Architecture as Direct Respond to Immediate Environment

The traditional architecture illustrates the intelligence of our forefathers in dealing and responding to the surrounding environment and climate. The sense of belonging to the immediate context is clearly felt as the traditional architecture is very much inter-dependence with the surrounding greenery that provide the first layer of filter against the climate. Thus, the real performance of the traditional architecture is not solitary but in symphony with friendly act of nature.

Unfortunately, recent researches and studies on the thermal comfort performance of the traditional houses demonstrated that they were not performing as claimed or read in many reference books as thermally comfortable or cooling. This could be due to the changing surrounding. The traditional buildings in today’s context stand within the climatic condition unprotected thus unable to provide the expected comfort. Architects need to be reminded on how our traditional buildings used to provide comfort but at the same time made aware that, the same buildings need to perform differently within different context. It is not enough to emulate traditional solution physically but rather more towards understanding the intelligent response to its immediate context which may still be very natural or disturbed. There are also other issues that must be considered specifically towards achieving appropriate and beneficial solution in contemporary tropical environment.