Can climates response become an essential lingua franca for Malay architecture?

Abstract

The common debate on Malay architecture is always about projecting local identity on built form. The architecture solution for achieving Malay identity in contemporary era commonly uses significant of cultural elements and Malay artifacts to produce building as symbolic Malay identity. This produced an iconic result. The attempts are applauded especially against the western borrowed style, but the idea of architecture as befitting to the local climate is in question. This paper argues that climatic responsive design could directly be seen as significant architectural language for defining Malay architecture. It is appropriate as culture is indirectly influenced by the climate.