Abstract
Modernization of cities and housing in Malaysia is a reflection of the history of the establishment of colonial trading ports for worldwide maritime trade and exchange. In cosmopolitan cities, new housing typology appeared from the influence of various ethnic immigrants and with the fusion of traditional Malay housing characteristics. This study is to focus on classifying the housing typologies of Malaysia which were formed through the modernization process of cities. The typologies of modern housing in Malaysia can be classified into two categories. The first category is the 'transformation of traditional housing'. The representative typology of this group is the ubiquitous shophouse. The shophouse was originally brought in by the Chinese immigrants from the south coast of China and transformed into the Malaysian urbanscape. The other typology is a detached-house known as the bungalo, which was the housing style combining the Malay traditional timber house and European palazzo. The second category is the 'modern urban housing typology'. Modern urbanization after the independence from the British in 1957 required the maximum utilization of land. To accommodate new social and economic needs, the new typologies were developed in the form of medium-density terrace houses (row houses) and high-density apartment. In the suburban areas, the British terrace house was adopted and developed into unique Malaysian terrace house and semi-detached house based on the British system of land sub division. In premium area of the city, luxurious housing type in the form of high-end condominium is one of the popular housing for upper middle-class and high-class society.