This paper aims to examine the effectiveness of kindergarten design in promoting early childhood development before embarking further in the education system in Malaysia. It also aims to investigate the problems that kindergartens today are facing while using this as a basic guideline to foster better kindergarten design in the future. Past studies had shown kindergarten design on three main aspects involving architectural elements, geographical considerations and technical aspects. However, to date, there are no research done to determine the best design approach deem fit for the user; the kindergarten children, in Malaysia. This paper is vital as education plays an important role not only concerning individual involved in the kindergarten premise, but also responding to Malaysia's national agenda on education as early from 1957 till present. Kindergarten is known to play this role in providing the most basic and fundamental education system before children step into a more formal education program such as the primary and secondary schools. This research will be conducted using case study approach as outlined by Yin (2003) and data collection will draw attention to two typologies of kindergartens; single dwelling kindergarten and shop lot kindergarten. Direct observation will be adopted for analysis on these two case studies with regards to four environment stimuli; movements, comfort, competence and control. This paper is of benefit not only to policy makers, designers, and educators, but it will also be of importance in promoting better education system in response to Malaysia's national agenda in its quest to produce better nation and brighter future.

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The purpose of this study is to ascertain how architecture could impede stress level among low-cost housing occupants in Malaysia based on design implementations. The home environment is one of the main contributing factors for the occurrence of stress among occupants as much of individuals' lives are spent indoor. Based on this, architecture plays a major role in minimizing the stress level among occupants of a building. This research analyses the wellness of low-cost housing owners and occupants through observation and questionnaires that were distributed to low-cost housing residents. This study found that there are four key factors that contributed to stress among occupants. It is, therefore, hoped that the findings of this paper help designers to design better low-cost houses in order to provide a better living environment to the occupants.

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This study aims to provide an understanding of the locality-based privacy of traditional Indonesian houses, which is in line with Islamic architecture values. This study reviews scientific papers about traditional Indonesian houses and summarizes the privacy establishment of each house. The result of the summary found that privacy in traditional Indonesian houses consists of physical and non-physical. Physical privacy comprises separator or divider; height adjustment for building elements; build layers of rooms as transitional space; clear division of zoning; selected wall material; and distinction entrance. In comparison, non-physical privacy involves spatial agreement and gender spatial that requires agreement space between men and women. This study is expectedly fruitful for the development of Islamic-based concept residence in the Indonesian real estate realm.