A study of styles of styles classification and influences on administration building in Malaysia (15th-21st Century)

Abstract

The main purpose of the paper is to describe on the initial framework of administration architecture in Malaysia within the context of architectural ‘style’. The main concern is to elucidate the different architectural styles of administration architecture in Malaysia and outlined the possible factors that may influence the conception of these styles. Even though studies undertaken of administration buildings in other countries show a relationship between administration buildings and politics as well as symbolizing the identity of a particular race,there are no studies that describe on the administration building in Malaysia. To date,the research on the administration building in Malaysia focusesonsixmainaspects:thesearedocumentationoftheadministrationbuildinghistoricaldevelopment,methods of preserving and conserving past administrative buildings, documentation of administrative building in the form of measured drawings as well asdiscussingontheoryfordesigningadministrativebuildingsinurbancities. A case study approachas defined by Yin(2003)was applied by using six prominent case studies from different phase of Malaysian administratio (15 th till present) as method of data collection .Asopposed to the three common classification of Traditional, Colonial and Modern styles of administrative architecture proposed by many historians, the research has identified six main styles with a suggestion of the rationale and influences of those styles. There search is of value for practicing architects to understand that the present syntax of ‘administrative architecture’ with its references in Middle Eastern and Western models are not necessarily the best precedence to project the architectural message of one’ s nation due to country’s own identity and the value of regionalism.