THE EVALUATION OF

MOTIVATIONAL SPACE DESIGN

FOR ORPHANAGE
ACCOMMODATION IN SELANGOR
Shah Amir Ezham bin Ismail, Aida
Kesuma binti Azmin

Abstract
This research aims to derive the criteria needed in order to evaluate a
motivational space design especially for orphanages accommodation in
order to create awareness among future architects as well as for the
orphans managers. The research uses qualitative data through literature
review studies as the methodology to derive the variables needed for
motivational space design, while the combination of both qualitative and
quantitative data are used to affirm the variables through case studies.
The outcome of this research signifies that there are seven variables
needed in evaluating or designing a motivational space. At the end of the
research, it is hope that the criteria will shift the existing paradigm on how
to design a good motivational orphanage in the future.

Keywords: motivation, space, orphanage, orphan, accommodation,
motivational space.


Content
Introduction
Methodology
Literature Review
Precedent Study
Data Collection and Analysis
Conclusion

Introduction
Government children care does not cater the
real number of the orphans in Malaysia (only
9 Rumah Kanak-Kanak in Malaysia)
Most of private orphanages are established
due to urgent need in order to cater the stray
orphans and to help catering other
orphanages which has reached its limit of
taking another orphans
Unfortunately, some are poor in term of
condition due to lack of budget in building and
maintaining the facilities but some of the private
orphanages are in good condition generally.
Most of the orphanage owners do not really
know how to really build a good shelter that
could give motivation for the orphans, especially
with motivational approach in design
The only mitigation strategy that the caretaker
of the orphanages took was to enhance and
improve the programme offered in the
orphanage.
In order to improve the condition, this
research is intended to find out the best way
to derive criteria needed to design a
motivational space for orphanages
accommodation in Malaysia.

Issues and Problems
Issue
There is no any official guideline to design
motivational quality space for orphanages
accommodation.
No profound research done regarding the
issue of motivational space mainly in
Malaysia.
Problems
Orphans are not motivated during their time
in the orphanages, especially in their
accommodation
Future orphanages will be continuously built
without the consideration of motivational
quality in design

Aim and Objective
Aims
The aims of this research are:
to evaluate motivational qualitys level in existing
orphanage accommodation with suitable criteria
and;
to derive the criteria needed for a quality
motivational accommodation for the orphan
Objectives
To evaluate the level of motivational designs
quality in existing orphanages
accommodations;
To evaluate the perceptions of the orphan
towards their existing accommodation;
To analyse the best approach for a good
quality of motivational accommodation for
the orphans.

Research Question
What is the level of motivational designs
quality in existing orphanages
accommodations?
What are the perceptions of the orphan
towards their existing accommodation?
What is the best approach for a good quality
of motivational accommodation for the
orphans?

Research Methodology
Literature Review
Reward for treating the orphans
The fifth hadith recorded in the book of Ethics
with the Single (book 7), it says: Umm Said bintu
Murra al-Fihri related from her father that the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, said, I and the guardian of an orphan will
be in the Garden like these two (showing his two
fingers closely put)
Orphans
Islamic definition: According to the Kuwait
Encyclopedia of Islamic Jurisprudence [
] (1984), the word orphan only can be
associated to a person who lost his or her father
before the person reach the age of puberty (wet
dream or menstruation)
Oxford definition: According to Oxford (2013), the
term orphan is used to a child who has lost his or
her both parents.
Unicef: UNICEF (2012) and global partners define
an orphan as a child who has lost one or both
parents
Other: Skinner (2004) discusses the definition
through a more detail discussion which separate
the definition of child and orphan, whereby the
orphan himself must be a child, which according to
usual definition of a kid which under 18 years old

Orphans Psychology
Grief, low self esteem and despair are the
main mental illness that both types of orphans
suffer from

The findings of the current research suggest all the orphan
children reported lower self-esteem as compared to the
children living with their parents probably due to loss of
their parents. These findings are consistent with those of
the prior researches. Mohanty and Newhills (2005)
research findings suggest that international adolescent
adoptees have lower self-esteem and are at higher risk for
developing severe mental health problems and social
maladjustment than children of the same age living with
their biological families in the general population. Their
study also indicated that many international adoptees are
confused about their racial and ethnic identity and face
difficulties in handling bias and discrimination. They further
argue that the international adoptees may have a better
adjustment if their adoptive parents are sensitive and
appropriately responsive to issues related to their adopted
child's race, ethnicity, and culture (p. 124).

Orphanage
is an institution that caters and cares the
orphan. Basically, it is built to accommodate
the orphans from any background as long as it
meets the characteristics.
According to wisegeek.com (2013), orphanage
is the place for the children who doesnt have
parents and does not able to live on their
own.
Motivation: Positive and Negative
Radwan (2013) said that positive motivation is
a motivation that motivates a person to gain
some incentives at the end of the action or
effort, while negative motivation is a type of
motivation that moves a person to avoid from
mishap as the end result.
Motivational Space
a space that is designed to provide incentives
for human through various design approaches
which will positively influence them to react in
a certain or particular way to achieve their
goal
Motivational Space
the main points to inculcate a motivational
environment through the treatment of the
surrounding and ambience are confidence,
comfort and happy.
Confidence to encounter low self esteem
Comfort and happy to encounter grief and
misery
Lorena (2013) claims that:
Comfort in architecture can relate to many aspects of
how a building gets designed. Its not always just about
temperature control the issue that gets so much
attention anytime building comfort gets mentioned. In
fact, building comfort has a lot to do with how an
architectural built form engages an occupant through
all of their senses, particularly when considering the
harmonization between them like with factors of
lighting, materiality, sound, and so on.
In this light, the author has interpreted the variables of
confidence and comfort for motivational quality in a
space through this diagram:

Precedent Study
Jerusalem Orphanage, South Africa

Figure 23: Jerusalem Orphanage (Source: Inhabitat.com)
Dr. Adrienne Feldner-Busztin of New
Jerusalem has observed drastic improvements
in the children after just the first few weeks of
living in the new house. Almost overnight it
seems the childrens self-esteem and sense of
dignity has risen significantly. They are more
interactive, confident and joyful, she stated.

Room layout
The room layout is simple yet attractive. All
furniture are well-located and the circulation
is good.
Figure 24: View towards the bed area (Source: Inhabitat.com)
Figure 25: View towards the bed area (Source: Inhabitat.com)
Natural lighting
All accommodations are exposed to ample
natural lighting. However the approach must
be differentiated with Malaysias context due
to different weather.

Ventilation
In order to have good ventilation, the
container is raise from ground level. Openings
at the top of the wardrobe will allow natural
ventilation to come in. This design approach
can be adapted to the Malaysian context

Figure 26: the containers are raised from ground level for ventilation purpose
(Source: Inhabitat.com)
Privacy
In term of privacy, each unit is limited to 12
persons with a mother house. However, the
sleeping areas are all in small compartmented
rather that a big dormitory style.

Figure 28: huge space for a few people creates sense of serenity in the space
(Source: Inhabitat.com)
Aesthetic
The walls are painted in light pale brown while
the floor is finished by a brown carpet and the
drop ceiling is painted in white colour. The use
of vibrant colour for decoration such as
additional furnishing such as the carpet
creates a welcoming mood.

Conclusion
Despite its simplicity, the overall design
approach of this accommodation is designed
exceptionally tremendous.
The design consideration has created a lively
space and enhancing the ambience through
many approaches such as adequate size
rooms, appropriate personal space dimension,
colour manipulation, natural lighting,
attractive finishes and etc
Data Collection and Analysis
CASE STUDY 1: RUMAH AMAL LIMPAHAN KASIH, PUCHONG,
SELANGOR

Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih (RALK) was founded by Rabaah binti Abdul Aziz and
Md. Zawawi bin Ramli. The orphanage caters for more than 100 orphans at a time,
from primary school level up to the secondary school level. The accommodations
between male orphans and female orphans are separated kilometres away due to
the limitation of the land available. The orphanage is managed by the orphanages
board and supported by the private sector and individuals.





Variables Author Perception Orphan Perception
Room layout Inefficient layout in term of
space division, furniture
arrangement and circulation.
The design of the door
location does not really
consider a good layout for the
space, which is located at the
middle.
60% like
40% partially like
0% dislike
Natural
lighting
Acceptable, but the glare is
quite disturbing.
Curtain - after thought
solution
Over lighting: 0%
Sufficient: 90%
Insufficient: 10%
Thermal
comfort
Mechanical fan used to keep
the temperature is
comfortable
After thought solution of
using curtain manage to block
the radiant heat from
entering the room
1st floor corridor becomes
shading device
Hot: 20%
Comfort: 80%
Cold: 0%
Ventilation Insufficient
Absence of cross ventilation -
no opening at the back of the
room, only at the front side of
the room
Good: 40%
Bad: 60%
Privacy Curtain gives sense of privacy
from the outside
No privacy within the room
itself - open plan
15 person per room are too
many
More than five person
per room: 70%
Less than five person
per room: 30%
Alone: 90%
Safety All physical conditions are
good
Feeling secured: 60%
Feeling unsecured: 40%
Aesthetic No distinguish feature
Undefined architectural style
White colour all over the
interior - pale, dull and
gloomy, does not give sense
of delight
Attractive: 50%
Not attractive: 50%
To change something:
90%
Not to change any: 10%
CASE STUDY 2: RUMAH BAKTI DATO HARUN

RBDH provides 2 blocks of accommodation for the orphans,
which is one for the male and another one is for the
female. One dormitory can cater up to 10 orphans in one
time. The building has a common rectangular form with
reinforced concrete post and beam as the structure and
brick wall. Externally, the wall is finished with cement
render and painted in pale reddish-chocolate.







Room Layout Layout is clearly defined
However there is no sense of
excitement (linear
arrangement of beds)
80% like
20% partially like
0% dislike
Natural
Lighting
Exceptionally good
Adequate
Over lighting: 20%
Sufficient: 40%
Insufficient: 40%
Thermal
Comfort
Many openings cause radiant
heat to come in
Hot: 50%
Comfort: 50%
Cold: 0%
Ventilation Good consideration of cross
ventilation
Mechanical mean such as fan
helps out to ventilate the air
inside the room
Good: 80%
Bad: 20%
Privacy Typical dormitory - Does not
consider any privacy within
the room
More than five person
per room: 40%
Less than five person
per room: 60%
Alone: 100%
Safety No physical harm Feeling secured: 90%
Feeling unsecured: 10%
Aesthetic No distinguish features
Common government school
block-alike
Timber wardrobe panel - some
sense of contemporary style,
act as feature wall
Attractive: 70%
Not attractive: 30%
To change something:
90%
Not to change any: 10%
Conclusion
Generally, a lot of orphanages have been built with the absence of
motivational sense consideration.
In order to shift the paradigm on how to design a quality motivational
space for the orphanage, this research has come out with the criteria of a
motivational space, which are:

Room layout
Natural lighting
Thermal comfort
Ventilation
Privacy
Safety
Aesthetic (wall finish, floor finish and ceiling/soffit)
These criteria of motivational space are derived and deducted from
the study regarding to orphans situation and psychological level, in
combination with the impact of architectural approach towards the
orphan.

The variables are chosen due to the impact towards cognitive and
psychological development that they have. The criteria then are
tested in evaluation case studies which took place in selected
accommodation of orphanages in Selangor. As the consequences,
the relevancy of the criteria has been affirmed.

Therefore, with the criteria derived from this research,
hopefully it will create a new paradigm in designing a motivational
space, specifically for the orphan in order to celebrate, to care and
to give a better life and hope for the orphans around the world.
Jazakumullahu khairan
Thank You