Architectural value in tanggam System on the traditional Malay house

Abstract

In to preserve this great heritage, the Centre for the Study of Built Environment in the Malay World (KALAM) has collected more than 600 buildings, mostly using the tanggam system. Malay house construction has an architectural value especially on the system used. Besides, features of traditional Malay houses can be refined from their spatial structure, function rooms that make up the various rituals and customs as well as artistic carvings on them. Interestingly, the construction of the traditional Malay house is measured using the human body scale. In general, the height of the housing is according to the size of the man’s body (husband) while the area and size of the house are preferred by the size of the woman’s (wife) hand. Other than that, construction of Malay traditional houses according to local customs. Most of the traditional Malay houses using wood in construction with the unique method by applying the tanggam. ‘Tanggam’ system is a method of joining woods (Sabil and Uterberta in Adv Mater Res 984–987, 2011). According to the understanding of Malays, tanggam means wooden building frame assembly in the experimental stage. The full pronunciation is ‘tanggam-menanggam’, while the tanggam means insert and match. The function of the use of tanggam is notched wood joints so close and sturdy (DBP in https://prpm.dbp.gov.my/cari1?keyword=tanggam ). This system is shown the least exposed and documented as a reference in the construction of Malay traditional houses. Based on the material in KALAM, this study will provide exposure related to the types of tanggam as well as their installation methods. The purpose of the tanggam is to connect wooden structures, strengthen the construction, maintain the aesthetic nature of the building and it makes it easier for craftsmen to sew and remove the construction because no nails are used. The researchers will share about the construction of traditional houses belong to Daeng Haddadek bin Kafitang Wallingah located in Johor, Malaysia. The original study of this house was from a group of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia researchers to study and record information related to this architecture in the year 2011. The study began with a qualitative method that is by observation of the house. Then, a group of researchers obtained information by conducting interview sessions with owners, local communities, and local authorities. Next, they prepared a measurable drawing of the building. Therefore, the study was continued by a group of new researchers who have expertise in the field of architectural structure as well as evaluating its architectural value in this paper at the same time sharing the available data as a reference to government agencies, private agencies, stakeholder, researchers and others.