Istana Bandar Jugra
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Malaysia Architectural Journal THE HYBRID MOORISH STYLE CHARACTERISTICS IN MALAYSIA: ISTANA BANDAR JUGRA Nur Irdina Lee1, Farah Afiqah2, Sharyzee Mohmad Shukri3* 1,2,3 Faculty of Architecture & Build Environment, Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia * [email protected] Received: 1st Sept 2020 Final version received: 20rd November 2020 Over the years, many architectural styles can be seen throughout Malaysia in history and in present times. The Moorish style is one of them. However, with change come a combination of different styles which created the Hybrid Moorish style and Istana Bandar Jugra is one such historic building that possesses this style and is still standing. Istana Bandar Jugra which is located in Banting, was one of the royal palace of Selangor for the Sultan of its times. This research aims to study about the characteristics and its unique features of the Hybrid Moorish style that is found in history and in Malaysia now and how Istana Bandar possess such traits. The method of this research is focusing is done through in-depth literature review, site observations and interview, and comparison of other historic buildings throughout the world, we learnt of the characteristics that's unique to this style that is seen throughout. Through our findings in the case study, we discovered that Istana Bandar Jugra possesses such traits and can be seen throughout the building, and to preserve it, conservation strategies are applied. By this research, we revealed that Moorish architecture can be seen not only in its own architecture style but as well as one hybrid style which by example, Istana Bandar Jugra too, showcase its unique features. Keywords: Hybrid Moorish, Architectural style, Malay traditional palace 1. INTRODUCTION the style as an expression of admiration of Muslim culture. Moorish architecture, like every Islamic A hybrid is often defined as a thing made by architecture, has distinctive motifs like vegetative combining two different elements. The hybrid design, rounded arches which has a distinct style exploit have mixed characteristics of its origins by derived from nature and sets its own distinct style. manipulating their composition and value. In the The Moorish architecture does not only identifies context of architecture, a hybrid is the itself as only exist in the Islamic region but seen assimilation of traditional architecture influenced to have been spreaded across the globe in the 20th by the imported styles, also called the revival. century. Although there has been over hundreds of styles developed over time, the early historical styles During the colonial time, the British East such as Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Indian Company occupation as the successor of Byzantine architecture contributed the most of governmental of that time had a fascination of today’s existing most influential styles. Moorish Architecture as a hybrid symbol of the empire back at Public Works Department in Hybrid of Moorish Architecture are found in British India. So these buildings are mainly seen many locale. Architects of Europe built similar around Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and other British with the traditional style since the builders chose possession of the Malayan territory. The colonial 24 Malaysia Architectural Journal, Vol.2 (Issue.3) 24-29, Dec 2020 Sharyzee Mohmad Shukri architecture was influenced by many classical ‘Medieval Arabs’ were mainly Christians and styles incorporated into Moorish, thus Neo- Jews. In today North African regions of Tunisia, Moorish in the Malaya is born. Starting from that, Algeria and Morocco and other Western the architectural style spreaded like mushrooms Mediterranean regions, a fusion of architectural for Sultanate Palaces and governmental offices of characteristics are recognizable from the the British Colony with its hybrid feature of significant blend of its population. The style is Moorish-style architecture. For further detail we mostly expressive in religious buildings for will look into the case study of Istana Bandar example the Masjid. Jugra. Fast forward to the turn of the 20th century, the style is now known to have been influenced to many countries including Malaysia. Some of the grand buildings were designed by the British during the colonisation days back in 1795. Their opinionated of architecture theme was derived contextual from the religion of the Tanah Melayu population at large so to say the buildings are architecturally rejected from that of the vernacular. During this colonial period, the British had integrated Moorish and some of Europe classical styles and produced a somewhat a hybrid mixture of Neo-Moorish Architecture. Figure 1: The image of Istana Bandar Jugra 2.2 Elements of Hybrid Moorish 2. IDEA OF MOORISH Architecture ARCHITECTURE The Moorish style architecture introduce 2.1 Origin of Hybrid Moorish intricate details of building elements in terms of Architecture building materials, forms, and fine features of the Middle East. The architects responsible for this Moorish or Mughal architecture design is brought up has incorporated Westernised among the many styles of Islamic design. Dated classical style, alongside his design. Well. like back during the Middle Ages, North African any other revival movement, the purpose was indigenous people called the Moors inhabited mainly about imitation of design elements, not Iberian Peninsula and Western Mediterranean their function. A particular emblematic feature is island they invaded successfully. Another word the horseshoe arch. The horseshoe is applied as a describe these people were the medieval Muslims protector against the evil eye in North Africa. The in the 700s often called the Moorish most Roman’s were the first to use it but Muslims generally refered to someone Arab or African improved its form (FTSC, 2002). Similar to the ancestry. They were victorious on conquering Roman’s arch, the Moorish had a tweak at their regions such as what is now Pyrenees region of arch element with an ultra-semicircular arch France, Portugal, Sicily, south of Italy, Spain and (Figure 2). Following the colonial period of now seen in many districts known to have Islam Malay Peninsula before independence, the British community. Although the Moorish Architecture architects portray the horseshoe arches on has set footing in all over the world they all carry buildings such as Bangunan Abdul Samad in their own regional dissimilarities (Shukri, S. M., Kuala Lumpur built to appeal to the Malay Ruler et al. (2019). at the time (Figure 3). Since then, Muslim of Moorish Iberia was the assimilation of religions and cultures variation which then dominated the features and architectural style of Moorish Architecture. Majority of people under the rule of these 25 Malaysia Architectural Journal, Vol.2 (Issue.3) 24-29, Dec 2020 Sharyzee Mohmad Shukri dome likely dates from this time. Significance of the dome was to symbolized the eternity sky of Heaven’s above. Figure 4: Dome of Al-Aqsa (left) and dome of Figure 2: Horseshoe arches of Ummayad Mosques in Damascus (top) and The Aqueduct of Roman (bottom) Roman Pantheon (right) Tall minarets and high ceilings are also common features found in the modern-day Moorish architecture taken for ornamental purpose and reflective of the Moors. One of Moorish Architecture hybrid style that is still surviving to this very day is the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Few distinct features spotted are the circular domes with spires and archways Figure 3: Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad seen ornamented in Islamic motifs built in the 20th with decorative horseshoe arches century. The building imitated the Islamic The bulbous, an onion-shaped domes with Architecture but do not emulate a the purpose of pointed spires of Moorish were also an upgrade of a Moorish buildings in North Africa. This style is Roman architecture. Bulbous domes were used to influenced by the Moghul architecture in India cover large buildings in Syria after the eleventh and other British Empire regions who came to the century, following an architecture revival there Malay Peninsula due respect to their Islamic faith and the present shape of the Masjid Al-Aqsa’s of Sultan and locals. 26 Malaysia Architectural Journal, Vol.2 (Issue.3) 24-29, Dec 2020 Sharyzee Mohmad Shukri 3. METHODOLOGY climate. It can be seen in Istana Bandar through its use of geometrical shape in its doors and The methodology applied on this research windows, for example the carve ornament on the paper consist of a total of three main methods to wall. Moorish elements such as horseshoe arches, conduct the data collection about Hybrid Moorish ogee arches (Figure 6) and crenellated rooftops Style characteristics in Malaysia. Which includes (Figure 5) can be seen clearly throughout the the site observations, semi-structured interviews private space of the palace. Another example is and research analysis. So as to achieve the the windows of the buildings, specially a double clarification on the various architecture styles and shutter casement window with louvered head has Istana Bandar Jugra current state and a Moorish influenced lattice design for ventilation characteristics, a site visit was conducted at Istana and lighting even when it is closed. (Figure 7). Bandar Jugra, Banting. From the site visit, we were able to discern the preservation of the In space arrangement, the courtyards in the building and some key features of the building. middle of the building are also one of the Besides that, a semi-structured interview was characteristics of the Moorish architectural style conducted during the site visit to understand the as it allows cooling effects to take part in the routine of the workers there, restricted locations building as well as the pond or bathing area in the and the problems on site with the help of the local courtyards. This Moorish style is adapted into the guide. The data collected on site through building not just for the decorative and symbolic observations and interviews is then being meaning, as it is of Islamic variation, but also for gathered then filtered in order to study in depth its uses of materials, space arrangements and through research analysis in terms of architectural tropical climate adaptation.