Traditional Malay Houses

Malay houses, or rumah kampung, represent the beauty and wisdom of traditional architecture, of sharing a home with others, and of living in harmony with nature. In its simplest form, the traditional Malay house is a structure raised on stilts high above the ground, covered with thatched roofs, enclosed with wooden walls, and perforated with windows and lattices. The size, form, and ornamentation of the houses depend on the size, wealth, and status of the family in the community.

Traditionally, these settlements were a cluster of houses set in a compound — incidentally, the word “compound” itself is derived from kampung. These dwellings were often surrounded by the pastoral landscape of rice paddies, fruit orchards, and fishing jetties, which were the sources of livelihood for the community.

Rumah Perabung Lima

The Perabung Lima (lit. “five roofs”) style is distinguished by the unique style of the roof, which resembles a five-sided pyramid (the word “Lima” means five in Malay) influenced by Dutch-style home architecture. Malay houses in this style were commonly found in the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Perak, and was a favored style by royal families for their palaces. The Istana Kenangan in Kuala Kangsar (above) was built as an official residence for the Perak royal family.

Rumah Bumbung Panjang

Malay houses are sometimes classified by their roof forms, and the Bumbung Panjang (lit. “long roof”) style is the most common style in Malaysia, characterized by its tall and long ridged-slopes. It is said that all Malay houses were traditionally built in this style, prior to the arrival of the Dutch in the Malay Archipelago. Moreover, the Bumbung Panjang style differed from one Malay state to another, depending on the preference of the carpenter and the needs of the community.

Rumah Gajah Menyusu

Another subset of the Bumbung Panjang style, the Gajah Menyusu (lit. “suckling elephant“) style is named as such because the smaller house attached to the main house is likened to a baby elephant suckling on a mother elephant. Typically built with thatched roofs, this Malay house can be found commonly in Penang.