The Application of Verandah as a Potential Social

Interaction in Housing.
Amirul Hakim Jamil1 , Dr Abdul Halim Hussein2
1

Faculty Built Environment, Department of Architecture,

University Technology Malaysia, Skudai, 81310 Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia.
* Amirul Hakim (email: amijam33@hotmail.com)
Revised 20 December 2014

Abstract
The verandah is the most significant space in some of housing typology. Due to
geographical and cultural factors, it is mostly common in tropical climate and eastern
region compared to west. The internal space of a house considered as a privacy space
and sacred to be shared within the house visitor due to the girl inside of the house were
not meant to be exposed to the public based on South East Asia Cultural point of view.
Outdoor verandah could be one of ways to celebrate the visitor. Verandah can be act as a
transitional space from public towards privacy space as semi-public were meant to be
use only with a purpose and with only with the supervision of the owner. This paper looks
on the potential aspect of applying this space to be one of the most potential social
interaction space especially in our current modern housing typology.
Keywords: verandah, housing typology, social interaction, environmental design.

1.0 Introduction
A verandah is a porch or long, open room with a roof over it. It can be an
open area with a roof that is built around a building at the centre. It usually has a
line of columns or pillars holding up the roof. It is often railing around the outside.
Veranda often cover the whole front and sides of a building.

2.0 Literature Review

Malaysia is a south - East Asian country situated in a tropical region near to
the earth equator. As a tropical country, Malaysia experience constantly high
temperatures and relative humidity, light and variable wind conditions, long
hours of sunshine with heavy rainfall and overcast cloud cover annually.
Therefore, this region were identified by the local as one of the country that
perfectly suit in implementing outdoor living.

2.1 Outdoor Recreation

Outdoor recreation refers to activities that people undertake out of doors
in places where they can access nature or green areas, mainly as part of their
daily or weekend routines. Nature tourism is a term that covers activities that
people enjoy while on holiday and which focus on engagement with nature and

usually includes an overnight stay (Silvennoinen and Tyrvainen, 2001). Typically

this means travelling to and staying overnight in locations close to or in national
parks, forests, lakes, the sea or the countryside and participating in activities
using these settings and compatible with their natural qualities. Another related
term that is found in the literature or in common use is Ecotourism which, while
connected with nature tourism (TIES, 1991), Focuses rather more on travel to
rural and peripheral areas of developed countries and, increasingly, to
developing countries where experiencing local cultures and undertaking
wilderness adventures goes hand-in-hand with benefits to the tourist such as
personal growth, benefits to the area visited through volunteering, and through
education by learning new ways to live on the planet.

2.3

Communal Spaces

According to Professors Dr. Muhamad Tajuddin bin Haji Mohamad Rasdi in his book, Architecture
and Nation Building, The back alley can be used as a garden, place for chit-chat. Furthermore,
according to him, house should be design with serambi or verandah to view the street. The natural
surveillance prevents people from sneaking up. Create a sense of territorialism in community
members which will ensure a safe living environment for those that care for it. A study shows that
areas with high degree of emotional attachment to the neighbourhood create less crime indices
(Greenberg and Rohe, 1984)

2.3

Tropical Architecture

The disappearing elements of vernacular architecture by Winston Suite Wide 1990. One of the
important architectural features of the local construction was the wide open verandah which almost
encircled most public buildings, the larger urban and rural (estate) houses and even some of the
private commercial buildings. The verandah formed part of the covered space of the building, partly
enclosed by a banister at waist height with horizontal bars or short, vertical, decorated bars. This
would have been a general waiting area in private and public buildings or an area where the family
spent a great deal of the daylight hours working or relaxing after evening fell. In rural areas, infested
with mosquitoes, the space was enclosed with a very fine wire mesh which excluded the insects, while
admitting the cooling effect of the tropical breeze. In many cases this would have been a kind of
extension of the living room, thereby reserving the internal living space for special occasions,
providing added storage space, reducing the need for further ventilation. It would also have kept rain
from the internal rooms, while allowing their external windows to be left open.
Verandah dominant element Berthelot describes the verandah 'as perhaps the dominant element in the
imagery of West Indian architecture. On the front of the house, it is animated by people and
brightened by decorations. A break in the slope of the roof indicated that the porch was often added to
a simpler hut, when increase in revenue permitted improvements that would make it more attractive
and welcoming. Sheltered in there, a person can greet a passer-by and converse with him, without
introducing him into the intimacy of the house. A transition space, the verandah adds protection, even
while permitting people to share their activities, depending on their nature and the time of the day. It
adds richness of the volume and protects the facade from bad weather' (ref. 3).

3.0 Methodology
This research were using observational method, close-ended questionnaire
and some interviews. Closed-ended question were prepared to collect some
information on personal item, family background, economy background, personal
architectural features of house, transportation, community centre, housing
typology, ecotourism, social interaction and finally the villagers point of view.
Basically, this questionnaires contains three main sections: the first section was
design to identify personal respondents primarily on their gender, age, religion
and their education level. On the next section was design to identify their basic
knowledge, their activities, their economic status and most importantly their
ways of living. Finally the last section is actually on their point of view and their
feedback, more deathly to understand their personal characteristic and reaction
during this session was conducted.
This questionnaire were prepared conjunctively with socio-culture studio in a
way to ease students topic on their own writing. Thus, this paper will discuss
preferably on housing typology and social interaction based on the 50
respondents of Kampung Sungai Melayu. Finally, observational and interviews
method were done to fulfil and appreciate qualitative data and figure.

3.1 Observation
Observational research is a social research technique that involves the
direct observation of phenomena in their natural setting.
Covert observational research - The researchers do not identify themselves.
Either they mix in with the subjects undetected, or they observe from a distance.
The advantages of this approach are: It is not necessary to get the subjects
cooperation, and the subjects behaviour will not be contaminated by the
presence of the researcher.
Overt observational research - The researchers identify themselves as
researchers and explain the purpose of their observations. The problem with this
approach is subjects may modify their behaviour when they know they are being
watched. They portray their ideal self rather than their true self. The advantage
that the overt approach has over the covert approach is that there is no
deception (Holigrocki, Kaminski, & Frieswyk, 1999, 2002). Researcher
Participation - The researcher participates in what they are observing so as to
get a finer appreciation of the phenomena.

3.2 Statically analysis

The analysis study conducted using qualitative and quantitative data, with this
statistic already determine base structure of questionnaire and sections. With
this already identify some data and it is: Demographic characteristics of the
respondents With this data, analysis also supporting on observation data will
be going concurrently on processing result.

4.0 Result and Discussions

Based on observations and studies conducted in Kampung Sungai Melayu, Johor,

12%
Group A (18-30)

38%
Lelaki

26%
Group B (31-55)

62%
Perempuan
62%
Group C (>56)

Graph 1: Gender Frequency of

Respondent of Kampung Sungai
Melayu

Graph 2: Age Frequency of

Respondent of Kampung Sungai
Melayu

Most of the adults and elderly are living at the village. The youngs come back to
pay a visit mostly during the weekend and festival celebration.

22%
Bujang
78%

Berkeluarga

Graph 3: Status Frequency of

Respondent of Kampung Sungai
Melayu

32%
Kawasan Darat

Kawasan
68% Laut

Graph 4: House location Frequency of

Respondent of Kampung Sungai
Melayu

Easy understand characteristics and social interaction of the two different

population yet to be implemented into the design. Most of the villagers are
staying at the land while 32% are staying near to the sea side.

26

12%
Asal

Bermastautin
88%

10

Tahap Pendidikan
7
4

Graph 5: Residence status

Frequency of Respondent of
Kampung Sungai Melayu

Graph 6: Education level of

Respondent of Kampung Sungai
Melayu

Many of those who lived in this village since childhood and inherit their parents'
house relics. There are children or relatives who live outside the village that
come home to meet their parents during weekend. The young people prefer to
work outside the village due to the limited work scope in the village.
Most of the villagers did not continue their education to a higher level after
completing their SPM. Some of them do not continue their studies due to the
family poverty and have many siblings.

Yes

Strong neigbourly ties

31%
38%

No

No response
74%

Closeness with family

31%
Peaceful life
12%

Graph 7: What are the reasons to stay

in the village?

14%

Graph 8: Would you consider to

move out of the village?

It can be seen that once again, the key element in which the villagers hold close
to them is familial and neighbourly ties as this has been the foundation of village
life forever. Therefore, very much in contrast with the social implications that
high rise residential buildings have come to represent. The only reason villagers
would want to move out would be to seek better job opportunities and
infrastructure, and not so much for social values.

28

25
18

14

0
2
1-Totally 0disagree
0 3-Normal

5-Totally agree

Graph 9: Could you consider living

close to each other was the reason for
you to interact?

Graph 10: Could consider meeting

the villagers was the reason for you
to interact?

Villagers usually interact in a comfortable place and a place to spend their time
doing the activity of daily

5.0

Conclusions

This paper seeks to explore architecture as a tool in place making of the

individual house to merge with the surrounding context of its own neighbourhood
particularly Kampung Sungai Melayu thus use it as valuable case study in
developing current housing typology. The main intention is to make a meaningful
social space within the surrounding and finally create a better and lively cheerful
neighbourhood from isolated rural village to high density urban city.

6.0

References

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