Malang is widely recognized as an educational city, attracting a large and growing student population each year. This trend has significantly increased the demand for temporary housing, particularly boarding houses (rumah kos), which often develop organically within existing residential neighborhoods. The widespread conversion of landed houses into boarding accommodations has contributed to higher density, declining environmental quality, and conflicts between residential and commercial activities.

At the same time, limited urban land availability and the presence of dense settlements, including those along riverbanks, pose major challenges to providing adequate, affordable, and sustainable housing. As horizontal expansion becomes increasingly constrained, low- to mid-rise vertical housing developments (approximately 4–10 stories) offer a viable alternative. Concepts such as vertical villages and vertical boarding houses optimize land use while preserving the strong sense of community that characterizes Malang's urban neighborhoods.

From an Islamic architectural perspective, vertical housing is more than a spatial solution; it is a living environment grounded in the values of community, simplicity, social equity, and sustainability. These principles are reflected through communal spaces that foster social interaction and ukhuwah (brotherhood), efficient and functional design, accessible housing for diverse socio-economic groups, and environmentally responsive strategies such as natural lighting, cross ventilation, and integrated green spaces. Together, these elements create a sustainable and inclusive housing model that responds to the evolving needs of Malang's urban population.