The youth nowadays focused more on electronic media technologies, which resulted in a decrease in physical activities and growing health problems. In combating this dilemma, exergaming is introduced. However, it needs to be incorporated with the environmental surrounding to be proactive. This paper intends to investigate the potentiality of implementing the active design strategy in technology-driven activities in Malaysia. The findings from existing exergaming case studies are synthesized into a design strategy and translated to an architectural proposal. In conclusion, the active design strategy is significant in integrating environmental, physical and human needs and developing quality active living amongst youth.Keywords: exergaming; interactive; physical activity; active designeISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bsby e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-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) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, UniversitiTeknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.2064

The micro-housing project introduced by Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) has received cynical rumours amongst the B40 income group due to its impracticality, thus suggesting that micro-housing standard is misinterpreted and simplified. As such, this paper intends to investigate the potentiality of ideal micro-housing that is suitable for the Malaysian context, specifically for the B40 community. Based on a bottom-up approach, this research divides into the micro and macro study. In the micro-study, the focus is specifically on the typological design of micro-housing. Hence this leads to a macro context, which developed the typological analysis in regards to the regional cultural influence. In thoroughly, from seven (7) international precedents, micro-housing can be formulated into four main typologies that include Box, Mobile, Machine, and Props type. These typologies incline towards two (2) cultural domains, namely Possession Domesticity, which demonstrates Westerners influence through technological advancement and Transience Domesticity that portrays Orientalist influenced by the mixture of practicality and human psychology. These attributes tested in three (3) local micro-housing projects that consist of two prototypes by local architect and a built micro-housing project by DBKL. The result shows that both prototypes are potentially ideal. However, DBKL’s built project demonstrated a minimal standard of appropriate micro-housing living. It founds that the lack of axiological human needs may lead to a degradation of values and behaviour. Thus, it significantly recommends that the projects reconsider of adapting the psychological needs for the betterment of its user’s living.Keywords: micro-living, adaptable housing typology, regional cultural study, psychological needseISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BYNC-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) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i12.1934

The Movement Control Order (MCO) has forced significant segments of Malaysia’s economy to shut down or scale back operations in a nationwide effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, one segment of the population that is perhaps more susceptible to the adverse economic effects of the pandemic is the mental well-being of those who need to work remotely at home. This study expands on previous research by examining workers’ perceptions of remote working practices at home and their impact on a person’s mental condition. The reviewed literature presents four (4) main indoor environmental quality factors: spatial and thermal comfort; noise distraction and privacy; visual comfort; and overall satisfaction with their home and its relation to the work stress level, in addition to the emergence of the new norm of working during the pandemic. This study has shown that the quality of the indoor environment plays an important role in ensuring comfort when working from home, as the practice could have a negative or positive impact depending on the IEQ. From the results, most of the IEQ score values were more than 1, and the mean was the highest, which demonstrates a positive scale. The input from respondents on IEQ also indicates their mental well-being due to the fact that IEQ strongly affects workers’ stress and productivity levels when working from home. This paper recommends extending the study on gender and productivity level, as well as mental well-being (Factor 3), when working from home, and how this relationship may affect an organisation when such a policy is implemented.

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused a massive increase in the number of Malaysians working from home. This scenario has put the living and working gap at disposal, questioning the relevancy of ‘living lifestyle’, particularly on the new housing township projects. This paper investigates the culture of working from home and its influence on the latest emerging township’s housing development model. Using the qualitative observation and comparative analysis approach, the findings suggest that integrating working culture into housing design will reinvent the spatial procession and quality of the living lifestyles, thus advocating for a new housing typology for the mass. Keywords: Working from home; Housing design; Spatial innovation; Living lifestyle eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-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:

The Chinese embodiment in most major cities in South-East Asia is widely being articulated through the existence of shop house. Its renowned status has overshadowed the "Attap" house that was built during the early Chinese migration. In Malaysia, evidence has shown that shop house was first derived as a simple "Attap" hut that was built by the Chinese merchant to service the tin miners. The "Attap" house is also said to lay the basis for shop house. This paper aims to explore the Chinese spatial and spiritual essence through the interpretation of the layering of the Chinese "Attap House". Certain perspective of Chinese family structure and their perception on cosmological epitome, profitability and growth, and the concept of flexibility through the creation of 'Kaki Lima' are thoroughly identified. "Kaki Lima", or five-foot way in English, is translated as "Ngo-Ka-Ki" in Chinese dialect. As such, the interpretations of the Chinese "Attap House" are edited and formulated into a scheme, which is not merely a house but rather incorporated as a manifesto. The "Ngo-Ka-Ki House" is a setting to investigate the paradox of Chinese essence that alters the spatial quality of a living quarter, thus anchoring the idea of Chinese living in a broader spectrum.