ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS OF TRADITIONAL MALAY BUILDINGS IN GOMBAK DISTRICT, SELANGOR

Abstract

Traditional Malay buildings are rooted in history and represent the local identity, beliefs, and culture of the area. Each building is often associated with a specific state. However, in Selangor, the architectural identity of traditional Malay buildings is relatively scarce and needs more explicit characteristic mapping. There are fifteen common decorative elements found in traditional Malay buildings across Malaysia, namely tunjuk langit, sisik naga, sulur bayung, ande-ande, papan pemeleh, kepala cicak, tiang gantung, kekisi, gerbang, gerbang pintu, sesiku keluang, kepala pintu, kepala tingkap, and pagar musang. The objective of this research is to identify the architectural decorative elements of traditional Malay houses and masjids in the Gombak district of Selangor. The research conducted on site observations of 39 traditional Malay buildings (34 houses and 5 masjids) from 13 villages in Gombak. The research identified eight common architectural elements in Gombak's traditional Malay houses and masjids. These architectural elements add to the aesthetic theory and philosophy of traditional Malay houses and masjids in Selangor and should be preserved.