Final Report: Incremental SI(structure-infill) Housing for Low-income Population in Malaysia

Research output: Book/ReportCommissioned report

192 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This research suggests a new approach to the design of low cost housing in Malaysia, especially for those who relocate themselves from rural villages or urban squatters. Whereas low cost housing construction has managed to catch up with the planned target, urban highrise apartments do not provide appropriate domestic space to meet the people’s needs. Dissatisfied with their houses and surrounding conditions, residents lose their attachment to the community. From the architect’s perspective, we believe that one of the main reasons behind this malfunction is the spatial configuration of the house plan. Soaring price of available urban plots makes it the best option to build highrise flats for new housing constructions, and especially for low cost housing, it became an unavoidable choice. Since the design of multi-level collective housing typically imposes limits to plan configuration, this has entailed a sudden transition of domestic living pattern from old to new. How can we accommodate Malay vernacularism into the modernised urban home? This was the question we asked to tackle the issue of providing affordable homes to low income people. In the following chapters, we will make an overview on affordable housing in general and take an in-depth review on the situation in Malaysian affordable housing market combined with the squatter problem. Based on these, some proposals will be made for a new design approach for the apartment housing typology in Malaysian urban setting. In the course of design development, we tried to make sure the solution will be socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable. Through the field visits, seminars and forums, we tried to illuminate deep-rooted problems and then actively delivered our ideas to squatter residents, research institutes, local authorities, and stakeholders. The design schemes are now at the basic level, but its innovative concept will be offering a new opportunity to stimulate the housing industry in Malaysia for the low income population. In the wider perspective, we believe that this will eventually contribute to the economic development of the country.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationNewcastle upon Tyne, UK
PublisherBritish Council
Number of pages280
Publication statusIn preparation - 1 Oct 2016

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Final Report: Incremental SI(structure-infill) Housing for Low-income Population in Malaysia'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this