TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARCHITECTURE OF INDONESIA...................................................................2
BUILDING MATERIALS.................................................................................. 2
GEOGRAPHICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL PROFILE IN INDONESIA..............3
GEOGRAPHY.............................................................................................. 3
INFLUENCE TO ARCHITECTURE...............................................................3
CLIMATE................................................................................................... 4
INFLUENCE TO ARCHITECTURE...............................................................4
BELIEFS THAT AFFECTED THEIR ARCHITECTURE.......................................5
INFLUENCE TO ARCHITECTURE..................................................................5
TYPES OF ARCHITECTURE...........................................................................6
RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE........................................................................6
TRADITIONAL AND VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE......................................9
PALACE ARCHITECTURE..........................................................................11
COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE......................................................................14
POST INDEPENDENCE ARCHITECTURE......................................................15
REFERENCES.............................................................................................. 17

ARCHITECTURE OF INDONESIA
The Architecture of Indonesia reflects the diversity of cultural, historical and
geographical influences that have shaped Indonesia as a whole. Invaders, colonizers,
missionaries, merchants and traders brought cultural changes that had a profound
effect on building styles and techniques. Traditionally, the most significant foreign
influence has been Indian. However, Chinese, Arab and since the 18th and 19th
centuries European influences have played significant roles too in shaping
Indonesian architecture.

BUILDING MATERIALS

Brick
Timber/Hardwood/Worok Wood
Sugar Palm Leaves
Coconut Trunk
Bamboo

GEOGRAPHICAL AND CLIMATOLOGICAL PROFILE IN INDONESIA

GEOGRAPHY
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It consists of five major islands and
about 30 smaller groups. There are total number of 17,508 islands of which about
6000 are inhabited. Straddling equator, the archipelago is on a crossroads between
two oceans, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean, and bridges two continents, Asia and
Australia.
The territory of the Republic of Indonesia stretches from 608' N latitude to 1115' S
latitude, and from 9445' E to 14105' E longitude. Total Area of Indonesia is
1,919,440 sq km (Land Area: 1,826,440 sq km; Water Area: 93,000 sq km).
The five main islands are: Sumatra (473,606 sq. km); the most fertile and densely
populated islands, Java/Madura (132,107 sq. km); Kalimantan, which comprises twothirds of the island of Borneo (539,460 sq km); Sulawesi (189,216 sq km); and Irian
Jaya (421,981 sq km), which is part of the world's second largest island, New Guinea.
Indonesia's other islands are smaller in size.
The country is predominantly mountainous with some 400 volcanoes, of which 100
are active. The highest mountain is the perpetually snow-capped Mandala Top (15,300
feet) in the Jaya Wijaya mountain range of Irian Jaya. Many rivers flow throughout
the country. They serve as useful transportation routes on certain islands, for example,
the Musi, Batanghari, Indragiri and Kampar rivers in Sumatra; the Kapuas, Barito,
Mahakam and Rejang rivers in Kalimantan; and the Memberamo and Digul rivers in
Irian Jaya.

INFLUENCE TO ARCHITECTURE
Building houses off the ground allows breezes to moderate to hot tropical
temperatures; it elevates the dwelling above storm water runoff and mud; it
allows houses to be built on rivers and wetland margins; it keeps people,
goods and food from dampness and moisture; lifts living quarters above
malaria-carrying mosquitos; and reduces the risk of dry rot and termites.
The sharply inclined roof allows the heavy tropical rain to quickly sheet off,
and large overhanging eaves keep water out of the house and provide shade in
the heat.
In hot and humid low-lying coastal regions, homes can have many windows
providing good cross-ventilation, whereas in cooler mountainous interior
areas, homes often have a vast roof and few windows. Traditional buildings in
Indonesia are built on stilts with oversized saddle roofs which have been the
home of the Batak and the Toraja.

CLIMATE
Because of its proximity to equator, Indonesia has tropical climate. Generally, the
weather is hot and humid. Indonesian climate is divided into two distinct seasons: dry
and rainy seasons. Most of Indonesia has their rainy seasons from October through
April, but certain places like Maluku have theirs from March to August. During the
rainy season, rain starts around noon and lasts into the afternoon. Some areas can have
sudden showers for more than two hours.

The dry season does not mean that there are no rains. In fact tropical showers in a dry
season's afternoon is a regular affair. The average annual precipitation is 1800mm.
The temperature is almost constant except for the exceptionally rainy season's nights,
when it can drop. The temperature on the coast is about 28 C Celsius and drops
dramatically in the highlands. For instance, in the highlands of Irian Jaya,
temperatures at night can drop to about 7 C, while during daytime they reach to
about 22 C.

INFLUENCE TO ARCHITECTURE
Row houses, canals and enclosed solid walls first thought as protection
against tropical diseases coming from tropical air, years later the Dutch learnt
to adapt their architectural style with local building features (long eaves,
verandahs, porticos, large windows and ventilation openings)
The sharply inclined roof allows the heavy tropical rain to quickly sheet off,
and large overhanging eaves keep water out of the house and provide shade in
the heat. In hot and humid-low lying coastal regions, homes can have many
windows providing good cross-ventilation, whereas in cooler mountainous
interior areas, homes often have a vast roof and few windows

BELIEFS THAT AFFECTED THEIR ARCHITECTURE

The first principle of Indonesias philosophical foundation, Pancasila, is belief in the
one and only God. A number of different religions are practiced in the country, and
their collective influence on the countrys political, economic and cultural life is
significant.
The Indonesian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
The government only recognizes six official religions; Islam, Protestantism,
Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism.
Indonesian law requires that every Indonesian citizen hold and identity card that
identifies the person with one of these six religions, although citizens may be able to
leave that section blank. Agnosticism or atheism, and blasphemy is illegal.

INFLUENCE TO ARCHITECTURE
Architecture in Indonesia focuses on defining terms that relate to their
religions such as; Islam, Buddhist, early Indonesia Hindu, and Balinese Hindu.
They make representations of religious sculptures, carvings, and temples. It is
important to realize that the Indonesian forms of the above religions have been
adapted to accommodate pre-existing Indonesian beliefs and customs and that
this is evident in the religious architecture found in Indonesia today.
Architectural heritage influences by religious are commonly found in Java.

TYPES OF ARCHITECTURE
RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE
Although religious architecture has been widespread in Indonesia, the most significant
was developed in Java. The islands long tradition of religious syncretism extended to
architecture, which fostered uniquely Javanese styles of Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, and
to a lesser extent, Christian architecture.

Candi
=
Religious
structures
- Large
and
sophisticated,
tower-like
structures
- Built in Java
during the peak
of
Indonesias
Great
HinduBuddhist
Kingdoms (18th-14th century)

The earliest surviving Hindu temples in Java are the Dieng Platteau, thought to have
originally numbered as many as 400, only 8 remain today.
Deing structures small and relatively plain.

But
architecture
developed
substantially
and
just 100 years later
the second Kingdom
of Mataram built the
Prambanan complex
near
Yogyakarta;
considered largest
and finest example
of
Hindu
architecture in Java.

The origin of Buddhist and Hindu temple are built of stone, which is raised on a
basement and surmounted with relics. In symbolic terms, the building is as a
representation of the legendary Mount Meru, which in Hindu-Buddhist mythology is
identified as the residence of the gods.

Buddhist monument, Borobudur

- A world heritage
- Built 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.

With the decline of the Mataram Kingdom, eastern Java become the focus of religious
architecture with an exuberant style reflecting Shaivist, Buddhist and Javanese
influences; a fusion that was characteristic of religion throughout Java.

THE MAJAPAHIT ERA

The use of bricks in Indonesias Classical Era

- Mastered by the Majapahit builders, using a mortar of vine sap and
palm sugar
Temples of Majapahit
- Have
a
strong
geometrical
quality
with a sense of
vertically
achieved
through the use of
numerous horizontal
lines often with an
almost art-deco sense
of streamlining and
proportion

Majapahit influences can be seen today in

the enormous number of Hindu temples
of varying sizes spread throughout Bali.
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Although they have elements in common with global Hindu styles, they are of a style
largely unique to Bali and owe much to the Majapahit era.

Mosques (15th Century)

Islam had become the dominant religion in Java and Sumatra, Indonesias two most
populous islands; absorbed and reinterpreted, with mosques given a unique
Indonesian interpretation.

Javenese Mosques
-

Took many design cues from Hindu, Buddhist, and even Chinese
architectural influences
Lacked, for example, the ubiquitous Islamic dome which did not
appear in Indonesia until the 19th century
Had tall timber, multi-level roofs similar to the pagodas of Balinese
Hindu temples still common today

Mosques (19th Century)

Sultanates of Indonesian archipelago began to adopt and absorb foreign influences of
Islamic architecture. The Indo-Islamic and Moorish style are particularly favored as
displayed in Banda Aceh Baiturrahman Grand Mosque built in 1881, and Medan
Grand Mosque built in 1906. Mosque have tended to be built in styles more consistent
with global Islamic styles, which mirror the trend in Indonesia towards more orthodox
practice of Islam

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Gala Mosque, Tembayat

- the oldest mosque in Java that survives through time
- one of the examples of Indo-Javanese culture style top of the hill building
one characteristic of the Hindu-Buddhist religious buildings in Java, while the tick
wall was influenced from Gujarati architecture and the tajug wooden-tile roof
structure was from Javanese traditional architecture

TRADITIONAL AND VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

Traditional and vernacular architecture in Indonesia originates from two sources. One
is the great Hindu tradition brought to Indonesia from India via Java. The second is an
indigenous architecture pre-dating the Hindu epic.
It has its own unique form because Indonesia has 33 provinces; each of Indonesias
ethnic groups has its own distinctive form of the traditional vernacular architecture,
known as Rumah adat.
Traditional Indonesian homes are not architect designed, rather villagers build their
own homes, or community will their resources for a structure built under the direction
of a master builder and/or a carpenter.

Rumah Adat
-

Or Custom House is at the center of a web of customs, social

relations, traditional laws, taboos, myths, and religions that bind
the villagers together
The house provides the main focus for the family and its
community, and is the point of departure for many activities of its
residents.
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Characteristics

Timber construction
Varied and elaborate roof structures
Longhouses on stilts
Steep sloping roofs and heavy gables
Built on stilts except for Java and Bali

Construction System:

Post, beam and lintel structural system with either wooden or bamboo walls
that are non-load bearing
Rather than nails, mortis and tenon joints and wooden pegs are used

Some of the more significant and distinctive Rumah Adat include:

Batak architecture (North Sumatra) includes the boat-shaped jabu homes of

the Toba Batak people, with dominating carved gables and dramatic oversized
roof, and is based on an ancient model.
The Minangkabau of West Sumatra builds the Rumah Gadang, distinctive for
their multiple gables with dramatically upsweeping ridge ends.
The homes of Nias peoples include the omo sebua chiefs houses built on
massive ironwood pillars with towering roofs. Not only are they almost
impregnable to attack in former tribal warfare, but flexible nail-less
construction provide proven earthquake durability.
Rumah Melayu Malay traditional houses built on stilts of Sumatra, Borneo and
Malay Peninsula.
The Riau region is characterized by villages built on stilts over waterways.
Unlike most South East Asian vernacular homes, Javanese joglo are not built
on piles, and have become the Indonesian vernacular style most influenced by
European architectural elements.
The Bubungan Tinggi, with their steeply pitched roofs, is the large homes
of Banjarese royalty and aristocrats in South Kalimantan.
Traditional Balinese homes are a collection of individual; largely open
structures (including separate structures for the kitchen, sleeping areas,
bathing areas and shrine) within a high-walled garden compound.
The Sasak people of Lombok build lumbung, pile-built bonnet-roofed rice
barns, that are often more distinctive and elaborate than their houses.
Dayak people traditionally live in communal longhouses that are built on piles.
The houses can exceed 300 m in length, in some cases forming a whole
village.
The Toraja of the Sulawesi highlands are renowned for their tongkonan,
houses built on piles and dwarfed by massive exaggerated-pitch saddle roofs.
Rumah adat on Sumba have distinctive thatched "high hat" roofs and are
wrapped with sheltered verandahs.

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The Papuan Dani traditionally live in small family compounds composed of

several circular huts known as honay with thatched dome roofs.

PALACE ARCHITECTURE
Istana (or "palace") architecture of the various kingdoms and realms of Indonesia is
more often than not based on the vernacular and domestic styles of the area. Royal
courts, however, were able to develop much grander and elaborate versions of this
traditional architecture.

Javanese Kraton (Keraton Javanese Royal palace)

Characteristics:

large pendopos (pavilion) of the joglo roof form

with tumpang sari ornamentation that are elaborate but based on common
Javanese forms.

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The palaces of the Balinese such as the Puri Agung in Gianyar use the traditional
bale form, and the Pagaruyung Palace is a three-storey version of the Minangkabau
Rumah Gadang.

Rumah gadang (Minangkabau: "big house") or rumah bagonjong (Minangkabau:

"spired roof house")
- traditional homes (Indonesian: "rumah adat") of the Minangkabau. The
architecture, construction, internal and external decoration, and the functions of the
house reflect the culture and values of the Minangkabau.

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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.

Two basic designs (reflect two variations of Minangkabau social structure):

The koto piliang design reflects an aristocratic and hierarchical social

structure, with the house containing anjuang (raised floors) at each end to
permit elevated seating of clan leaders during ceremonial events.

The bodi caniago design reflects a democratic social structure, with the floors
being flat and on one level.

Architectural Elements of Rumah Gadang

Each element of a rumah gadang has its own symbolic meaning, which is referred to
in adapt speech and aphorisms. The elements of a rumah gadang include:
gonjong, hornlike roof structure
singkok, triangular wall under the ends of gonjong
pereng, shelf under the singkok
anjuang, raised floor at the end of one style of rumah gadang
dindiang ari, the walls on the side elevations
dindiang tapi, the walls on the front and back elevations
papan banyak, front faade
papan sakapiang, a shelf or middle band on the periphery of the house
salangko, wall enclosing space under a house that has been built on stilt
Some symbolisms of the house:

relate to the gonjong reaching to god

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dindiang tapi, which is traditionally made of plaited strips of bamboo,

symbolizing the strength and utility of the community which is formed when
individual

Minangkabau become part of the larger community instead of standing alone.

The pillars of the ideal rumah gadang are arranged in five rows which run the length
of the house. These rows divide the interior into four long spaces called lanjar.
The lanjar at the rear of the house is divided into bedrooms (ruang). According to
adat, a rumah gadang must have at least five ruang, and the ideal number is nine. The
other lanjar are used as a common area, called the labuah gajah (elephant road), for
living and ceremonial events.
A number of rice barns (rangkiang) ideally accompany a rumah gadang, with each
having a different name and function. The rangkiang sitinjau lauik, contains rice for
the family, particularly for adat ceremonies. The rangkiang sitangka lapa contains
rice for donation to poor villagers and for times of famine in the village.
The rangkiang sibayau-bayaucontains rice for the daily needs of the family.

COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
16th and 17th centuries

arrival of European powers in Indonesia who used masonry for much of their
construction.
One of the first major Dutch settlements was Batavia (later named Jakarta)
which in the 17th and 18th centuries was a fortified brick and masonry city.
the Dutch learnt to adapt their architectural style with local building features
(long eaves, verandahs, porticos, large windows and ventilation openings)

The Indo-European hybrid villa of the 19th century was among the first colonial
buildings to incorporate Indonesian architectural elements and attempt adapting to the
climate. The basic form, such as the longitudinal organization of spaces and use of
joglo and limasan roof structures, was Javanese, but it incorporated European
decorative elements such as neo-classical columns around deep verandahs.

Java
Indo-European homes - Indonesian houses with European trims
In Early 20th Century
- European buildings with Indonesian trims
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- Practical measures carried over from the earlier Indo-European hybrids,

which responded to the Indonesian climate, included overhanging eaves, larger
windows and ventilation in the walls
End of 19th Century
- improvements to technology, communications and transportation
- Modernistic buildings required for such development appeared in great
numbers, and were heavily influenced by international styles includes train stations,
business hotels, factories and office blocks, hospitals and education institutions

Bali
Colonial rule was never as extensive as it was in Java
- it was only in 1906, for example, that the Dutch gained full control of
the islandand consequently the island only has a limited stock of colonial
architecture
- The hill town of Munduk, a town amongst plantations established by
the Dutch, is Bali's only other significant group of colonial architecture; a number of
mini mansions in the Balinese-Dutch style still survive.
Native architecture was arguably more influenced by the new European ideas than
colonial architecture was influenced by Indonesian styles; and these Western elements
continue to be a dominant influence on Indonesia's built environment today

POST INDEPENDENCE ARCHITECTURE

Early twentieth century modernisms are still very evident across much of Indonesia,
again mostly in Java. 1930s world depression was devastating to Java, and was
followed by another decade of war, revolution and struggle, which restricted the
development of the built environment the Javanese art-deco style from the 1920s
became the root for the first Indonesian national style in the 1950s. The politically
turbulent 1950s meant that the new but bruised Indonesia was neither able to afford or
focused to follow the new international movements such as modernist brutalism.

Let us prove that we can also build the country like the Europeans and Americans do
because we are equal Sukarno

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Despite the new country's economic woes, government-funded major projects were
undertaken in the modernist style, particularly in the capital Jakarta.
Reflecting President Sukarno's political views, the architecture is openly nationalistic
and strives to show the new nations pride in itself. Projects approved by Sukarno,
himself a civil engineer who had acted as an architect, include:
A clover-leaf highway.
A broad by-pass in Jakarta (Jalan Sudirman).
Four high-rise hotels including the famous Hotel Indonesia.
A new parliament building.
The 127 000-seat Bung Karno Stadium.
Numerous monuments including The National Monument.
Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

1950s jengki style

- so named after Indonesian references to the American armed forces as
'yankee', was a distinctive Indonesian architectural style that emerged. The modernist
cubic and strict geometric forms that the Dutch had used before World War II were
transformed into more complicated volumes, such as pentagons or other irregular
solids. This architecture is an expression of the political spirit of freedom among the
Indonesians.

The International Style dominated in Indonesia in the 1970s, as it did in much

of the rest of the world

The 1970s saw the Indonesian government promote indigenous Indonesian

forms. Constructed in 1975, the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah theme park recreated over twenty buildings of exaggerated proportions to showcase
Indonesian traditional vernacular forms.

By the 1980s in particular, most public buildings were built with exaggerated
elements of traditional vernacular forms.

REFERENCES

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(n.d.). Retrieved from Indonesia Point: http://www.indonesiapoint.com/geography-ofindonesia.html

Mogato, K. (n.d.). Retrieved from slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/krishnamogato/indonesian-architecture

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