Promoting Inter-Promoting Inter-Ethnic Engagement
in Public Spaces of Religious Buildings

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BTAR 3015 Design Project Publication

Project 1- Thematic Essay

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by Lim Ming Shien

Acknowledgement

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Malaysia’s challenges of inter-ethnic engagement

1.2 Objective of study

2.0 Identifying Malaysian Architectural identity

2.1 Dewan Jubilee, Johor Bahru

2.2 Malaysian Parliament Complex

3.0 Promoting Inter-Ethnic Engagement in Public Spaces of Religious Buildings

3.1 Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur

3.3 Gurdwara Design by Vishal J Singh

3.2 The Roofless Church by Philip Johnson

4.0 Conclusion

4.1 To identify Malaysian Architectural Identity

4.2 To identify design aspects of public spaces of religious buildings that promote inter-ethnic engagement

5.0 References

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Pn Haslina for supervising my essay. I also would like to thank Mr. Megat for extending the deadline for this assignment to give us more time to complete.

I also would like to thank my Design Studio lecturers, Ar. Toong, Ar. Julis Ong & Cikgu Fadzil for guiding me throughout my final year project.

I would like to acknowledge the works of Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi which inspired me, an academician that advocates for architecture and urban planning to be a tool to build bridges between the various ethnic communities in Malaysia.

Finally, I would also like to express gratitude to my friends and family who have supported me throughout my journey until my final years in architecture school.

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Malaysia’s challenges of inter-ethnic engagement

All Malaysians can admit that they are proud to be born in a country rich with diverse cultures. Not many countries around the world can enjoy such privilege as the majority race of Malays, Chinese, Indians and all the various ethnic groups enjoyed significant peace and harmony living together. Diversity is Malaysia's greatest strength. As our country matures into the modern era, there’s a sudden surge of fear of other cultures that is embedded in new generations.

In fact, many Malaysians still prefer to mingle within their ethnic silos. Until today, we are still living in a society that is suffering the effects of rule and divide policy imposed by our past colonial masters, as the British colonial administration has a particular habit of categorizing its colonial subjects into different races in order to minimize funds of administering its colony. (Francis, 2010)

Today, we have met with instances where we have Malaysians of a particular ethnicity who have never interacted with people of other races or faith, due to growing up in a monoethnic neighborhood. This is further exacerbated by our different streams of education which creates language barriers. It deprives Malaysians of the opportunity to interact with each other.

1.2 Objective of study

In this design publication, the objectives of the study is:

To identify Malaysian architectural identity
To identify design aspects of public spaces of religious buildings that promote inter-ethnic engagement.

2.0 Identifying Malaysia Architecture Identity

Our nation nurtures a child to think within their respective race and identity, it is cultivated by ticking boxes on forms in schools, which frequently ask which race you are from, Malay, Chinese, Indian & Lain-Lain. But the question that hardly arises is what is a Malaysian identity that can be shared by all of us. We need to think beyond our ethnic consciousness, especially on what is reflected upon our public buildings. The examples shown below are two different ways of designing buildings to reflect our multi-ethnic society.

2.1 Dewan Jubilee Intan, Johor Bahru

Figure 2.1.1- Dewan Jubilee Intan, Johor Bahru

A public hall (in Figure 2.1.1) in Johor Bahru was one of the first endeavors on creating a Malaysian architectural identity. The hall was designed by British Architect, Raymond Honey to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee in 1955 of Johor’s ruler, Major-General Sir Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar. The High Commissioner of Malaya , Sir Gerald Templer mooted the idea of politically motivated architectural identity, as he desperately wanted to create a national consciousness to win widespread public support for the fight against the ongoing communist insurgency.

To achieve a sense of belonging and loyalty to homeland, The building has an eclectic architectural style to celebrate a diverse and cosmopolitan local population . The facade is embellished by Chinese inspired ventilation slots and roof forms to reflect the significant local Chinese population of Johor Bahru. The door panels, balustrades and interiors are Malay inspired. Besides, the strict symmetrical facade is also inspired by Mughal style architecture that reflects the local Indian population. (Tajuddin, 2009)

2.2 Malaysian Parliament Complex

Built & designed by Ivor Shipley in 1963 to celebrate the birth of a new democratic nation, democratic architecture should represent all the races in Malaysia. In contrast to the Dewan Jubilee, the international style inspired architecture contains no ethnic references at all. In fact, our national identity was reinvented in contemporary and tangible form . The only notable reference is the ribbed prisms imitating the traditional pitch roof highly found in the local tropical region, which is shared by all regional ethnic groups (Tajuddin, 2020)

Figure 2.2.1- Old Postcard of Malaysian Parliament Complex

Figure 2.2.2- The ribbed prism inspired by steep roofs in this region

3.0 Promoting Inter-Ethnic Engagement in Public Spaces of Religious Buildings

The motive of using religious buildings as the basis of the study is a response to our plural society, it is crucial that religious buildings, being a public building that is open to all, do not attend to the needs of worshippers, but also how it interacts with members of the public regardless of their faith. The question that arises is how religious buildings can be used to promote multi-religious and multi- cultural understanding in forging a more cohesive society.

3.1 Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur

Completed in the 1960s post-Merdeka, Masjid Negara has a special place in our country's history. Our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman appointed three architects, Howard Ashley, Hisham Albakri, Baharuddin Kassim, to design the public mosque as a symbol of unity for all Malaysians.

Figure 3.1.1: Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur

During his speech at the opening ceremony of Masjid Negara on Aug 27, 1965, the Tunku said:

“I express this building as a symbol of unity for this country. The construction of this mosque was not only with money from the government but a large amount of donations were from people of all faiths’’ (Tunku Abdul Rahman, 1965)

The mosque distinguishes itself from the stereotypical form of Onion domes by featuring an umbrella folded plate roof structure. The mosque has a simple and functional layout with its massive screen walls allowing breeze to go through the building, which directly responds to the local climate and regionalism.

Figure 3.1.2: Massive screen walls of Masjid Negara

The function of the mosque was a reflection of Tunku’s sense of humility and kindness, he proposed for the mosque to be built next to the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station , as it was proposed to be a meeting and resting place for people of different faiths, coming from the direction of the station. Besides the prayer hall, the interior space is accessible to all Malaysians regardless of faith, this can be achieved without interrupting the private spaces where Muslims pray.

The massive screen walls with its transparent qualities blur the boundaries between exterior and interior space, redefining the interior as public space with a sense of connection to the outside. Redefining the public mosque as communal space as not limited no muslims but also open to non-muslims, improves social cohesion between muslims and non-muslims.

The approach from the train station towards the mosque entrance is celebrated by a fully-landscaped public plaza (shown in Figure 4.1.3). Being built next to the train station, it eliminates the use of car parks, and encourages Muslims to walk and interact with non-Muslims who also use the train station, this is one way to improve social cohesion. (Tajuddin Rasdi, 2007)

Figure 3.1.3: Satellite view of Masjid Negara’s Compound

Figure 3.1.4: Public plaza between KL Train Station and Masjid Negara

The west entrance is designed to be as open as possible to encourage users to enter the building

The mosque is surrounded by generous public spaces and fencing is eliminated to encourage public participation in the premises.

The ablution area is exposed to the public, and demonstrates how Muslims carry out the ablution process, inviting non-Muslims to observe the activity in the private space of Muslims, which will build multi-ethnic trust and understanding.

The plaza is filled with palm trees, as a response to the tropical climate, and shade provided will create a more walkable plaza and also a resting place.

Public stairs are designed to be as wide and generous as possible to welcome and accommodate large crowds.

Table 3.1.5: Design Aspects of Masjid Jamek’s public spaces that promote inter-ethnic engagement

Gurdwara is a place of worship for the Sikh community, its usual appearance is heavily inspired by Mughal architecture, featuring a strict symmetrical facade with onion domes. It has a simple layout which only has one basic requirement, to house Darbar Sahib, the Holy Scripture. It is a common practice within the Sikh community to prepare food from the Gurdwara kitchen for the poor and needy, and the food is served to the public in the ‘Langgar’ hall.

In December 2020, the Klang Valley was struck by heavy floods and it brought Malaysians from all walks of life regardless of race & religion to prepare food for flood victims. It celebrates the strength of our diversity and our communal spirit. In contrast with other places of worship from the major ethnic groups of Malaysia, the Gurdwara has no strict codes that restrict on it’s appearance and architectural style. Vishal J Singh, a architect, contemplates incorporating a community centre into a gurdwara premises which invite people from all walks of life.

Figure 3.2.1: Gurdwara Sahib Labuan

Figure 3.2.2: Gurdwara Sahib Kuala Lumpur

Figure 3.2.3: Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya with people from all walks of life (Source:NewStraitsTimes)

3.2 Gurdwara Design by Vishal J Singh

‘Having taken notice of this, I had contemplated on the idea of establishing a design for a Gurdwara where a community centre could be incorporated into its premises. Community centres are essentially made up of a big hall for various activities (such as dinners for weddings, badminton, games, etc) various classrooms for educational purposes, smaller halls that act as studios for either performance or martial arts and so forth’ (Vishal J Singh, 2020)

Figure 3.2.4: Gurdwara Design (Vishal J.Singh, 2020)

Figure 3.2.5: Incorporating art studios, classrooms and performance studio into the building (Vishal J.Singh, 2020)

Figure 3.2.6: Basketball courts (Vishal J.Singh, 2020)

The complex is designed with ‘openness’ in mind, its permeability and sense of transparency between public and private spaces, is meant to give the impression that everyone is welcomed to enter the premises. To attract members of the public,there are basketball courts at the front for public use, benches are provided where the building users and the public will pause and have a casual conversation with each other. To provide a sense of demarcation without compromising it’s enclosure, a permeable, semi-open geometric screen provides a sense of demarcation between spaces, an alternative to a solid wall.

Figure 3.2.7: Metal screens as exterior wall (Vishal J.Singh,2020 )

3.3 The Roofless Church by Philip Johnson

Besides seeking local examples, part of the study is dedicated to Westernist ideas to provide a different point of view. In the town of New Harmony, Indiana, Philip Johnson, a prominent American architect was commissioned to design a church that is open to everyone regardless of their faiths. This open air cathedral is a metaphor which invites all faiths to worship under the only roof big enough to fit them all: the sky. The curved parabola dome is a protective cover for a beautiful sculpture.

The actual church is the entire plaza-like area within the brick walls as well as an area for looking out over a field that floods each year at least once. As the foundation which maintains it says, the client envisioned a church where the only roof large enough to encompass a world of worshippers was the sky. (AtlasObscura, 2016)

Figure 3.3.1: The Roofless Church

Figure 3.2.6: Basketball courts (Vishal J.Singh, 2020)

Wide Staircase combined with a pedestrian path welcomes users into the space. Natural materials are used in the hardscapes as a form of humility and respect the natural context.

The corner of the enclosure is planted with plants and trees. A water fountain brings in some relaxing sound, making the space as a place for recuperation.