Pragmatism and symbolism in Malay traditional Islamic architecture: Kampung Tuan Mosque
Saleha Hanim Mastura Mohd Nasir1, Nur Yuhanis Mohd Nasir2, Nursham Abdul Aziz3.
Mosque is one of the common architecture in Malaysia since the country itself is an Islamic country. The designs vary; some were made based on the onion-shaped dome which is an influence from the Mughal’s empire and others were made as a landmark for a certain area. The design of enormous domes, tall minarets, and huge scale space can be considered as typical mosque layout but some traditional mosques had been altered from its original layout which messed up the philosophy behind the initial structures. Although it can be understood that renovations of adding new elements and spaces to the original layout is to accommodate the current population, it is still important to preserve as well as to conserve the traditional and heritage values of these buildings as they represent the early Islamic architecture of Malaysia. This paper will take a depth on the study of mosques architecture in Terengganu, one of the states located in the East side of Malaysia which have a number of mosques range from the 1800s to 1900s. Many were made as vernacular architecture with influences from the Middle East countries designs along with the injection of the Islamic principles and values. For the purpose of this paper, a traditional mosque situated in Kampung Tuan is focused as the main subject. The pragmatic concept and symbolic meaning behind the building components is elaborate in relation with Islamic values.
Affiliation:
- Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- University of Malaya, Malaysia
- University of Malaya, Malaysia
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