MODERN ARCHITECTURE
The rather dormant architectural activity of the 1970s, typified by utilitarian designs and iconic concrete monuments, was to be largely eclipsed in the following two decades when the country's economy grew beyond expectation. The simultaneous awakening of the development sector saw the emergence of new building types such as condominiums, resort hotels and shopping centres and, with it, an ever-changing urban skyline.
With the arrival of the shopping centre and office complex, urban dwellers were presented with a new alternative to the existing shophouse environment. Centralized facilities such as car parks, air conditioning and food outlets further hastened the decline of the shophouse. Corporate and private clients began to desire a more 'global' look for their projects, and architects became more aggressive in their approach to form, function and imagery: glass towers made their appearance and curtain walling became fashionable.
Increased urban migration and a rising middle class resulted in a great demand for mass residential housing throughout the country. Large housing estates, characterized by endless rows of linkhouses, became the residential norm despite criticism of their insensitive designs. Condominium living became the sought-after option for the more affluent section of the community, resulting in high-rise designs led more by marketing than by architectural principles.
In the ongoing search for a Malaysian architectural identity, vernacular revivalism, Islamic symbolism and tropical design have all entered the vocabulary. The adaptation of vernacular architecture to modern building design is most evident in resort hotels which strive to offer guests an environment that reflects the surrounding cultural heritage but has yet to find its place in commercial or residential architecture. Designing for the tropical climate is again at the fore, set against a global call for energy conservation.
Rapid economic growth during the 1980s and much of the 1990s triggered several monumental building projects. These mega projects include the Petronas Twin Towers, for a time the tallest building in the world, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and the new garden city of Putrajaya. Such icons will undoubtedly remain as architectural landmarks well into the 21st century.
Parallel with the growth in political stability and economic status, political patronage and corporate image became direct influences on the ultimate form of architecture. The symbolism of these buildings is clear, even to the man on the street. The pure Modernism that had arrived in the late 1960s was moulded and synthesized into the mutations and variants that now characterize the fabric and appeal of Malaysian cities.
