The study in this article is part of a more in-depth research investigating the architectural and physical design influences on sense of place dimensions in the context of contemporary mosques in Malaysia. The focus of this paper is human-place bonding in sacred and religious settings, based on a framework including aspects of sociality, physicality and spirituality, in addition to demographic variables such as ranges of length of experience with, and frequency of presence in, the environment of the studied mosques. The effects of the perceptions of architecture and physical design, social environment, and spiritual atmosphere on dimensions of sense of place were studied using a structural equation modelling analysis based on 302 questionnaires completed in seven state mosques across the Southeast Asian country of Malaysia. Meanwhile the socio-demographic effects on sense of place dimensions were also tested based on several analyses of variances (ANOVA) in various demographic groups through sense of place dimensions. In doing so, we adopted the multi-dimensional approach towards sense of place consisting of cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions. As major findings, this research provided empirical evidence for the existence of direct relationships between perceptions of the key environmental factors studied and the sense of place dimensions in contexts with extensive religious and sacred attributes; on the other hand, no interactive relationship was found between most of the sociodemographic variables and those dimensions. This article discusses in detail each of those approved and rejected relationships.

The Malay house is distinctive by its composition of several buildings clustered with respect to its main unit. This study attempts to explore the formation rules of this type and its variations from both a spatial and construction point of view. More than 200 houses in the nine states of Peninsula Malaysia are examined and divided into five groups for detailed analysis and comparison. All Malay houses under study can be produced by five sets of rules and their sub-rules, which act as a descriptive language as well as a generating mechanism. The rule system is organized in three layers that can account for the transformations of local styles in Peninsula Malaysia, which may reveal stimulating information regarding the evolutionary relations among Malay house types.

Bergendang is a uniquely Sarawak Malay traditional entertainment frequently held during social gatherings at home. This paper investigates the spatial use of bergendang activity in traditional Malay houses along the Sarawak River in Kuching. The research employed a qualitative case study design through field study observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed different spatial uses of bergendang for the early and later models of Sarawak Malay houses, which are associated with house owners’ social status. Spatial studies on traditional Malay houses in other parts of Sarawak are highly recommended in constructing a vernacular Malay house framework for the northern Borneo region. Keywords: bergendang; Sarawak Malay; spatial use; traditional Malay house eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2023. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v8i23.4489

Accreditation of programmes in universities is a form of responsibility between education providers and stakeholders in producing graduates who meet the requirements in accordance with the provisions. In Malaysia, Majlis Akreditasi dan Pendidikan Senibina Malaysia was formed under the purview of Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia as the professional body, responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and regulating the National competency standard of local Architectural education programmes. This study is to review the current architecture accreditation process and to propose a new accreditation framework that can improve the assessment method used, based on the criteria and standards of accreditation for Architectural programmes. Current accreditation assessment procedure lack of objective assessment mechanism to indicate definable performance of an Architectural programme which includes a set of determination statement related to the criterion that can be used to measure consistency in an accreditation outcome. The adoption of an objective assessment mechanism will systematically ensure traceability of assessment results are backed by fundamental requirements, which is typically not found in an objectively or judgement-based assessment method. The new accreditation framework should act as a strategic tool in identifying the accreditation process outcome by producing a guided and measured assessment which may adopt an automated platform. It is vital to understand and identify ways to improve the assessment process during accreditation for visiting panels, ascertain a justified outcome for education providers and enhance connections between the professional body and higher learning institutions. The proposed mixed method through action research approach will require participatory from both the professional body and education providers to promote development and put into practice the maintenance of standard and quality within architectural education.