CHINESE ARCHITECTURE

❖ One of the most striking aspects of Chinese domestic ➢ Chuandou – pillars-and-transverse-tie-

architecture was that houses were facing south beams
➢ Regarded as most humble dwelling and most • Often used in the south where houses
extravagant house-and-garden compound. are deeper.
➢ To optimize the benefits and minimize the risks • The beam extends past the frame.
of the surrounding natural environment. • It is long and wide to support the
❖ Many neolithic-period houses were rectangular shaped weight of the extended eaves at the
with doors facing south corner.
❖ Feng Shui
➢ Wind-and-water
➢ Geomancy
➢ An ancient practice that uses almanacs,
charms, and complex compasses to harmonize
everyone with the surrounding environment.
❖ Brackets
➢ Luopan – Chinese magnetic compass to
➢ Adds ornamental accents to a building.
determine the precise direction of a structure
or item. ➢ Dougong – Interlocking wooden brackets
(corbel) that support a multi-inclined roof.

❖ Wooden Framing System

➢ Used to support the roof
➢ Corbelled Brackets – uplift heavy
➢ Distributes gravitational forces downward and
eaves, especially in expensive buildings. Eaves
then out through wooden frame.
tend to be heavier in expensive buildings as they
➢ Tailiang – pillars-and-beams
are tipped with decorated drip tiles to keep
water away from the walls.
❖ Forbidden City
➢ Chinese imperial palace from Ming dynasty to
Qing dynasty, in the center of Beijing, China.
➢ Chinese Palace – imperial complex where
the royal court and the civil government
resided

➢ Paifang/Pailou – traditional style of

❖ The Temple of Heaven. Chinese architectural arch or gateway.

➢ An imperial complex of religious buildings

situated in the southeastern part of central
Beijing.

❖ Other Chinese Structures

➢ Pavilion

➢ Yungang Caves (Yun-kang)– series

of magnificent Chinese Buddhist cave temples
created in fifth century during the 6 dynasties
period.
• Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 2001
➢ Pagoda– a tiered tower with multiple eaves
to respect traditions in other parts of Asia.
• Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage
site in 2000.

➢ Longmen Caves (Lung-men)–

series of Chinese cave temples carved into the
rock of a high riverbank south of the city of
Luoyang, in Henan province.

Korean ARCHITECTURE
❖ From sharply curving roof (Chinese) to a modified gently ➢ Reconstructed Neolithic-period huts
sloping roof (Korean).
❖ Sharp angles, strong lines, steep planes, and garish colors
are all avoided to exhibit quiet inner harmony

PERIODS
1. Ancient Architecture
(Neolithic-Seventh Century) ➢ Gochang Dolmen

➢ Archaeological evidence of ondol and the

development of vertical walls was evident in
the primitive houses of this culture.
➢ Ondol – unique Korean floor panel heating
system.
2. United Silla Architecture
(Seventh – Tenth Century)
➢ After the unification of the Korean peninsula
into the kingdom of United Silla.
➢ United Silla absorbed the fully matured culture
of the T’ang Dynasty in China.
➢ New Buddhist sects and Buddhist art were • Seokgatap – (Sakyamuni Pagoda /
introduced from the T’ang. Shadowless Pagoda) “three-storied
➢ Period of peace and cultural advancement in the stone pagoda”
arts that displayed a new level of grace and
elegance.
➢ Plans of Korean Buddhist temples were
characterized by two pagodas in front of the
central main hall, in a symmetrical layout on the
north-south axis.
➢ Cheomsongdae – ancient astronomical
➢ Ex. Bulguksa Temple – built on a stone.
observatory built during the reign of Queen
➢ Bulguksa Temple Complex: Seondeok

• Bulguksa Temple – it is a head temple of

the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and ➢ Tomb of the General – presumed to
encompasses 7 National Treasures of be the tomb of a great Goguryeo king or
South Korea, including Dabotap and military official.
Seokgatap.
• Seokguram Grotto – a hermitage and
part of the Bulguksa temple complex.
3. Goryeo Architecture (Tenth –
Fourteenth Century)
➢ Most architecture were inspired by Buddhism
(ex. Buddhist temples and Korean pagoda).
➢ Built of wood
➢ Capital of Goryeo was based in Gaesong.
• Dabotap – “pagoda of many treasures” ➢ Woljeong Temple pagoda
➢ Muyrangsujeon – national treasure of
Korea

➢ Wongaksa Pagoda
4. Joseon Architecture relation to its surroundings, with
thought given to the land and seasons.
(Fourteenth – Nineteenth
Century)
➢ Founding of the Joseon dynasty slowly
percolated into Korea from China during the 14th
Century.
➢ It ushered in a new environment that was
relatively hostile to Buddhism, making its ➢ Ancient Bunjae trees – were taken
patronage from Buddhist temples to Confucian for replanting as bonsai in Japanese gardens.
institutions. ➢ Seoul Capitol (The Government
➢ Details of wooden construction reconstructed General Building) –chief administrative
from archaeological remains recovered from a building in Keijo during Japanese rule in Korea and
dredging Anapji pond. the seat of the Governor-General of Korea.
➢ Donggwoldo – a landscape of the once
extensive grounds of Changdeokgung Palace,
6. Korean Architecture (Post-
UNESCO World Heritage Site, and
Changgyeonggung Palace. War Period)
➢ After the unconditional surrender in 1945,
American architecture assumed supremacy.
5. Japanese occupation
➢ Under Douglas MacArthur, Korean architecture
Architecture (1910-1945) by Koreans was resumed in domestic areas,
➢ There was a systematic attempt by the with the extensive repair of the missionary
Empire of Japan to replace the Korean churches being given priority funding.
architecture with the Japanese architecture ➢ Essential repair to infrastructure followed,
➢ Important architectural sites were destroyed, often patch-work reconstruction rather than
and elements of landscaping were razed. new projects.
➢ Traditional religious architecture was also
discouraged.
7. Modern Korean Architecture
➢ Some Korean resisted the Japanese nationalist
➢ North – Stalinist and absolutist, often brutalist
agenda by building traditional Korean
architecture, was championed. Brought back
architecture
socialist worker styles and huge celebratory
➢ Hanok homes –Korean traditional houses.
people’s architecture on a grand and massively
• Korean architecture lends consideration
impressive scale. Most architecture was
to the positioning of the house in
government-sponsored and maintained great
homogeneity of function and style.
➢ South – led to buildings of no particular style ➢ Hongsalmun – gate for entering a sacred
due to the pragmatic need to rebuild a country place in Korea.
devastated by genocide and civil war. Little
attention was given to an architectural
aesthetic.
➢ Jeju Island – UNESCO World Heritage Site
and one of the 7 Wonders of Nature.
➢ KTX Sancheon high-speed train –
can travel at over 350 km/h (220 mph)
➢ Incheon International Airport
Station’s Maglev Station

JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
❖ Nihonkenchiku- a traditional Japanese • At the end of the Kofun period, tomb
architecture typified by wooden structures with an burials faded out as Buddhist cremation
elevated roof. ceremonies gained popularity

PERIODS
1. Prehistoric Periods
2. Asuka Period
a. Jomon – Inhabited by hunter-gatherer and
➢ Temple architecture relied heavily on the
early agriculturalist population
influence of Chinese architecture.
b. Yayoi – started at the beginning of the
Neolithic in Japan, continued through the Bronze
Age, and towards its end, crossed into the Iron
Age
c. Kofun – about 300 to 538 AD, when
Buddhism was introduced
• Type of burial mound dating from this
3. Nara Period
era.
➢ The Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsu-den)
• HANIWA – terracotta clay figures that
of the Todai Temple
were made for ritual use and buried
with the dead as funerary objects. ➢ Horyu-ji – one of the famous 7 Great
Temples of Nanto
➢ Heijo Palace – one of the most important DESIGN AND STYLES
buildings of the Nara period. Designated as
1. Torii
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
➢ Traditional Japanese gate
4. Heian Period
➢ Marks the boundary between the sacred and
➢ Nobles perfected a style of estate mundane.
architecture known as shinden-zukuri ➢ Symbol of Shinto shrines
(sleeping hall architecture), which consisted of ➢ Myoshin Torii
lavish halls and annexes fronted by large • More ornamental form of torii gate
courtyard gardens and overlooking grand ponds. • Has double lintels with curvature
➢ Ex. Byodo-in – Buddhist temple in the city • Two columns have inward inclination
of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. • Lintels and tie beam are connected by a
5. Muromachi Period supporting strut called gakuzuka

➢ They engaged in many new kinds of arts and

traditions, including Tea ceremonies, ikebana,
poetry, Noh performance, calligraphy, and sumi-
e.
➢ During this period, Kinkauji, Ginkakuji, and Ryoanji
in addition to a number of zen gardens were
➢ Shinmei Torii
built in Kyoto
• Simpler form of torii gate
6. Azuchi-Momoyama Period • Has single straight lintel
➢ Momoyama Period • All elements are round in section and
➢ Came at the end of Sengoku Period in Japan, meet at right angles
when the political unification that preceded the
establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate took
place.
7. Edo Period
➢ Tokugawa Period- when Japan was under the
rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the
country’s 300 regional daimyo. ➢ Oyunohara o-torii – biggest torii in
➢ Japan underwent a period of intense Japan
Westernization in order to compete w/ other ➢ Meiji Jingu Daini Torii – one of the
developed countries. biggest wooden made torii
➢ Ukiyo – associated to woodblock printing
that depicted daily lives of prominent members
of society
2. Onsen ➢ Became common during the 17th century.

➢ Hot spring in Japanese ➢ 3 Parts of Tatami:

➢ Bath where the water was heated by Earth. • TATAMI-OMOTE – surface of the mat;
3. Shoji made of grassy plant called “igusa”.
• TATAMI-BERI – cloth edging of the mat;
➢ Door, window, or room divider used in traditional
act as borders.
Japanese architecture.
• TATAMI-DOKO – sturdy base of the mat;
➢ Consists of translucent sheets on a lattice
unseen part that is the backing of mat.
frame.
➢ 4 Standard Tatami Sizes:
4. Fusuma
• KYOMA (95.5cm x 191 cm) – largest
➢ Vertical rectangular panels which can slide from
tatami mat
side to side.
• CHUKYOMA (91 cm x 182 cm) – seen in
➢ To redefine spaces within a room or act as
Fukui, Aichi, Gifu, and Mie prefectures
doors.
• EDOMA (88 cm x 176 cm) – used in Tokyo
5. Tatami
• DANCHIMA (85 cm x 170 cm) – smallest
tatami mat, for apartments/condo
➢ Ryuku – distinguished by their small size,
square shape, lack of a cloth border, and
checkered pattern.
➢ 2 General Tatami Patterns:
• SHUKUGI-JIKI – auspicious patterns; laid
out in diff directions to prevent corners
from meeting and forming a cross shape;
common in weddings.
• FUSHUKUGI-JIKI – inauspicious patterns;
laid out in straight rows with edges
forming crosses; avoided in homes as
common in funerals or used in temples
➢ Type of straw-based flooring used in traditional
Japanese rooms.

TIBETAN ARCHITECTURE
Features:
➢ Architecture of Tibet contains Chinese and Indian influences.
➢ It has many unique features brought about by its adaptation to the cold, generally arid, high altitude climate of the
Tibetan plateau.
➢ Buildings are generally made from locally available construction materials.
➢ Buildings are often embellished with symbols of Tibetan Buddhism.

Potala Palace
➢ Height: 117 meters ➢ Rooms: Over a thousand rooms
➢ Width: 360 meters ➢ Stories: Thirteen stories
➢ Designation: World Heritage Site (1994) ➢ Usage: Used for religious purposes and as the
➢ Inclusion: Extended to include Norbulingka area in (former) seat of the Tibetan government
2001 ➢ Historical Significance: Home of the Dalai Lama,
➢ Function: Former residence of the Dalai Lama who was Tibet's head of state until 1959.
Chorten

NEPALI ARCHITECTURE
Features:
➢ Situated between the trade routes of India, Tibet and China, Nepali architecture reflects influences from these
cultural strongholds.
➢ The pagoda architectural tradition figures prominently among Hindu temples in the country.
➢ In contrast, Buddhist temples reflect the Tibetan tradition of Buddhist architecture and the stupa features
prominently.
➢ Mugal, summit and dome styles also have great scope in Nepal.

Shikhara Temple Style:

➢ This style can be seen in the Krishna Mandir Temple.
➢ This construction involves between five and nine layers that meet at the peak of the building to represent “the
crown of Himalayas”
The Newar pagoda style temple:
➢ Temples have between one and five layers of roofs and are dedicated either to Buddhism or Hinduism.
Stupas:
➢ Stupas are similar to temples with characteristic dome-like structures that contain significant, often religious
relics.
➢ They can be small stand-alone structures or part of a larger temple complex.
➢ The origin of stupas can be traced to first Aryan contact with India around 1500 BCE.

Indian ARCHITECTURE
❖ Early architecture was made from wood, which did not moated cities were mostly constructed with
survive due to rotting and instability in the structures. multi-storied buildings and caves.
Instead, the earliest existing architecture are made ➢ Most important features of architecture from
with Indian rock-cut architecture, including many this period include wood arches, Greek features,
Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain temples. geometrical cut-outs, and stupas.
Indus Valley: ➢ Torana
➢ Granaries and astute drainage systems, public
baths and citadels are common structures in
the region.
➢ The interior: minimal decor, featuring narrowly
pointed niches and sculpted figurines.
➢ Made of mudbricks and stones.
➢ Sanchi- a Buddhist complex, famous for its
➢ Stone houses are preferred due to their ability
Great Stupa,
to keep cool during intense summers.
➢ The absence of electricity during hot days
might make one wish to live in a stone house
for its cooling properties.
• Located on a hilltop at Sanchi Town in
➢ Ex. Public Bath at Mohejo Daro
Raisen District of the State of Madhya
Neolithic structures: Pradesh, India.
➢ Began in 6500 BCE and lasted till around 1400 • The Great Stupa at Sanchi is one of the
BCE when the Megalithic transition period began. oldest stone structures in India.
➢ Characterized by ash mounds from 2500 BCE. • Commisioned by the Mauryan emperor
Ashoka
Mauryan Empire:
Gupta Architecture:
➢ impressive rock-cut architectural pieces
(primarily Buddhist), monasteries, walled and
➢ Only rock-cut architectural pieces are the
Ajanta Caves.
➢ When Hindu temple architecture, detailed
paintings, columned porches, chaitya halls, and
divine idols began to appear
➢ Most of the first surviving freestanding
structures in India are accredited to this period
➢ Most common plan exemplifies small but
massively built stone prostyle Nagara Architecture:
➢ Temples ➢ Early-The earliest preserved Hindu temples are
• Hindu temples exhibit diverse and complex simple cell-like stone temples, some rock-cut
architectural styles, but they share and others structural, as at Sanchi. By the 6th
fundamental elements throughout or 7th century, these evolved into high shikhara
different periods. stone superstructures.
• The central feature of a Hindu temple is ➢ Later- North Indian temples showed increased
the garbhagriha or inner sanctuary, elevation of the wall and elaborate spire by the
where the main deity's murti is 10th century
enshrined. ➢ 9th century temple in Barakar shows a tall
• Surrounding the garbhagriha, there are curving shikhara crowned by a large amalaka
other structures like towers called and is an example of the early Pala style, similar
shikhara or vimana on the exterior, along to contemporaneous temples of Odisha.
with mandapas (congregation halls), ➢ Khajuraho - home to 25 sandstone
ambulatory paths for circumambulation, temples in total, although only 20 remain mostly
and sometimes antechambers and intact.
porches. • The beautiful carvings on these temples,
➢ Terminologies which show themes from Hindu
• Garbhagriha or “womb-chamber” mythology as well as other facets of
• Tower-like shikhara, also called the everyday life in ancient India, are well-
vimana known.
• Ambulatory for parikrama
Dravidian Style:
• Mandapas or congregation halls
• Antarala antechamber and porch ➢ Dravidian architecture is a style prevalent in
Hindu temple architecture in South India and Sri
Lanka, reaching its final form by the sixteenth
century.
➢ The key feature of this style is the use of
single or two-storey gopuras
➢ Builders and carvers often worked for all
religions, leading to similar regional and period
styles.
➢ Both Hindu and Jain temples typically follow a
basic layout, featuring a small garbhagriha or
sanctuary for the main murti or cult images,
topped by a high superstructure, and one or
➢ Pillar elements are shared by both Dravidian and
more larger mandapa halls.
Nagara styles of architecture.
➢ The athisthana architectural elements are Indo-Islamic Architecture:
present in Hindu temples and include the inner ➢ Indo-Islamic architecture originated in the Indian
sanctuary or garbhagriha, surrounded by subcontinent around the 7th century AD,
various structures covering several acres. influenced by Islam and regional Indian
➢ The entablature elements are also found in architecture.
Dravidian temples, comprising the vimana with ➢ The style replaced the traditional Indian
mandapam and other features. Trabeate style with the Arcuate style, which
➢ Have shorter and more pyramidal towers called featured arches and domes.
vimanas over the garbhagriha, while the north ➢ The architecture was shaped and influenced by
typically has taller towers known as shikharas the Turks and Persians who inherited design
that bend inwards as they rise. elements from the Sassanian and Byzantine
Vesara Architecture: empires, contributing to its unique blend of
cultural influences.
➢ Deccan style is an architectural blend of Nagara
and Dravidian temple styles in the modern ➢ Mughal Empire
• A characteristic Indo-Islamic-Persian
states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
style that flourished during the Mughal
➢ Positioned as a buffer between north and
empire (1526–1857) on the Indian
south, Deccan temples combine gopuras,
subcontinent.
vimanas, and mandapams from both traditions.
• Combines elements of Islamic art and
➢ This style showcases a unique and harmonious
architecture, which were introduced
synthesis of architectural elements, making it
during the Delhi Sultanate (1192–1398),
significant in Indian temple history
with features of Persian art and
. Jain Architecture: architecture.
➢ Jain temple architecture closely resembles • Mughals brought in Persian style,
Hindu temple architecture and ancient Buddhist influencing Indian architecture
religious architecture. significantly.
• Mughal buildings display a uniform
character and structure.
• Prominent features include grand domes, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in
intricate minarets, beautiful arches, and memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
decorative floral patterns. - Designed by chief architect
• Extensive use of red sandstone and Ahmad ma'mar, it is an iconic and
white marble in construction. globally recognized monument.
• Notable examples of Mughal architecture - The main focus is the
include the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, and the symmetrical white marble tomb,
Jama Masjid in Delhi. featuring a cubic structure with
• Main features: chamfered corners and arched
- Large halls recesses (pishtaqs).
- Very large vaulted gateways - The tomb is topped by a large
- Delicate ornamentation dome and several pillared
- Bulbous domes chhatris.
- Slender Minarets with cupolas at - The monument has four floors,
the 4 corners housing the tombs of Shah Jahan
• Taj Mahal: and Mumtaz, elaborate cenotaphs
on the entrance storey, an
ambulatory storey, and a roof
terrace.
- Characteristics: Symmetrical,
- Prime example of Indo-Islamic
Chamfered, Pishtaqs, Chhatris,
architecture, commissioned by
Cenotaphs, Ambulatory

Indonesian ARCHITECTURE
❖ Reflects its rich cultural, historical, and geographical 1. Rumoh Aceh:
diversity. • Found in Aceh Province, Indonesia.
❖ Various invaders, colonizers, missionaries, merchants, • Wooden pile dwelling and the largest of
and traders brought cultural influences that shaped its kind in Aceh.
building styles and techniques. • Also known as krong bade, but the term
Indonesian Vernacular might refer to the rice granary instead
of the house.
Houses:
• Features a roofed front terrace and • Known for its steep roof with a 45-
main entrance stairways. degree pitch.
2. Batak Architecture: • Historically used as the core building
• Found in North Sumatra, Indonesia. within a palace complex for the king and
• Belongs to six Batak ethnic groups, his family.
including Angkola, Mandailing, Toba, 7. Sasak Lumbung:
Pakpak/Dairi, Simalungun, and Karo. • Built by the Sasak people of Lombok
• Traditional Batak houses exhibit unique Island, Indonesia.
designs reflecting each group's distinct • Pile-built bonnet-roofed rice barns,
identity. often more elaborate than their houses.
3. Minangkabau Architecture: 8. Toraja Tongkonan:
• Native to the Minangkabau Highlands in • Belong to the Toraja people in Sulawesi
West Sumatra, Indonesia. Highlands, Indonesia.
• The iconic house, rumah gadang, is • Houses built on piles with massive
owned by women and features exaggerated-pitch saddle roofs.
distinctive buffalo horn-like roof peaks. • Renowned for elaborate funeral
• Ownership passes from mother to ceremonies and unique tombs.
daughter. 9. Candi Bentar:
4. Omo Sebua: • Classical Javanese and Balinese gateway
• Traditional house style of the Nias people entrance found at religious compounds,
from Nias Island, Indonesia. palaces, and cemeteries.
• Built for village chiefs on massive • Split structure with a passage for
ironwood piles with towering roofs. people to walk through, featuring
• Designed to be impregnable to attacks, ornate front faces and plain sides.
reflecting Nias culture's history of • Commonly found in Java, Bali, and
inter-village warfare. Lombok.
5. Malay Houses: 10. Borobudur:
• Belong to the Malays, an ethnolinguistic • A 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist
group inhabiting Sumatra, coastal temple in Central Java, Indonesia.
Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula. • Famous for its massive stupa
• Exhibit regional variations in design and structure and intricate stone carvings.
construction techniques. • Represents the cosmic Mount Meru, the
6. Rumah Bubungan Tinggi: abode of gods.
• Iconic house type in South Kalimantan,
Indonesia.
Thai ARCHITECTURE
❖ Land of the free A. Buddhism
❖ Boasts a rich architectural heritage that reflects the • Theravada Buddhism reached Thailand
country's diverse cultural, historical, and geographic around the 6th century AD.
influences. • (228 BC) Sohn Uttar Sthavira (one of the
❖ A captivating blend of Buddhist, Hindu, and indigenous royal monks) to Ashoka the great came
elements to Thailand (Suvarnabhumi or
❖ Bangkok- capital, also called Krung Thep Suvannabhumi) with other monks and
sacred books.
Geography and Climate:
• 95% of Thailand's population – Buddhist
➢ North- Laos and Myanmar
• Major influence – Hindu Beliefs from
➢ East- Laos and Cambodia
Cambodia
➢ South- Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia
• Vedic Hinduism – played a strong role in
➢ West- the Andaman Sea and Myanmar.
the early Thai institution of kingship
➢ Maritime boundaries
B. Hinduism
• Southeast- Vietnam in the Gulf of
• Coexistence of Hindu deities alongside
Thailand
Buddhism in Thai culture
• Southwest- Indonesia and India in the
• Influence on early Thai institutions and
Andaman Sea
kingship
➢ Climate
C. Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism
• The dry or cool season (November-
• Islam is most popular in southern
February)
Thailand, near the border with Malaysia.
• The hot season (March-June)
• Jewish community life in Thailand dates
• The rainy season (July-October)
back to the 17th century, first with the
Materials: arrival of a few Baghdadi Jewish families.
➢ Sandstone- door parts, lintels, and rectangular • Ladha Singh: First Sikh migrant to Thailand
windows in 1890. Early 1900s saw the start of
➢ Brick- replaced sandstone Sikh migration to Thailand, with many Sikh
➢ Stucco- cover for brick walls families settling in the country by 1911.
➢ Wood- was used in temple construction Historical Influences on
➢ Porcelain fragments- influenced by the Chinese,
Architectural Styles:
it can be seen in some ornamental decorations

Religious Influences on Thai A. Khmer Influence (9th - 13th

Architecture: Century)
• Dvaravati culture and its impact on important and distinctive influence on
Thailand's architecture architecture in Thailand.
• Hindu beliefs and symbolism in Khmer- ➢ Swooping multi-tiered rooflines, distinctly
style temples ornamental decorations, stunning interior
B. Sukhothai Influence (Mid 13th - murals, vivid colors and lovingly crafted and
gold-adorned Buddha images.
15th Centuries)
• Founding of Sukhothai and its golden age
Traditional Architecture:
of culture ➢ Thai houses: Simple bamboo and thatch
• The architectural legacy of King structures raised off the ground for flood
Ramkhamhaeng protection.
C. Ayutthaya Influence (Mid 14th - ➢ Central Plains Houses: Elevated with steep
roofs, curved bargeboards, and verandas.
late 18th Centuries)
➢ Royal houses: were similar in design to those of
• Establishment of Ayutthaya as the
commoners except that they were generally
capital and its significance
closer to the ground and had more decorative
• Different styles of Ayutthaya
features.
architecture and their features
• Ex: Tamnak Daeng (The Red House) -Built
D. Lanna Influence (Mid 13th - by King Rama I as a residence for one
19th Centuries) of his queens, it was originally in
• Founding of Lanna kingdom and its unique Ayutthaya style but acquired more
architectural character Rattanakosin elements during several
• Mix of influences from China, India, Mon, and moves
Khmer cultures ➢ Roof Gable (Ngao): Elegant curved decoration at
the ends of the peaked bargeboards.
E. Rattanakosin Influence (Late
➢ Gate- Houses belonging to more prosperous
18th Century - Present)
families usually have a gate, often sheltered by
• Establishment of Bangkok as the capital
a Thai-style roof that opens on to the central
and its impact on architecture
platform.
• Development of the Grand Palace and its
➢ Northern Houses: Sturdier with outward-
unique features
leaning walls and smaller windows.
Architectural Character: ➢ The Sala: Open-sided pavilion for shade and
➢ Reflects the influences of the Buddhist community gatherings.
countries and of the various groups Religious Architecture:
➢ The cultures of Burma, China, Khmer, India and
➢ Thai Wat: Group of buildings serving religious,
Sri Lanka, can all be seen to have had an
educational, and community purposes.
➢ The Bot: Ordination hall for monks, usually ➢ The Sanghawat: Monks' living quarters and
housing the main Buddha image. dormitories, usually in a separate compound.
• Bai Semas- sacred boundary stones, ➢ The Ho Rakangs: Bell towers used to toll the hour
used to demarcate the sacred ground and summon monks to prayer.
of the bot and to keep away evil spirits ➢ The Minor Salas: Meeting hall for pilgrims visiting
➢ The Chedi: Dome-shaped structure housing the wat.
Buddha relics. ➢ The Ho Trai: Wat library housing Holy Scriptures,
• The Vishnu- a thunderbolt sign on top often elevated or surrounded by water to
of the Chedi, depicting the ancient Hindu protect from insects.
Lord Royal Architecture:
➢ The Wihan: Assembly hall for laypeople to make
➢ Teakwood Royal Houses: Blend of Thai wat and
offerings to Buddha images.
traditional Thai house styles with ornate details.
➢ The Prang: towering phallic spires
➢ The Grand Palace: Complex with various
➢ The Chofa: Distinctive tassel-like architectural
structures, including the Chapel Royal of the
detail, symbolizing Garuda.
Emerald Buddha.
➢ The Mondop: Square-based structure with a
➢ Dusit Maha Prasat Hall: Audience hall with a nine-
cruciform roof or spire containing sacred texts
tiered white canopy.
or objects of worship.
➢ Boron Phiman Mansion: Built in a western style
➢ The Bodhi Tree: Sacred Fig or Pipal tree (Ficus
as a royal residence.
religiosa) symbolizing the site where Buddha
➢ Phra Asada Maha Chedi: Towering prangs with a
attained enlightenment.
chedi's function.
➢ The Cloister: Main wall enclosing the wat
complex, often adorned with decorative murals
and Buddha images.

Malaysian ARCHITECTURE
❖ Architecture in Malaysia traditionally consist of malay vernacular architecture.
❖ Though there are style influences from Islamic, colonial architecture, Chinese straits etc.
❖ Houses in the region are built for tropical conditions, raised on stilts with high roofs and large windows, allowing air to flow
through the house and cool it down.
❖ Wood has been the main building material for much of Malaysia's history; it is used for everything from the simple kampung
to royal palaces.
❖ Besides wood, other common materials such as bamboo and leaves were used.
❖ Longhouses are elevated and on stilts and can house 20 to 100 families.
❖ Water villages are also built on stilts, with houses connected with planks and most transport by boats.
❖ Kampung houses- have open-floor layouts with elongated rooms to promote airflow and are spacious enough to
accommodate more guests during festival seasons.
❖ Traditional shophouse in Southeast Asia: An architectural tradition in Malaysia since the late 18th century,
combining housing and business, with residences on upper floors and family businesses on the ground floor.
❖ Flexibility of Malay architectural designs in traditional mosques: Notably constructed with wood, old mosques like Masjid Lama
Kampung Kuala Dal and Masjid Tanjung Sembeling Lama Seri Siantan require conservation efforts.

Common Elements in Malay House Architecture:

➢ Gabled roofs made with palm fronds (attap) or singgora tiles
➢ Interwoven bamboo walls
➢ Large windows shaded by overhangs to protect the interiors from the sun’s rays
➢ An elevated foundation typically raised by stilts
➢ An open-floor layout for maximum ventilation, along with partitioned rooms
➢ Elongated interiors that support get-togethers and the open-house culture of Malaysia
➢ Wide use of timber and bamboo to fortify design
➢ Intricate woodwork featuring Malaysian motifs on side wall panels
➢ The use of sustainable materials with a low thermal capacity that keeps the home cool

Malay’s 8 Famous Buildings:

1. Malaysian Architectural Highlights:
2. Petronas Twin Towers
3. Menara Kuala Lumpur
4. New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building
5. Istana Budaya (Cultural Arts and Theatre)
6. Crystal Mosque
7. Khoo Kongsi (Chinese Clan House)
8. St. George's Church (Neoclassical, Georgian, and
English Palladian style)
9. Cheng Hoon Teng Temple (Traditional Chinese
architecture with Feng Shui influence)