INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

The transition from public area to private is the symbolization of a house. (Cristoforetti A, Gennai F, Rodeschini G, 2011) According to Cambridge Dictionary, house is physically a building that lived in by people. Meanwhile, housing is also regarded as one of the human basis as it works as a safety shelter in providing the sense of security and protection, as well as independence and freedom. Human Rights Education Associates (2011) states that housing should fulfils physical, psychological, social and even economic needs of a person. In some ways, a house physically gives a sense of protection and security whilst providing the users with a sense of personal space and privacy in fulfilling his psychological needs. A house is a significance to the vulnerable group of people especially the elderly as it fulfilled the essential need for safety and shelter. Hence, it is crucial and necessary for people who entering the aging process to cater their retirement lifestyle in a suitable and comfortable place.

            Aging is unavoidable. In line with the United Nations’ and Ministry of Health’s recommendations, “the elderly or ageing population” is taken to mean people aged 60 years or older.(Karim, 1997) It is estimated that the number of Malaysians aged 60 and above to be 2.8 million presently and is projected to increase to 3.3 million in the year 2020.(Mafauzy, 2000) Besides, there is also an increase happened on the percentage of the ageing population from 5.2% in 1970 to 6.3% in the year 2000 and it is expected to be 9.8% in the year 2020. (Mafauzy, 2000) This is supported when (Bernama, 2016) reported that the record from National Statistics Department, Malaysia shows that there is 2.8 million of elderly out of 31 million Malaysians in the year 2015. Synonymously, the elderly population in Malaysia is about 9% of the population in Malaysia today. The situation above shows that Malaysia’s population is ageing at a faster rate than many may realised. Apart from that, the ageing population are also now living longer as an increase in average life expectancy. In Malaysia, the average life expectancy for women and men is 76 and 73 years, respectively. Due to the fact that women tends to live longer than men, disproportion between males and females occurs and yet increasing with ageing. As a result, the aged population is expected to undergo a big increasing rate of 210% between 1990 and 2020. (Mafauzy, 2000)

            Undoubtedly, population aging will generate new challenges especially to Malaysia who is currently on its path of being developed nation by the year 2020. Universal design, equally available as well as age-irrelevant society are required. Therefore, proper emphasis need to be given on the issues of elderly needs and aspirations which are now often being neglected. Housing is one of the basic needs of people. However, it is definitely sad when we often heard that low and modest seniors are having trouble in finding safe housing they can afford meanwhile meet their physical needs. Facilities and disability features as well as universal access is strictly hard to be found in the current housing design. This circumstances has induced the basics and formulation of the key research question, what are the housing aspirations and future housing plans for the elderly in Malaysia?

            On the other hand, Malaysian way of life had changed due to the rapid transformation of Malaysia into an urban society.(Ainoriza Mohd Aini, Nooraisyilah Murni, Wan Nor Azriyati Wan Abd Aziz, 2016) In the past, Malaysians were practising the benchmark where the elderly staying together with the younger generation under one roof. However, due to the rapid modernisation and urbanisation, educational and job opportunities has expanded and promoting more younger population to migrate to the urbanized areas in order to improve their quality of life.(Ainoriza Mohd Aini, Nooraisyilah Murni, Wan Nor Azriyati Wan Abd Aziz, 2016) This situation has separated them from their family and thus neglecting the family bonding which is once so crucial in Asian culture.

            There is a Chinese saying: store up grains against famine and rear sons for help in old age. In Asian culture, we practice Confucian ideals where filial piety, or xiao has been the dominating concept in family bonding. Filial piety in Confucian teachings refers to a range of behavioural prescriptions, including respecting, obeying, living with parents or staying close to parents, taking care of parents as well as avoiding injury to self.(Chow, 2001) (Hsu, H.-C., Lew-Ting, C.-Y., Wu, S.-C., 2001) (Yang, 1997) Hence, the responsibilities of caring for parents will be automatically falls on the shoulder of the children and their extended family. “Of all virtues, filial piety is the first”, this Chinese saying clearly demonstrated the importance of filial duty. Therefore, obeying and serving parents become a must in such being the highest of all virtues.

            According to Confucian teachings, the family acts as the key to the social organizations for Chinese societies since thousands of years ago. In Chinese family, the members rely and support each other’s resources in meeting physical, social and psychological needs. For example, parents gave life to children, taking care of the child with food and clothes as well as education. By receiving all the things from parents, children will have a perpetual obligations towards their parents. It is a debt, a forever unpaid debt. Therefore, in order to pay back to our lovely parents, what we can do is at least taking care of them in their old age, accompanying them to make them proud and happy, nevertheless, to serve and obey them.

            Looking into architectural form, in order to support in carrying out our filial duty, multi-generational living is being carried out since the ancient age. Multi-generational living can be defined as those consisting of more than two generations living under one roof. This can be proved via siheyuan, the Chinese courtyard house. Siheyuan is a compound enclosed by inward-facing houses on four sides and the rooms are being arranged according to the family hierarchy. Houses on four sides are independent, bringing the means that freedom and privacy are being emphasized. However, family togetherness and sharing would not be forgotten as each room is connected via corridors for daily life convenience.

Figure 1 shows the design layout of siheyuan, the Chinese courtyard house.

            On the other hand, multi-generational living is also being encouraged in Malaysia culture. This can be clearly demonstrated by the Sarawak longhouses. In Sarawak, the dominant tribal groups are the Dayak which consists of Sea Dayak (Iban) and Land Dayak (Bidayuh). They lived in the longhouses and this made the longhouses the central of communal life in Sarawak. There are over 4,500 longhouses in Sarawak. The layout of traditional longhouses has been designed to suit with the multi-generational living. There is a wall runs along the length of the longitudinal axis of the building and yet created the public and private space. The private space are being separated into bilik, containing living and sleeping place, while each room is for a single family. However, there is also public corridor for the families to carry out outdoor activities and thus closer up family relationships.

Figure 2 shows the design layout of traditional Sarawak longhouses.

            

            In conclusion, multi-generational living is being encouraged since the ancient age in Asian country. However, due to the modernization and industrialization, people are becoming more educated and career-minded. Having another family member to take care of while juggling a challenging job is often perceived as an extra burden. The term care giving is not an easy task as it covers a range of activities, from just a bit of occasional help to 24-hour care. This might causes overburdened, overwhelmed and distressed to the people.

            Furthermore, despite the challenging economic environment, there is middle-class income group who needs to work full-time to support family income, yet working part-time to take care of the elderly. Some of them who is “Sandwich Generation” even having their children living with them in addition to elderly parents. It is unquestionably stressful for them when the market rents for independent housing or institutional housing is now sky-high and is definitely unaffordable for them. Thus, how can they “kill two birds with one stone” in order to adapt with the economic environment at the same time taking good care of the elderly?

            Multi-generational living is a thing of the past? Or it might be the path of future? Rather than a return to the past, multi-generational living can be part of a new economic and demographic age, characterized by strengthened “multi-generational bonds” inside and outside the home. Future housing plans in Malaysia which support multi-generational living is being studied in term of space planning as well as sustainability and affordability. Different approach into both traditional and modern method will be investigated in order to develop the housing plans that meet the needs from both generations.