In her book, Eleena delves into the cultural influences that have shaped her architectural thinking. Photo: Eleena Jamil
When working on their projects, Malaysian architects frequently find inspiration in the country’s varied culture, climate and way of life.
The work of local architect Eleena Jamil reflects this, as she always aims to capture Malaysia’s essence through her culturally and contextually rich building projects.
Hailing from Penang, Eleena’s first book, Essence Of Place: Making Local Architecture, offers readers a glimpse of her architectural inspirations and how her contemporary designs have been influenced by traditional Malaysian forms.
Through her book, Eleena hopes to challenge the notion that all contemporary buildings must be uniform, sleek structures of glass and steel.
Eleena has always wanted to write a book that documented her architectural influences as it reflects her desire to explore the ideas behind her designs more deeply.
“I think sometimes words can better convey ideas and transform the understanding of my architectural work more so than drawings or photographs,” she says.
Her opportunity to write came unexpectedly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when most of Eleena’s office projects were halted due to the nationwide lockdown.
“The restrictions, particularly the inability to leave my home, allowed me to focus on my writing and make space for my creativity to shine through,” she said.
It took a while for Eleena to choose the right title for her book as the architect needed it to reflect her work, which was firmly rooted in Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage and climate.
“After much thought, I came up with Essence Of Place: Making Local Architecture as I felt it described my work and its influences succinctly,” she says.
“I think my architectural work does resonate very much with the essence of Malaysia, so that’s why the title felt apt to me,” she adds.
Soon after the book was completed, Eleena was approached by Artifice, a British-based publishing house who showed interest in publishing her book, released in May.
“It was wonderful to know that my book was getting noticed considering how much effort went into the process of writing it,” she adds.
Cultural references
In her book, Eleena delves into the cultural influences that have shaped her architectural thinking.
Drawing from Malaysia’s diverse landscapes, she highlights several key influences such as the designs of Malay kampung houses, Chinese shophouses and colonial architecture.
Local built heritage, like Malay kampung houses, has helped shape Eleena’s work. Photos: Filepic
“These important cultural references have helped shape my understanding of creating architecture that resonates with place and history,” she says.
Eleena emphasises the importance of these traditional forms, which influences her contemporary designs while maintaining a strong connection to Malaysia’s cultural identity.
“These buildings helped me gain the knowledge of creating architecture that was also rooted to the place it comes from,” she explains.
The Chinese shophouse is another element that influences Eleena's contemporary designs.
Another significant influence on her work was the practice of living in open-plan spaces.
“The traditional way of living in open spaces, where most cultural groups traditionally eat, sleep and socialise in, is also an important influence on how I view architectural spaces,” she adds.
“This fluidity of space, where the boundaries between functions are blurred, encouraged me to design and build spaces that foster social interaction and a sense of community,” she adds.
Overcoming doubts
Writing a book is never without its difficulties, and Eleena faced several hurdles during the process.
“One of the biggest challenges was the writing itself,” she admits. “It is sometimes difficult to explain things eloquently, especially when I get mental blocks in expressing myself accurately.”
This challenge led to multiple revisions of chapters in the book for over two years, as Eleena burned the midnight oil to perfect her ideas and convey them in a way that would resonate with her readers.
While the isolation during the pandemic offered her a chance to focus on her writing, Eleena found it harder to finish the book when the world slowly began to return back to normal and work-from-home arrangements were no longer a necessity but an option.
“The book wasn’t finished when the travel ban was lifted, so it was difficult for me to find the time to focus on my writing,” she says.
Despite these obstacles, Eleena continued with her work, as she was passionate about sharing her architectural philosophies with others.
The most rewarding part of the process happened when the architect received a prototype of the completed book from her publisher.
“Holding the finished product in my hands for the first time was a moment of great joy and relief... I genuinely felt very thankful that the book was finally completed,” she says.
“There definitely were doubts, especially the feeling that the book will not be well-received or the writing was not good enough for publication,” she reflects.
Although these fears were normal, Eleena managed to overcome them by concentrating on the effort that she had taken to finish the book.
“Having a good publisher and editor was also very helpful in dispelling some doubts about my ability to write,” she adds.
“I have tried my very best, and the outcome doesn’t really matter at this point.”
Embracing localism
Through Essence Of Place, Eleena hopes to challenge the notion that all contemporary buildings must be uniform, sleek structures of glass and steel.
In a globalised world where cities are increasingly defined by similar architectural styles, Eleena advocates for architecture that reflects local identities and history.
“I hope that readers can see that not all contemporary buildings have to be shiny glass and steel and look like they could belong in any city in the world,” she says.
By exploring the rich history and cultural references that have shaped her work, she hopes to inspire budding architects and designers to create architecture that is unique to their country.
“Ultimately, this book is not just about architecture, it is a testament to the beauty and potential of local identities, and a celebration of the culture and traditions that shape the places we live in,” Eleena says.
“Through my work, I hope to encourage a deeper understanding of how architecture can serve not just as a functional space, but as a reflection of the unique characteristics of the places it inhabits,” she concludes.
In her book, Eleena delves into the cultural influences that have shaped her architectural thinking. Photo: Eleena Jamil
Local built heritage, like Malay kampung houses, has helped shape Eleena’s work. Photos: Filepic
Through her book, Eleena hopes to challenge the notion that all contemporary buildings must be uniform, sleek structures of glass and steel.
The Chinese shophouse is another element that influences Eleena's contemporary designs.
