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    Architectural Intertextuality Vernacular Settlement - Rizal Muslimin

    Uploaded by

    Nurfaiz Ekosetio
    vernacular

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    Rizal Muslimin Architectural Intertextuality Vernacular Settlement Rizal Muslimin, ST. Department of Architecture, Bandung Institute of Technology, JL Ganesha No. 10. Bandung, INDONESIA Telp : 62-22-2530706 Fax : 62-22-2530705, Email : ical@bdg.centrin.net.id Abstract. This paper would try 10 reflect a sign of modernity in the late transformation of vernacular settlement. This sign has been recognized as a modernization process and always been argued either in negative or in positive perception. One said this és a development achievement while the other said it is only destructing the real culture. However, the focus of the paper isn't assessing about ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Nevertheless, it rather tries to justify the motive beyond modernity in vernacular settlement. How does modernity come to the settlement? What is the element that support modernity? And how do we control this? The explanation for these questions would be composed of psycho-cultural factors : human desire and visual culture. Desire acts as an enforcement and a catalyst for people in modifying their shelter whereas Visual Culture provides an architectural reference for desire. Therefore, it will analyze how desire and visual culture set up modernity in vernacular settlement in this present time. Introduction Vernacular architecture is understood through the reflection of local traditional architecture. This paradigm is, mainly used to measure how much a building can be considered “vernacular” in its context. In a broader issue, Jean Baudrillard conceived a certain paradigm in looking at the concept of modernity. In historical dimension, changes that show the symptoms of modernity were always measured by history to see how far modemity takes place. Using the same manifesto, thus the essential difference between primitive and vernacular architecture is the frequency of change from the original form. In primitive architecture, changes rarely happen and tend to be very slow when occur. On the contrary, vernacular architecture tends to continuously change according to the affecting factors. The tendencies shown in this concept pose new question, Should the character of vernacular settlements be the dynamic of changes? Then what factors ‘encourage the inhabitants to make the changes? Lifestyling in Vernacular Settlement Motivation to modemize vernacular settlements is basically based on historic dimension, where the past has always been the starting point to measure the shifts in the settlements. The past in vernacular settlement is always identified with the previous architectural styles. In a more detailed scale building materials have also become a significant parameter. Solvay Gerke (2000) uses the term “lifestyling” to explain the symbolic dimension of consuming something that actually is beyond one’s capability to realize, with the purpose of achieving the same degree as the preferred social level. This consumptive attitude in local culture is motivated by the desire of being on the same level with the middle class and represented through their settlements, Gerke's theory has bring us to a more abstractive contemplation in which desire definition is essential in Understanding how modernity affects architecture. Desire definition has already explained by John Walker (1989) as a theory in the making of lifestyle. According to Walker theory, desire is actually a built up element that always lives inside people mind to search a certain kind of pleasure. ‘Second International Seminar on Vernacufar Settlement Department of Architecture, Faculty of Enginoering University of Indonesia, 2002 133 Rizal Muslim, Pleasure of Use Pleasure of (appearance of} Gbject Itself Pleasure of (a certain) Simulation Pleasure of Purchase * Pleasure in respect from others Although this theory has a general meaning, however, architecture is often being used as a medium to distribute these desires, House as ap itive function in architecture is treated as a device to reach a certain pleasure, Settlement which is actually a unity of the house then becomes a battlefield where these desires meet, According ta this paradigm, hypothetically, one can reflect human desire into architecture field as a dynamie element that changes house expression in vernacular settlement. In houstng context, Walker theory could be divided as follows © Desire in respeet in architecture © Desire for use walues in architecture © Desite for architectural simulation © Desire for Architectural aesthetic With this reflection, types of desire in, architecture can contribute a new understanding for the moving spirit in transformation of the vernacular settlement Desire for Respect in Architecture The motivation that forees someone to get this desire is based on their respect to the elite class who is superior to them. This respeet attained from their admiration to the property that the elite have. Therefore, fo procure the same respect from other people, they try to have the same property that the elite have, hence the pleasure of respect from others would be statisfied. In social sciences, this discourse is often being related fo the development of information technology. Indeed, these phenomena have a big effect on transformation of how human lives. however, this kind of pleasure is not only inspired by technology. In fact, people have been seeking for it since primitive lives. In Toraja for example, a number of cow horns are hanging in the fagade ‘of the house to indicate the number of party that the owner has made (Pic. A), It is also done by Mentawaian people (Mentawai island) by using monkey and pig skeletons. ‘This respect is very important and is still used in roeent time. According to this example, it is obviously clear that respect from other for some dwellers in vernacular settlements becomes a primary nced and very influential to their housing expression, Lifestyling process will remain a move in each class af the socicty. Most people in urban area would try to find the new element for their house which is uptodate or those which have a higher value than the existing elements in their community. Because of the parameter of the new is a reversion to the past or existence, then they altend to search it outside their locality. After this class has found the new one, then the lesser class in rank would try. to follow the use of the new element. It goes also to the class below them and so forth until the rural area. If this respect-oriented remains performed over and over, then the transformation of vernacular settlement would have no end and always be in the middle of the game between popular culture and mass culture, Pleture A (right): Kota Legenda, Cibubur using an architectural icon to ereate simulation of a famous. cty of the word. Pleture B (Let) “ Cow horn is hanged in front of Teraja Hause shawing a number of party that has been done by the owner ‘Second Intemational Seminar on Vernacular Satiament Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering University of indonesia, 2002 14 Rizal Muslimin Desire to Use Values in Architecture It is used to be a driver for the real vernacular architecture. The standard is based on the house capacity to serve its dwellers need and also the use of an efficient material. According to Victor Papanek methodological explanation: Vernacular Architecture is based on a knowledge of traditional practices and techniques; it is usually self-built, and reveals a high regard for craftmanship and quality. Vernacular Structures tend to be easy to learn and understand. They are made of predominantly local material. Obviously, the purpose for this concept is the house performance. A place which has a lot of trees with a simple technology and tools would produce a certain kind of house such as wood house, log cabin, etc. However, this methodological explanation could be a misleading measure up to the latest circumstances. Construction technology and the number of material variations have increased rapidly since industrial revolution, There could be an aluminium material being used for the house in the middle of the forest. People can import a high quality marble or roof from out of country and use it for their house. For economic reason, an iton sheet would be cheaper than the expensive local roof tile. So it will be hard to measure the local content of today is vernacular settlement. Desire for Architectural ulation ‘Architectural simulation provides a virtual experience to get a defined atmosphere which one likes to see, For ‘example, if an observer is present in one place that has many Balinese architectural elements, then he pretends to have got the real Balinese atmosphere, This desire can be seen most in tourism facilities such as hotel, restaurant, eco-village and also urban features. For that reason, it becomes a common desire that people have when they were on a vacation trip. Still, recent indication has shown that this desire is also used by real estate purpose. Developers try to make a certain architectural experience on housing or real estate. For that reason people who live in their housing ‘would feel like living in another country. Kota legenda (legendary town) in Cibubur, Indonesia, for example has already practised this concept, They tried to create architectural experience of famous city in the world such as London, Holland, Paris, ete (Pie B) Desire for Architectural Aesthetic People also can get a pleasure by enjoying an aesthetic appearance in architecture. The parameters for judging this aesthetic depend on people experience in architectural building, The more they get the ‘experience, the higher, the standard of aesthetic they reach, However, there are no valid criteria for this aesthetic experience. Therefore, it is very difficult to enumerate aesthetic standardization, There are so many it fe variables in assessing aesthetic value of architectural building. Even golden triangle which is tangible could not statisfy this value, generally. Back to Baurdillard modernity, then this desire endures in historic and linear dimension. Every change made to statisty this desire is determined in time measurement: Past (history)-Present-Future. Following modernity characteristic which always exists in present time, then indeed, improvement in vernacular settlement is always in progressing phase. This characteristic is obviously clear by looking at certain indications such as house renovation, trend of anew architectural style, the dynamic of property market. Baurdillard fears to this shattering modernity is no worse than romantisist worried on the endangered culture. According to previous passage then we can assume that one primary characteristic of vernacular architecture is that it is always in transition level. The strength and the weakness of vernacular settlements are the dynamic change itself. In fact, modernity is a primary element of vernacular settlement and cannot be separated from it. Visual Cultures Network on Vernacular Settlement Another modemity distinctive dimension is chronometrical dimension. It is identified that modemity in one place is affected by another element from other places indirectly and occurs in parallel way. In other words, modemity is not standing alone, its existence is relics on other alteration. In ecological sciences, laws of thermodynamic of explained that each ecosystem is connected and influenced one another. Damages in one ecosystem mean destruction in other ecosystem, Eventhough this law is based on environmental field, ‘Second international Seminar on Vernacular Settlement Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering University of Indanesia, 2002 135 ‘Rizal Muslimin however, aceording to Baurdrillatd theory, one can comprehend its relationship to architecture, In term of vernacular architecture, this paradigm can be seen as follows: Architecture transformation that happens in one place will affect another architectural form in other places. Julia Kristeva (1974) declared that there is no original idea or theory that comes from one head at ths time, it ‘ust be an assembling or modification from other text which comes either from other text recently or from the past. Its called intertextuality. However, Kristeva does not intend to call it « plagiarism, Nevertheless it is an action of perfecting previous theory based on the newest problem and situation, In architectural conditions, intertextuality produced by an architect or designer is not a text but an image. Based on Kristeva theory, one can understand that architectural style occupied in recent times is just an action of manipulating ot ordering previous existing style. In this intertextual level, the appearance of architectural diversity certainty is just a part of a greater visual symptom, called a visual culture, Nicholas Mirzoeff explained that Viswal Culture is concerned with visual event in which information, meaning or pleasure is sought by the consumer in an interface with visual technology. By visual technology, I mean any form of apparatus designed either to be looked at or enhance natural vision, from oil painting t0 television or Internet. Therefore, this visual culture provides a lot of catalysts to produce the intertextuality in architecture, Even though this is a new field in sosio-cultual sciences, its implementation has been performed for centuries. Architecture, which declares its existence visually, undoubtedly is a product of images distribution and manipulation that exist on this chronomettical dimension in this eulture, Visual culture provides a visual network by using media as a gate. Understanding media development will show us how visual diversity that flows through this visual networks recently are moving faster and has a greater amount than before. In traditional culture, visual networks were developed from an observation to an object directly by using the basic visual tools our own eyes. Besides, people's architectural references are insufficiency, Moreover it is oriented to one single style. Traditional architecture was produced in this kind of visual culture, Therefor, architectural traditional development in one place is equal to its people expansion In the next movement, the expansion is growing wider, Architectural intertextuality has found its alternative way by using human exploration, international trading, military aggression and other kind of expansion, In this way, visual culture networks are growing up inside chronometrical dimension. Papanek explained that Divergence and Convergence influence architectural form is similar to this principle. Location: C Direct Observation Visual

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