chan’s style of learning has been considered one of the fastest growing alternative school in Indonesia. With its successful attempt in grooming un-ordinary children this school has proofed to be the most effective implementation of outdoor learning study methods in Indonesia. The discussion itself will consist of four (4) main parts First part will discuss on the current problem and situation in teaching and learning in Malaysia, while the second part will try to explore and review on the definition of outdoor learning with its importance and character in learning environment. The third part will focused on the lesson from Natural School approaches and philosophy of learning while the last part will do some analysis and comparison which result on the suggestion and recommendation for outdoor learning facilities design in Malaysia.

House Renovations and Extensions in Malaysia: An Investigation of Mechanical Changes and Modification of House in Klang Valey, Malaysia

House, is a valuable asset in human’s life and is one critical and important setting in developing lives of human being. Therefore, as time goes by, people develop and wanting to improve the state and quality of their house so that they can live their lives towards better meaning parallel to their up growth. But, easy said than done, renovation is some work that needs thinking about. In fact, most of houses which are dwelled by modern Malay people in Malaysia nowadays did not evolve in synchronize to the Malay people’s needs. We could see lots of houses being renovated or extended by owners after the houses get dwelled in especially of those terrace housing in Malaysia. The renovations scenario upon these terrace houses is indeed one of the serious housing issues and problems in Malaysia. This writing thus will focus its investigation towards the phenomena of renovations upon selected double-storey terrace housing within Klang Valley, Malaysia. Investigations will be carried out by questionnaires, statistic analysis of findings from site visits, and interviews with the owners of the houses. Among those things that will be investigated are about the type of renovations that have been done and the factors which influence the act of renovating. Results show that the type of renovations varies, be it on a major or minor scale. Those renovations of houses involving numerous parts or sections of houses such as the kitchen, rooms, bathrooms, and so forth and were done because of many different factors or reasons.

Re-assesing Criteria-Based Assessment in Architecture Design Studio

The methods of education and assessment are transmitting from pioneer universities and faculties to other departments and universities without any consideration to the destination country. This issue can be common and easy in science and related fields, but in art and architecture that the heritage, environment and etchas influence on conducting design process, it is questionable to follow the imported models. This paper’s effort is to restudy the previous researches by most cited scholars in architecture education field to reach the better cognition to formative assessment as transformable traits of assessment and its profits.

Reconstructing Assessment in Architecture Design Studios with Gender Based Analysis: A Case Study of 2 nd Year Design Studio of National University of Malaysia

Education is a contiguous and consecutive process. Thereby learning skills and knowledge in any context, requires strong and potent academic basis. Appraisal methods and grading systems in studio based educating systems, such as architecture, more than other majors and fields needs attention and scrutiny. Because transmitting the success amount of solving ill-defined problems in design studios to grading symbols are more difficult than multiple choice tests and even open ended questions. Architecture education is a phenomenon that involves relationships that associate the personal characteristics, needs, attitudes and intentions of the studio master, juries, and student’s participants with the sociopolitical characteristics and educational philosophies of the school. Each student (she/ he) learns things based on their perceptions of their social world and their aspiration. These factors shape students unique experience and their approach to design problem. In this study we are interested in assessing the participation and interaction of participants in design jury process that is female and male students and juries. The findings presented here have been tabloid from one portion of ongoing comprehensive research and investigation in faculty of engineering and built environment in University Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Sustainable approach in library design in Malaysia: Lesson from frank lloyd wright approaches in space and landscape design

In 1982, the National Literacy Survey carried out by the National Library reported that Malaysians only read an average of one to two pages a year. Fortunately, the reading habit among Malaysians improved to two books per year when the National Literacy Survey was repeated in 1996. Nonetheless, the last National Literacy Survey carried out in 2005 reported that Malaysians still read an average of two books a year. In short, there had been no improvement. The main objective of this paper is to initiate and open a wider discussion on library design and learning facilities in Malaysia. It tries to take some lesson from one of the greatest modern American Architect which is Frank Lloyd Wright. The discussion itself will consist of four (4) parts. First part will discuss on the current problem and situation in reading and library issues in Malaysia while the second part will try to explore and review on the definition of outdoor learning with its importance and character in learning environment. The third part will focused on the Frank Lloyd Wright’s sustainable approaches in spatial and landscape arrangement while the last part will do some analysis and comparison which result on the suggestion and recommendation for outdoor learning facilities design in Malaysia. With some understanding from the established environmental approaches of Frank Lloyd Wright’s above it is expected that we can reconstruct and redefine some framework and guideline for future outdoor facilities design in Malaysia.

Documentation and Analysis of Sustainable Design and Apllication of Tanggam System in Malay Traditional House

‘Tanggam’ system is a main method of joining woods which is applied in Malay traditional building. it works by connecting two small components of a building and yet combining it to form the main structure of the building. there are only small numbers of writing that discuss in tanggam available in malaysia and most of the discussion are focusing on methods of producing tanggam, the types and application of tanggam in construction. In order to conserve this great heritage, the area of study need to be widens to others scopes. This is the way to maintain the use of tanggam in future. Generally, the ‘sistem tanggam’ varies in design, functions and strength where the strength of the tanggam is mainly depends on the tanggam connection design. In this study, a typology framework is created based on the previous writing on tanggam system. This typology will try to connect the design, the strength and also the area of application of the tanggam in Malay building.

An analytical study of critique session in architecture design studio

Design is one of the most complex types of problem solving that involves several aspects and components. Its cognitive processes and procedures should be transmitted to the students through lectures and critique sessions. The current model in studios is based on ancient model that must be redefined and be made clearer in order to improve both learning and teaching ways. This paper tries to analyze critique sessions in order to find its weak and strength points and also to identify procedures and tools that can be used to support the studio based pedagogy in architecture.