Research Paper
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RESEARCH PAPER Self-Craft Community - Bandung Celine Mugica TU Delft - 4620402 - December 2018 - Symbiotic of local craft techniques and construction knowledge for Kampung regeneration by retroffiting an existing structure in the city centre of Bandung. Celine Mugica TU Delft - 4620402 Design tutor: Monique Smit Research tutor: Martijn Stellingwerff Building Technology tutor: Paddy Tomesen APPLICATION OF JAVANESE SELF-BUILD & VERNACULAR PRINCIPLES TO URBAN KAMPUNG OF BANDUNG Céline Mugica Faculty of Architecture & the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology Julianalaan 134, 2628BL Delft [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT With an intensifying pressure increasing on fast growing cities such as Bandung in Indonesia, it is difficult for the existing stock of poorly built kampung houses to accommodate the inflowing population. The current trend to build characterless developments which do not reflect the local characteristic create a disconnect between the inhabitant and its changing environment. This paper will claim that re-inventing self-built and vernacular principles inspired by pre-industrial constructions can improve contemporary kampung structures. The present research provides information regarding 12 main vernacular principles found in traditional Javanese housing. To conclude, a final matrix will compare the vernacular principles between modern and traditional constructions, offering clues which could shape and improve the durability, safety and creativity of contemporary self-built architecture in the urban kampung of Bandung. KEYWORDS: Self-build, Vernacular Architecture, Construction Systems, Urban Kampung, Indonesia. I. INTRODUCTION material which is available resulting in unsafe and non-durable housing which will crumble 1.1. Background under the growing population. Additionally, the By 2050, 72.8% of the Indonesian population new housing developments popping up, which will be living in cities, compared to 55.3% in are very typical of fast urbanizing cities, do not 2018. (United Nations, 2018). The region of reflect the diversity and local characteristics of Jawa Barat, of whose capital is Bandung, their settings, leading to an architectural currently holds 18.28% of the total population homogenization. “Unrealistic faith in artificial of Indonesia. (BPS, 2015) This fast and systems leads to designs which disregard the concentrated movement of people will create an climate and turnout buildings that are both intense pressure on cities to accommodate physiologically and psychologically services and habitat. Additionally, Indonesia inhospitable” (Coch, 1998). However, the consists of hundreds of different ethnic and vernacular and self-built structures of Java used linguistic groups. Therefore, the current to be built in a much more qualitative way, Indonesian architecture should reflect the reflecting the local characteristics in their style, diversity of cultural, historical and and use of material, significantly increasing geographical influences which have shaped the their durability and safety. Their simple bio- country. However, this rich multiplicity is at climatic principles created the optimal indoor threat from the growing need for conditions while reflecting the inhabitant’s accommodation to absorb the increasing identity and expression. This paper examines population. With more people coming in, the how, in the context of the urban kampung of poorest areas of the city will be at risk. In Braga in Bandung, the existing self-built particular, urban kampungs, which provide a structures could be retrofitted by looking to socio-spatial safety net for the workers in traditional Javanese construction for clues. Bandung, will need to adapt and cater for the 1.2. Thematic Research Question growing needs of the city. The already existing self-built structures of the kampung are Therefore, the overall research question of this constructed in an ad hoc manner using any paper is: How can a combination of pre-industrial and (Kim, 2006) as being a part of the main modern vernacular and self-built principles methodology. In order to assess the current found in Java be applied to the urban kampung state of kampung construction, a qualitative and of Bandung in order to improve the quality of descriptive study has been made during site its craft and construction? investigation in Bandung through structured and unstructured interviews, photographs, This research paper focuses on dwelling sketching, mapping and analysis. This personal retrofitting strategies which could later be and observational documentation has also been applied to the design of a craft and construction supplemented by other reports made from school which will be used as a showcase for previous researchers on the site of study. Key widespread kampung improvement. Awareness principles of vernacular and self-built systems should be raised about the current quality of have been derived from desk and historical kampung construction and its possible study regarding Javanese traditions. By using enhancement opportunities. The education qualitative methods, a critical examination is system, incorporating public and private thus made regarding how vernacular principles functions, can encourage people to address could be utilized as an alternative approach to their own buildings in a different manner and urban kampung design. create more durable structures which still reflect the local character and diversity. 1.4. Definitions The thematic question is investigated by means The definition of vernacular architecture is of three different research questions: taken from the ICOMOS charter as “the 1. What is the current state of knowledge about traditional and natural way by which urban kampung construction and quality? communities house themselves. It is a continuing process including necessary 2. What are the principles of pre-industrial changes and continuous adaptation as a vernacular constructions which could be response to social and environmental applied to current structures? constraints.” (ICOMOS, 1999) In this sense, the 3. How is craft and construction knowledge current way of building in the urban kampung transferred in pre-industrial and modern of Bandung can be seen as modern vernacular vernacular? since that term does not cease to be valid when materials and their trade and production These sub-questions are each answered through changes. However, this modern vernacular their own sub-sections. The first section is typology has limitations when responding to supported by the definition of vernacular used functional, social and environmental for this paper in order to justify the scope of constraints. Additionally, the type of vernacular study while discussing the first inquiry in buildings discussed in this paper is of ‘folk understanding the current state of the urban tradition’ and not of ‘grand tradition’ where the kampung building stock. The second question former is “much more closely related to the is addressed through its own section, listing and culture of the majority and life as it is really describing each of the 12 self-built and lived than is the grand design tradition”. vernacular traditional principles. The third (Rapoport, 1969) (see Fig.1) section addresses the way in which construction knowledge is transferred in order to give clues to its disappearance and provide potential for intensification. In its conclusion, the research paper will present a critical matrix addressing the results of each section in order to understand how changes can be integrated in the built environment. 1.3. Methodology This paper is part of my thesis research with architectural design seen as “the craft of visualizing concrete solutions that serve human needs and goals within certain constraint” Figure 1. Chosen vernacular field of study In this regard, the traditional buildings dating the three. They have developed over time and from the Hindu, Buddhist and Dutch period are can date back to the Dutch colonial period; not included as part of the study since they were therefore, they are one of the most prominent built as monuments, temples, palaces and typologies for Kampung Braga. tombs and thus were part of the ‘grand tradition’. To find an exact definition of a kampung is difficult since it differs largely based on its diverse and wide nature. According to Ford (1993), there exists four different kinds of kampungs: the industrial kampung, the squatter kampung, the rural kampung and the inner-city kampung. The latter is addressed in this research paper. With this in mind, we can define the urban kampung as an unplanned urban housing area which developed without organized infrastructure and is inhabited by the urban poor of Indonesia. II. MODERN VERNACULAR 2.1. Typology Figure 2. Kampung Braga Building The urban kampungs have altered from colonial Typologies times to heavily built-up areas. Since time is an important factor in building costs, the urban 2.2. Construction kampungs, which are already mostly built, gradually get updated in small increments by In the urban kampung, three ways of building richer inhabitants. Therefore, “one of the most can be distinguished: self-built, by using a common sights in the kampung is piles of brick, tukang or by employing a small informal wood, tiles and other future building contractor. (Benjamin, et al., 1985) Buildings miscellany” (Benjamin, et al., 1985) which are made by the tukang (main builder of a district) gathered until enough resources and are the most prominent