The Serambi of Negeri Sembilan Traditional Malay House as a Multifungsional space – Role in Custom (Adat).

Abstract

Nowadays, Malays residential design has been influenced by modern design that has ignored the wellness factor thus inviting the difficulties and inconvenience to residents. Reinterpretated the concept of space in Malay house must be pursued to enhance the understanding against the important of space function for a lesson and seen their suitability to applied in nowdays design reflected to Malaysian culture and identity. This article will focus on serambi space in Negeri Sembilan traditional Malay house by describing deeply the diversity function of serambi through conducting research on role of serambi space during the execution of Adat Perpatih activities. The methodology used for these qualitative study is analysis of previous studies, deeply observation and narrative studies including the exclusive interview with the customary chiefs and expert scholars of Adat Perpatih and the architecture of Negeri Sembilan traditional Malay house. Several respondents were interviewed and the data obtained were analysed by using thematic analysis. Four themes have been developed which is serambi as a discussion space, ritual space, social space and educated inhabitant manners. Themes discussion will describe the diversity function of serambi in Negeri Sembilan Malay house towards antropologies perspective. Result of the study show the serambi space designed by previous Malay community has demonstrated extensive functionality to cover the needs of inhabitant daily life, customs practiced and filling the Islamic demand.