This study examines the architectural style of Nanyang buildings in Malaysia, which emerged due to the influence of Chinese immigrants and colonial history. Nanyang architecture primarily reflects cultural elements from Chinese, Western, and Malay tra...
This study examines the architectural style of Nanyang buildings in Malaysia, which emerged due to the influence of Chinese immigrants and colonial history. Nanyang architecture primarily reflects cultural elements from Chinese, Western, and Malay traditions, integrating diverse influences into both interior and exterior spaces. As a result, Malaysian Nanyang architecture has become a multicultural symbol and can be regarded as "cultural architecture". Due to environmental conditions, land constraints, and building regulations, Nanyang architecture often features narrow and tall facades. This unique characteristic has created distinctive urban landscapes and heightened city recognition. Nanyang architecture in Malaysia is not only approached through its historical and cultural value but also its social dimensions, which can be observed through its "five-foot way" spaces. Malaysian Nanyang architecture can be categorized into two types: shophouses, which serve both residential and commercial purposes, and Peranakan architecture, which represents the houses of the Baba-Nyonya community.
By analyzing the facades of Nanyang architecture, this study aims to uncover cultural symbols that represent the multicultural formation processes of Malaysia. Architecture can be seen as a symbol, allowing insights into the culture, society, and history of a specific era. Through symbols, cultural messages can be conveyed, historical traces identified, and social ideologies shaped. Architecture also helps establish social myths (cultural symbols), such as national identity, urban imagery, and social order. Thus, the objectives of this paper are as follows. First, it aims to identify the essence of the symbols present in the facades of Malaysian Nanyang architecture. Second, it seeks to explore the cultural, historical, and social roles and values of the identified symbols. Finally, it analyzes the regional commonalities in the facades of Nanyang architecture in different areas.
This study focuses on Nanyang architecture in Malaysia. The selected geographical scope includes 56 Nanyang buildings in Malacca, 94 in George Town, and 30 in Kuala Lumpur. The temporal scope covers buildings constructed during the British colonial period, from the 19th to the 20th century. The research methodology consists of several steps. First, previous studies were reviewed to understand the characteristics of architectural facades, the relationship between facades and symbols, and the cultural traits of Malaysian Nanyang architecture. Second, field surveys were conducted to collect photographs of Nanyang building facades, which were then converted into architectural drawings. Third, the facades were categorized into five types: classical form, minimal form, Western elements, commercial function, and symmetrical fusion. Fourth, the characteristics of each type were analyzed from a cultural symbol perspective. Finally, the study concluded based on the findings.
Based on the case analyses and previous studies, the findings are as follows. First, Nanyang architecture fundamentally symbolizes multicultural coexistence. Second, the cultural symbols within Nanyang architecture function independently without merging, fulfilling their respective cultural, social, and historical roles. Third, the symbols of Malaysian Nanyang architecture are closely related to local culture.
In conclusion, Malaysian Nanyang architecture is not merely an architectural style but a testament to the multicultural formation and coexistence of Malaysia. This study aims to provide a new perspective on facade analysis in architecture and hopes to serve as a useful reference for shaping future Malaysian architectural styles.