English Assignment One

Name: Chan Pei Shan

ID: 0318350

Module: English I

Session: February, 2014

Title: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”

Prewriting: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”

“Rumah Melayu”

“Hanok”

Exterior house

characteristics

Built on stilts

Roof the shape of boat, or forms an “X” shape

Built on a wide platform just above soil

Roof the shape of china imperial houses’ roof

Interior design

characteristics

Have large windows that is open to the outside to nature, and for natural light to enter

Two parts: the main house and the kitchen annex

Windows layered with Korean paper to create diverse color

Four parts of the house: the main building, the men’s part, the servant part, and the “separated house”

Overcoming

Climate

(Overcoming hot weather)

Large windows for ventilation of hot air

Timber stilts that elevate house from ground level

During monsoon season, the timber stilts helps in case of flooding and the steep roofs helps trapping of water

(Overcoming different types of weather in different seasons)

Winter: Have a layer of stones (“Ondol”) that transfer hot air to all room (the hot air comes from the kitchen fire

Summer: “Ondol” helps avoid the moisture and heat

House positioned to mountains and fields so that the wind helps ventilation easily

Essay: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”

There are many types of traditional houses from different country and races.

Even so, they are unique in their own ways. Like the Malay traditional house “Rumah

Melayu” and the Korean traditional house “Hanok”, are two very beautiful preserved

houses, and their beauty are actually comparable. If one were to compare between

the two traditional houses, there would be three things to compare over, which is the

exterior features, interior characteristics and factors to overcome the climate.

Firstly is the exterior feature of the traditional houses because it is the main

feature that differs them from each houses. “Rumah Melayu” looked very peaceful

and safe on the outside, mainly because it is built on stilts (1). It is designed this way

so that the residents could work under the shady area it provides. It functions as a

storage as well. The roof of the house is commonly shaped as a boat or forms a

large “x” shape. The other unique traditional house, “Hanok, has a grand look that

make it looks prosperous. Unlike “Rumah Melayu” it is built on a platform above the

ground (3). The roof, on the other hand, resembled the shape of china imperial

houses’ roof, making it looks strong.

Secondly, if you are fortunate enough to visit the two traditional houses, you

might be overwhelmed to see the interior design of the houses. In a “Rumah Melayu”

it might seemed that their large windows are not too safety for a house, but in actual

it helps to open up the residents to the nature , and it also allows natural light to

enter into house so that no power supply would be needed. There is two parts of the

house, which is the main house known as “Rumah Ibu” that is built according to the

proportions of the wife, so that it fits perfectly well for the wife, and the kitchen annex

that is separated from the house. It also has a veranda for non-family guest to visit

and be entertained (2). The “Hanok” is similar to “Rumah Melayu” in several ways,

but has differences in between. The windows of the “Hanok” is layered with Korean

paper to create a diverse colour of natural light into the house. Like “Rumah Melayu”,

no power supply would be needed. The house has four parts, that is the main

building, where the woman would normally be in and is in the most inner part of the

house, the men’s part of house, where guest would be served, servant’s area, where

servants lives in for wealthier families, and a “separate house”, for the unmarried

daughters to stay (6).

Lastly, because both houses are located in different countries with varying

climate, they have their own ways to overcome the climate issues. The weather in

Malaysia is hot and tropical, so that “Rumah Melayu” had to be designed to adapt to

that. The large windows can not only be used for the natural lighting, but also useful

in ventilating hot air out of the house (1). Other than that, the timber stilts help during

the monsoon season where flooding happens very often in the rural areas, so that

the residents are a level above the flood (2). The roofs too, are designed to be very

steep so that it prevents water from trapping on the roof, making leakage into the

house. Korea, on the other hand, has the four different types of seasons. In “Hanok”,

the floor would contain a layer of stone called the “Ondol” that would help the

residents in winter and summer. During the cold season, the stones will absorb the

heat released in the kitchen where fire would be used for cooking, and then

transferring the heat to all around the house, producing warmth to the residents.

Whereas during the hot season, the “Ondol” helps to avoid the moisture and heat

produced from the hot weather from the air (3).

People often say the traditional houses designers are good architects,

because they could design something so beautiful yet could accommodate many

values. Not only that, they actually consider combining the exterior feature, interior

characteristics and climate issues together, which wasn’t an easy thing to do. We

should appreciate these houses as they might never exist in 20 years later.

(712 words)

References: Comparing a “Rumah Melayu” and a “Hanok”

1. Ghafar, A. (2001). Malay vernacular architecture. Retrieved 23, March, 2014,

from http://www.hbp.usm.my/conservation/malayvernacular.htm

2. Wijnen, B. V. (2001). Malaysian house. Retrieved 23, March, 2014, from

http://www.malaysiasite.nl/malayhouse.htm

3. Kim, J. G. (2013). Korean’s wisdom with Hanok. Retrieved 23, March, 2014,

from http://www.han-style.com/english/hanok/science.jsp

4. Korean Tourism Organization. (2010). Hanok house. Retrieved 23, March,

2014 from http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_8_1_3_1.jsp

5. Korean Tourism Organization. (2008). Hanok (Korean Traditional House).

Retrieved from 23, March, 2014 from

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_8_1_3.jsp

6. The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea. (2009). Hanok (Korean Traditional

Housing). Retrieved from 23, March, 2014 from

http://www.prkorea.com/english/e_intro/e_introto4_4.htm