Endangered Wooden Architecture Programme Blog

By Kelly Reed, EWAP Programme Manager Anyone driving along the Perak River, located on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, will almost certainly see a beautiful traditional wooden Malay house of Perak which comprises of the Rumah Kutai and Rumah Limas Bumbung Perak – the locally known names. The word ‘Rumah’ means house and the word ‘Kutai’ is a local word meaning old and represents a traditional house that was built around the 1800s in Perak. Whilst Limas Bumbung Perak house represents a later version of Perak Malay house that was built around the 1900s. Dr Kelly Reed and Dr Iryani Abdul Halim Choo visiting Rumah Tok Abu Bakar Bin Alang Ketak (TABAK), located on the banks of the Perak River in Bota Kiri, Perak. During that time, Kutai and Limas Bumbung Perak houses were built facing the river, which was the main connection for the local communities. As roads were built many moved the orientation of the house to face the road. Typically, the house is raised on pillars to about t...