PLANNING MALAYSIA:

Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Planners

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 (2017), Page 151 - 162

ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCES OF ISTANA LAMA SERI

MENANTI, NEGERI SEMBILAN

Nurdiyana Zainal Abidin1, Raja Nafida Raja Shahminan2, & Fawazul Khair
Ibrahim3

1
Faculty of Built Environment,
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA
2, 3
Center for the Study of Built Environment in the Malay World (KALAM),
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA

Abstract

Traditional Malay Royal Palaces in Malaysia are monumental buildings

representing the rich architecture, heritage, traditions and expertise of the Malays.
The architecture of these palaces differs from one another to demonstrate the
identities of the vernacular architecture as timber palaces were representations of
Traditional Malay Houses on an exaggerated scale. One example of this is Istana
Lama Seri Menanti in Kuala Pilah which is a four-storey timber palace built in
the 20th century by Malay carving experts. Another factor to consider is the rich
cultural acceptance of the Minangkabau as they have been around in Negeri
Sembilan since the 15th Century. Hence, this paper aims to determine the
architectural identity of Istana Lama Seri Menanti through the influences on the
palace architecture and the factors affecting these influences. The research
methods undertaken include case studies, interviews with experts, and document
and historical analysis of subjects about palaces. The findings conclude that the
key element of ‘atap bergonjong’ cannot be found in Istana Lama Seri Menanti
which has the more common modest curve of the roof ridges found in houses of
Negeri Sembilan. Furthermore, Chinese influences on the woodcarvings of the
palace can be seen on the columns and beams of the exterior of the palace. In
conclusion, there are many influences on the architectural identity of Istana Lama
Seri Menanti such as Chinese influences and British’s political influences on the
design of the palace.

Keyword: Architecture, heritage, traditional Malay royal palaces

Date Received: 30th April 2016

Date of Acceptance: 30th October 2016

1
Student at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Email: nurdiyana.za@gmail.com 151
Nurdiyana Zainal Abidin, Raja Nafida Raja Shahminan, & Fawazul Khair Ibrahim
Architectural Influences of Istana Lama Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan

INTRODUCTION
Palaces belonging to royalties were built as representations of the power, wealth
and influence the royal families had over their subjects and ruling states (Abdul
Rahman, 1999). Considerable thoughts and ideas were put into the design of a
palace. Hence, palaces are architectural identities of the royal families and the
culture of the area it is located in (Fuh et al., 1993). Therefore, it can be said that
palaces represent the symbol of the Malay rulers because palaces act as buildings
of residence, administration and venue of royal functions (Fuh et al., 1993).
Traditional Malay royal palaces can be considered as a replica of a traditional
Malay house on a larger and grander scale (Gibbs, 1987). Due to the nature of the
Malay culture as a very nature-associated society, the architecture of the Royals
was also a reflection of the ideologies and beliefs of the traditional Malays (Megat
Latif & Abdullah, 2008). Hence, the architectural elements of traditional Malay
royal palaces which included design allowance for environmental factors, privacy
and safety of residents and also gender segregations of male and female members
of the families (Haja Bava Mohidin, Ismail & Megat Abdullah, 2012).
Gender segregation is important in Adat Perpatih as it relates back to the
Islamic teachings it is rooted in. Therefore, it is an important design element in
traditional Malay houses in Negeri Sembilan as many of the houses include
gender segregated spaces to allow for female family members to have their areas
within the house. This design can be found in the abundant number of houses in
Negeri Sembilan which includes attic designs and have houses which are more
than one storey high (Haja Bava Mohidin, Mohd Razif & Kadikon, 2012). Figure
1 below illustrates a key design element of Traditional Malay Houses in Negeri
Sembilan which includes an attic.

Figure 1 A Traditional Malay House in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan with an Attic Space

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 PLANNING MALAYSIA
Journal of the Malaysia Institute of Planners (2017)

It is important to understand the vernacular architecture of Traditional

Malay Houses in Negeri Sembilan because the architecture relates back to the
palace architecture of Istana Lama Seri Menanti which will be discussed in this
paper. The same design element can also be found in the palace which
communicates the local building practices and culture of Adat Perpatih practised
by the locals. As much as Adat Perpatih influences the daily activities and
customs of Negeri Sembilan residents, it is important to identify the influences
on the architecture of Istana Lama Seri Menanti and determine the architecture of
the vertically designed timber palace.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
The research methodologies undertaken in this research are case studies and
precedent studies of timber palaces in Malaysia and interviews of experts on the
knowledge of architectural heritage. Seven case studies were used as subjects for
this research about the architecture of Istana Lama Seri Menanti. Table 1
illustrates the case studies used in this research to identify the similarities and
differences of timber palaces around the years that Istana Lama Seri Menanti was
built.

Table 1 Traditional Malay Royal Palaces in Late 1800s-early 1900s.

NO PALACE YEAR LOCATION
1 Istana Balai Besar

1842 Kelantan

2 Istana Ampang Tinggi

Negeri
1864
Sembilan

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Nurdiyana Zainal Abidin, Raja Nafida Raja Shahminan, & Fawazul Khair Ibrahim
Architectural Influences of Istana Lama Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan

3 Istana Sultan Ismail

1870 Perak

4 Istana Tengku Nik

1881 Terengganu

5 Istana Jahar

1887 Kelantan

6 Istana Lama Seri Menanti

Negeri
1908
Sembilan

7 Istana Sri Terentang

1908 Pahang

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Journal of the Malaysia Institute of Planners (2017)

8 Istana Kenangan

1926 Perak

The case studies were selected based on the construction materials used
which were timber and the year they were built in which was during the late
1800s-early 1900s. These factors will adequately determine the factors behind the
construction of Istana Lama Seri Menanti and the architecture seen in the palace.
However, not all of the palaces can still be found today as the palaces have either
been demolished or have deteriorated.

TRADITIONAL MALAY ROYAL PALACES

Timber was commonly used by the traditional Malays for the construction of
buildings such as houses, mosques and even palaces (Massart, Meuter & Van
Begin, 2008). The availability of timber was a major factor in determining timber
as the choice of construction materials. The durability and robustness of timber
also made it the prime material for construction. Hence, the expertise of the locals
in using timber increased with the construction of bigger buildings such as
mosques and palaces. These experts known locally as Tukang were not only
carpenters but were also woodcarvers. Tukang of palaces were appointed by the
Sultan or Raja, and in the case of Negeri Sembilan the Yang Dipertuan Besar and
were known as Tukang Raja (Md. Nazuan, 2005). The Tukang also acts as a
Pawang or Shaman as beliefs in the mistics were still prevalent during the olden
days and as a Pawang, it is important that the future site of the palace is selected
carefully and any negative energy were cast out (Md. Nazuan, 2005).
Palaces in the olden Malay towns were surrounded by villages as the
commoners lived surrounding the royal families and influential leaders (Daud,
Arbi & Faisal, 2012). Some palaces were located on top of hills for the advantage
of the view and safety factors whereas the villages surrounded the lower hillside
(Daud, Arbi & Faisal, 2012). Only palaces were allowed to be gated or fenced in
as they were considered important buildings of the society (Massart, Meuter &
Van Begin, 2008). The most common layout of a traditional Malay town must
include a palace, an open field for the community and a market (Noor & Khoo,
2003; Harun & Said, 2009). This layout allowed the state generates income for
itself and becomes a self-sustaining city, and the power of the royals will be
stable.

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Nurdiyana Zainal Abidin, Raja Nafida Raja Shahminan, & Fawazul Khair Ibrahim
Architectural Influences of Istana Lama Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan

Architecturally, traditional Malay royal palaces can be divided into two

typologies which are single-type building and multiple-type building (Md.
Nazuan, 2005). These typologies mean that palaces can be built as a free-standing
building on its own and gated within an area or as a part of a complex of multiple
different buildings within an enclosed area. Figure 2 below illustrates an image
of Istana Ampang Tinggi as a single-type palace building in Negeri Sembilan.
The Palace is a residential building as is a stand-alone building.

Figure 2 Single-type Palace Building of Istana Ampang Tinggi in Negeri Sembilan

A multiple-type building is a complex of buildings which include the

main Rumah Ibu, separate halls and bedrooms for the royalties (Md. Nazuan,
2005). For example, Figure 3 below is an example of a multiple-type palace
which was once part of a complex of palace buildings in Terengganu. Istana Satu
was the Rumah Ibu and acts as the main building within the complex.

Figure 3 Istana Satu was part of a Multiple-Type Palace Complex in Terengganu

Another important element found in the design of traditional Malay royal

palaces were the spatial layout of the palace. The most common layout would be

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 PLANNING MALAYSIA
Journal of the Malaysia Institute of Planners (2017)

the sporadic design layout where the palace building spread out over a large area
of Palace reserves. However, there is the less common spatial design of building
vertically with palaces that are more than one storey high (Abdul Aziz, Remaz
Ossen & Idid, 2010). These types of spatial layout vary from one state to another,
but none has been built more than two storeys high using timber except for Istana
Lama Seri Menanti.

ISTANA LAMA SERI MENANTI

In Negeri Sembilan, the earliest known traditional Malay royal palace was Istana
Barong-Barong which was located in Ampang Tinggi (Raja Shahminan, 2010).
Istana Pulih was then built during the reign of Yamtuan Antah (1875-1888) but
was burnt down by British troops during the Bukit Putus War in 1875 (Sheppard,
1969). Istana Baroh was later built to replace the burnt-down palace and was used
as a residential palace for the royal family (Raja Shahminan, 2010; Saw & Raja
Barizan, 1991). In 1902, Tuanku Muhammad who was the 7th Yang Dipertuan
Besar Negeri Sembilan instructed the building of a new palace in Seri Menanti as
the new residential palace (Muhammad, 2011).
The construction of Istana Lama Seri Menanti was completed through
the expert skills of Tukang Kahar and Tukang Taib who were local carvers in
Seri Menanti. Tukang Kahar was appointed the Tukang Raja as he was
commissioned to design and construct a timber palace for Tuanku Muhammad.
The palace was completed in 1908 with the help of Tham Yoong, who was a
Chinese contractor, and the drawings were prepared by Mr Woodford, who was
a British Draftsman from the Public Works Department (Muhammad, 2011). As
timber palaces were not found to be more than two storeys high in other states in
Malaysia, there might be a sharing of skills and technology for Tukang Kahar and
Tukang Taib to be able to construct such a vertically planned timber palace. Even
so, it is very common to find traditional Malay houses especially that of the
aristocrats and wealthy leaders to have houses that were two and even three
storeys high. Thus, it is plausible that the technology and skills were available in
Negeri Sembilan with the Tukang but were further developed with the Chinese
influences. The British draftsman was only providing technical drawings
expertise, but the British influences could be found in the space allocations within
the palace as specifically dedicated spaces were provided such as the
dining/reception area and separate bedrooms for family members. Figure 4 below
illustrates the image of an abandoned Istana Lama Seri Menanti before being
turned into a museum.

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Nurdiyana Zainal Abidin, Raja Nafida Raja Shahminan, & Fawazul Khair Ibrahim
Architectural Influences of Istana Lama Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan

Figure 4 Istana Lama Seri Menanti before Being Turned into a Royal Museum

The timber used for the construction of the palace were locally known as
Penak or Cengal, and were taken from nearby forests in Negeri Sembilan. A study
by Saw & Raja Barizan (1991) plots the Cengal forest distribution in Peninsular
Malaysia including Cengal forests in Negeri Sembilan. Figure 5 below illustrates
the Cengal forests found in Peninsular Malaysia while specifically highlighting
those in Negeri Sembilan.

Figure 5 The Distribution of Neobalanocarpus heimii (Cengal) in Peninsular Malaysia

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Journal of the Malaysia Institute of Planners (2017)

The spatial layout of Istana Lama Seri Menanti is vertically planned

throughout the four storeys where the spaces are segregated according to
functions. The ground floor of the palace is dedicated to the palace staff and is a
public domain (Abdul Aziz, Remaz Ossen & Idid, 2010). The first floor of the
palace is a semi-public area where royal functions such as Majlis Menghadap are
held at the serambi where a special raised platform is built for the Yamtuan. The
first floor is also a place for meeting delegates and making public summonses.
The floor also includes four bedrooms and a dining/reception area for the royal
families. The second floor of the palace is dedicated to only the royal families as
three bedrooms are located on this floor. The third and fourth floor are private
spaces for the Yamtuan and hold his room and a storage area on the highest floor
for family heirlooms. Figure 6 below illustrates the vertical planning of Istana
Lama Seri Menanti.

Figure 6 The Vertical Plan of Istana Lama Seri Menanti

The function of Istana Lama Seri Menanti remained as a residential

palace during 1908 until 1931 when a new palace was built nearby. The Istana
Besar Seri Menanti was a masonry construction of double storey high and became
the new palace the royal families resided in. After the Yamtuan had moved into
the new palace, Istana Lama Seri Menanti became a place of residence for other
royalties of visiting families of the Royals. In 1959-1964 however, the palace was
used by the local state as a religious school for the local children. It was during
this time that the ground floor and first floor of the palace became a place for
religious classes and helped spread the knowledge of Islam. Later in the years,
the palace was restored and converted into a Royal Museum in 1992. Figure 7
below illustrates the palace photo taken in 2015 during which further restorations
were being undertaken.

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Nurdiyana Zainal Abidin, Raja Nafida Raja Shahminan, & Fawazul Khair Ibrahim
Architectural Influences of Istana Lama Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan

Figure 7 Istana Lama Seri Menanti in Negeri Sembilan

FINDINGS
Findings of the research demonstrated that Istana Lama Seri Menanti was built
with the skills and expertise of the local Tukang as vernacular architecture in
Negeri Sembilan were commonly found to be more than one storey high. Hence,
the construction of a vertical timber palace was plausible with their expertise and
skills in Negeri Sembilan and not found elsewhere in Malaysia. Furthermore,
Chinese contractors were hired to help with the construction. Thus some Chinese
influences could be found in the design of the palace particularly some of the
woodcarvings found on the beams of the palace. Figure 8 below illustrates the
images of a mythical creature carved on the beams of the palace’s entrance.

Figure 8 Woodcarvings of Mythical Creatures on the Beams of the Palace

The design of the palace which was symmetrical on plan and the
elevations could prove the existence of a British influence on the spaces of the
palace because, traditionally, Malay vernacular architecture was not symmetrical
and did not provide specific spaces for specific activities. Malay vernacular
architecture usually provides multi-functional spaces in their buildings which

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 PLANNING MALAYSIA
Journal of the Malaysia Institute of Planners (2017)

could be used in different functions and for different purposes according to the
needs of the users. Hence, the segregation of spaces and dedicated rooms to
specific activities is very Western-like and could prove the existence of British
influences on the palace.

Figure 9 The First-Floor Plan Shows Symmetry and Balance

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Istana Lama Seri Menanti which was constructed using only
timber without the reinforcements of nails is a unique 20th century traditional
Malay royal palace. While other timber palaces were built earlier in the 1800s,
Istana Lama Seri Menanti was built as a permanent palace of residence for the
royalties during which masonry palaces were already being built extensively
around Malaysia.
The palace which was designed to be symmetrical throughout is another
unique factor which separates it from other timber palaces in Malaysia. The
verticality of the palace’s image provides a grandeur architecture which can be
seen from afar and differentiates itself from any other traditional Malay royal
palaces. More information is needed in determining the influences on the
architecture of Istana Lama Seri Menanti. This research is still ongoing, and
further findings will be developed into more discussions in the future.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was supported by MyBrain15 under the MyPhd scholarship given by
the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MoHE).

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Architectural Influences of Istana Lama Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan

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