ARCHITECTURAL

CHARACTERS OF
INDONESIAN
ARCHITECTURE
INDONESIAN TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE IS CENTERED ON THE
IMPORTANCE OF FOSTERING COMMUNITY. AUSTRONESIAN CULTURE IS SEEN
IN THE DISTINCTIVE VARIETIES OF STILTED HOMES WITH CONSPICUOUS
GABLE ROOF TYPES THAT WERE CONSTRUCTED TO WITHSTAND THE
TROPICAL HEAT. INDIAN CULTURE IS THE FIRST AND LARGEST CULTURAL
IMPACT. IT IS EVIDENT IN HOMES THAT HAVE ABANDONED STILTS AND
BEGUN TO CONSTRUCT ON THE GROUND. EVEN WHILE NATURAL MATERIALS
LIKE BAMBOO AND WOOD WERE STILL USED, ALTERATIONS CREPT IN
THROUGH TIME. RELIGIOUS FORMS SAW THE SMOOTHEST
TRANSFORMATIONS COMPARED TO ORDINARY HABITATION STRUCTURES.
CHURCHES, MOSQUES, STUPAS, AND CANDI TEMPLES ALL COEXIST IN THE
SECULAR NATION AND SHOWCASE THE STATE'S VIBRANT CULTURAL
ENVIRONMENT. THESE VARIOUS ARCHITECTURAL TYPES SHOW THE
VARIOUS RELIGIOUS-SPECIFIC FASHIONS THAT HAVE EMERGED OVER TIME.
RUMAH ADAT - RUMAH ADAT OR CUSTOM HOUSE IS AT THE CENTER OF A
WEB OF CUSTOMS, SOCIAL RELATIONS, TRADITIONAL TABOOS, MYTHS, AND
RELIGIONS THAT VILLAGERS TOGETHER. THE HOUSE PROVIDES THE FOCUS
FOR THE FAMILY AND ITS AND IS THE POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR ACTIVITIES
OF ITS RESIDENTS.

RUMAH ADAT – ASMAT RUMAH ADAT – KARO

 RUMAH ADAT – TORAJA RUMAH ADAT – TOBA

RUMAH ADAT – BALI RUMAH JOGLO

RUMAH GADANG
A RUMAH GADANG SERVES AS A RESIDENCE, A HALL FOR FAMILY MEETINGS
AND FOR CEREMONIAL ACTIVITIES. IN THE MATRILINEAL MINANGKABAU
SOCIETY, THE RUMAH GADANG IS OWNED BY THE WOMEN OF THE FAMILY
WHO LIVE THERE; OWNERSHIP IS PASSED FROM MOTHER TO DAUGHTER.
CANDI - LARGE AND SOPHISTICATED RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES. TOWER-LIKE
STRUCTURE BUILT IN JAVA DURING THE PEAK OF INDONESIA'S GREAT
HINDU-BUDDHIST KINGDOMS (18TH-14TH CENTURY)
BOROBUDUR - A WORLD HERITAGE SITEBUILT BY THE SAILENDRA DYNASTY
BETWEEN 750 AND 850 AD, BUT IT WAS ABANDONED SHORTLY AFTER ITS
COMPLETION AS A RESULT OF THE DECLINE OF BUDDHISM AND A SHIFT OF
POWER TO EASTERN JAVA. CONTAINS A VAST NUMBER OF INTRICATE
CARVINGS THAT TELL A STORY AS ONE MOVES THROUGH TO THE UPPER
LEVELS, METAPHORICALLY REACHING ENLIGHTENMENT.

MAJAPAHIT TEMPLE - HAVE A STRONG GEOMETRICAL QUALITY WITH A

SENSE OF VERTICALITY ACHIEVED THROUGH THE USE OF NUMEROUS
HORIZONTAL LINES OFTEN WITH AN ALMOST ART-DECO SENSE OF
STREAMLINING AND PROPORTION.