Eco-Urbanism and the South East Asian City

This book traces the history of urban design in tropical South East Asia with a view to offering solutions to contemporary architectural and urban problems. The book examines how pre-colonial forms and patterns from South East Asian traditional cities, overlaid by centuries of change, recall present notions of ecological and organic urbanism. These may look disorganised, yet they reflect and suggest certain common patterns that inform eco-urban design paradigms for the development of future cities.

Taking a thematic approach, the book examines how such historical findings, debates and discussions can assist designers and policy makers to interpret and then instil identities in urban design across  the Asian region. The book weaves a discourse across planning, urban design, architecture and ornamentation dimensions to reconstruct forgotten forms that align with the climate of place and resynchronise with the natural world, unearthing an ecologically benign urbanism that can inform the future.

Written in an accessible style, this book will be an invaluable reference for researchers and students within the fields of cultural geography, urban studies and architecture.

Dr Shireen Jahn Kassim is the Director of Sustainability at EAG Consulting SDN BHD. She was formerly an associate professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia, and was Head of the Arts and Architecture cluster of the transdisciplinary research grant on heritage urbanism, funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education.  

Dr Noor Hanita Abdul Majid is an independent heritage consultant with architectural projects in Malaysia. She previously was an associate professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia, and was formerly the Deputy Dean (Academic Affairs) at the Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design (IIUM). 


Dzulkifli Abdul Razak is the Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia and is an expert for the Futures of Higher Education Project at UNESCO’s Institute for Higher Education. He previously served as Vice Chancellor of University Sains Malaysia and as the 14th President of the International Association of Universities.