VERNACULAR HOUSES OF THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
Vernacular houses refer to the everyday dwellings of the local people. The word 'vernacular' is derived from the Latin vernaculus, meaning 'domestic' or 'indigenous'. Thus, this type of architecture focuses mainly on the styles of local houses, the ways in which they are built and the types of materials used. It has been estimated that such dwellings form two-thirds of all the man-made structures in the world. In Malaysia, these include the homes of the Orang Asli—the first indigenous people of the Peninsula—as well as of the indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak and of the Malays who belong to the Austronesian group of people.
With the exception of the simple makeshift lean-to shelters of small nomadic groups, Malaysia's vernacular houses are basically post-and-beam structures raised on stilts, with gabled roofs, which have been designed and built by the people themselves to suit their socioeconomic, cultural and environmental requirements. Not only do they offer near perfect solutions to accommodating Malaysia's tropical climate, but they incorporate flexibility in their design and in the use of space.
Although the most developed of Malaysia's vernacular houses belong to the Malays—reflected in the range of construction methods and building materials employed—the houses of the Orang Asli have a raw, organic charm which derives from the use of building materials from the immediate surroundings. The common house form in Sabah and Sarawak, the longhouse, in which many families live in separate apartments under one roof, is a response to climatic and environmental conditions as well as to a unique social structure and way of life. All of these vernacular house forms, while specific to different cultural and environmental settings, are the result of long-term modification and adaptation, shared experience and innovations approved by the community.
A search for the origins of vernacular architecture in Malaysia reveals houses with similar features throughout island Southeast Asia and as far afield as Micronesia and Madagascar. The roof forms, in particular, share common origins dating back at least 6000 years.
Although the rationale behind Malaysia's vernacular houses differs completely from that of modern houses—the environmentally respectful versus the nature conqueror, and basic needs versus luxury needs—the design superiority and relevance of Malaysia's simple but elegant vernacular houses will ensure their continued survival, albeit in modified form.
