Published at : 05 Feb 2024
Volume : IJtech
Vol 15, No 2 (2024)
DOI : https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v15i2.6687
Sari Octavia | Department of Architecture, University of Hasanuddin, Km 6 Poros Gowa-Malino, 92171, Indonesia |
Hartawan Madeali | Department of Architecture, University of Hasanuddin, Km 6 Poros Gowa-Malino, 92171, Indonesia |
Nasruddin Junus | Department of Architecture, University of Hasanuddin, Km 6 Poros Gowa-Malino, 92171, Indonesia |
Mohammad Mochsen Sir | Department of Architecture, University of Hasanuddin, Km 6 Poros Gowa-Malino, 92171, Indonesia |
Rumah kancingan is a distinctive house
used by residents of Merauke, Papua. The house is unique because it combines
walls made of both orthotropic and isotropic materials, which is a combination
of brick walls and wooden frames, built from isotropic and orthotropic materials,
respectively. As a result, this study aimed to provide a better understanding
of Rumah kancingan in Merauke and explore new information about its
architectural design. A typology method was used through an interpretive method to analyze 100 samples. The objective was to describe and categorize
them based on architectural aspects, encircling house type (floor plan), and
visual features such as roof shape, entrance, ornaments, and building
materials. Despite wood being the main structural and framing material, the
results showed that the varied size of the houses did not necessarily limit the
spaciousness of the rooms, considering the dimensional constraints of wood. The
roof shape was an indicator of the construction era and the terrace served as
additional space for adding aesthetic value to the house. Additionally, the
presence of a terrace allowed for more diverse roof designs, contributing to a
modern appearance. Ornaments were not commonly found in the
place. It should be acknowledged that older houses tended to emphasize their
kancingan construction, while newer ones concealed the structure for a more
modern and sturdy look. Finally, the type of wood and its dimensions used in
construction could help identify the era of Rumah kancingan development.
Merauke; Papua; Rumah kancingan; Timber frame
House serves
as a comfortable home, a foundation for building a family, and a representation
of the dignity of its residents, which is also an asset for its owners (President Republic Indonesia,
2011). On the other hand, a home is a
physical structure providing shelter for individuals, families, or social
environments. It holds the second level of importance for security and
satisfies the needs of individuals and the family, distinguishing one family
from another.
House is
where humans reside and is typically constructed using concrete materials,
which include sand, cement, and gravel. However, in Merauke, the main challenge
lies in the availability of quality sand and limited gravel. This scarcity
leads the community to explore alternative construction materials, with wood
being the primary choice.
Wood has gotten recent attention among various
building materials due to its contribution to green design and lower energy
consumption. Engineering efforts have been invested in enhancing the
performance of wood as an alternative building material. For years, wood has
been used for construction due to its availability, strength, and
sustainability. Additionally, it can be used in various parts of a building, including foundations, floor
frames, walls, and roofs. Wood is also classified as an orthotropic material
with three axes namely longitudinal, tangential, and radial (Tjondro,
2014). An application of using timber
as a building material includes using it as the primary structure in house
construction. This construction also known as timber frame masonry building,
has been a traditional construction style for hundreds of years, evolving
across continents such as Europe, America, Asia, and Africa.
The
structural design of a timber frame house with a masonry infill wall offers
several advantages over a house with concrete as its primary structure. This
building system is recognized for effectively resisting lateral and seismic
loads, particularly in earthquake-prone areas including the Himis house in
Bursa, Turkey (Bagbanci
and Bagbanci, 2018). Extensive study has been
conducted on the construction of timber frames with infill masonry walls (Hejazi, Hoseyni and Çiftçi, 2022; Dutu et al., 2022; ; Qu et al., 2020; Xie
et al., 2019; Vasconcelos et al., 2013; Kouris and Kappos, 2012).
Timber frame
masonry buildings remain in high demand in certain developing countries due to
both economic considerations and seismic resilience, surpassing the performance
of local reinforced concrete buildings (Tu
et al., 2021; Cui et al., 2020) These buildings show variations
in timber frames and infill materials across different countries, known as
Chuandou in China, The Himis in Turkey, The Pombalino in Portugal, and The
Berykiou building in Lefkas City. In Merauke, Indonesia, it is referred to as
Rumah Kancingan.
Similar to
timber frame masonry buildings worldwide, the house uses timber as its primary
structural material. Simultaneously, the wall fillings use brick, as seen in
Figure 1. The term "kancingan" originates from the construction
process, where the timber structure is assembled before installing the brick
wall infill, locally known as "dikancing." Additionally, the term
"kancingan" reflects the use of two distinct materials, timber and
masonry brick, integrated in a manner resembling "dikancing".
Rumah Kancingan, a prevalent
house construction method in Merauke, warrants thorough study due to its
cost-effectiveness and environmentally friendly nature. This construction style
uses wood as a substitute for
concrete, which is deemed relatively expensive in Merauke, given the challenges
of obtaining good-quality sand and gravel from outside sources, namely Palu,
Makassar, and Surabaya. Although previous study has explored the visual
elements (Topan et al., 2018) and
structural performance of Rumah Kancingan (Octavia et
al., 2018). There is a lack of studies addressing the development of
this construction style since it was first introduced in Merauke.
Originally
established by the Dutch government in the 1950s as official housing, Rumah
Kancingan has experienced changes influenced by material availability,
lifestyle shifts, cultural influences from immigrants, and modern housing
trends. Investigating the evolution of housing can address challenges, ensure
sustainability, promote innovation, enhance adaptability, and ideally lead to
the widespread adoption of this construction method as an affordable housing
option in Merauke. Affordable housing schemes have proven effective in
addressing housing issues in various countries, such as Malaysia (Kamaruzzaman et al., 2018).
Figure 1 Rumah
Kancingan before (on left) and after the construction process(right)
Study Purposes
This
study aims to deepen the understanding of Rumah Kancingan in Merauke and
provide new insights into its construction. The focus extends to architectural
aspects, including house plans, building forms, roof shapes, entrances, and
materials. Particularly in regions where high-quality gravel and sand are
scarce, this construction method arises as a cost-effective alternative with a
quicker building process compared to permanent structures using concrete
frames.
This study used the typology method to categorize samples based on
architectural aspects, using an interpretive method that emphasized understanding the context,
experiences, and perceptions of the observed phenomena (London and Ostwald, 2004). The study surveyed 100 Rumah
Kancingan in Merauke district, spanning 11 sub-districts. The sampling method
included purposive sampling, considering the owner's willingness to permit
their house for study. Due to a large and dispersed population, purposive
sampling was deemed more effective in collecting data and determining suitable
characteristics for this study. The focus was on self-owned houses built by the
owners, making the data a valuable resource for information. Samples were drawn
from 11 sub-districts which were 10, 17, 14, 10, 6, 10, 8, 10, 6, 7, and 2 in
Samkai, Rimba Jaya, Muli, Mandala, Kamundu, Bambu Pemali, Kelapa Lima, Karang
Indah, Seringgu, Maro, and Kamahedoga, respectively. These samples were later
analyzed to identify common elements or distinctive features and grouped based
on similarities and differences. Field data collection included measurements,
documentation, and interviews with homeowners to gather comprehensive insights
into the characteristics of the house.
4.1. Type of plans of Rumah
Kancingan
In Merauke, the models and plans
for rumah kancingan were generally consistent with common house types. Although
there were no explicit size restrictions, wood, given its comparatively limited
physical properties in contrast to concrete, served as the primary material.
This choice was guided by the understanding that materials, construction
methods, and technology were not decisive factors in shaping a building rather,
they served as modifying elements. A survey of
100 houses showed diverse building sizes, ranging from 36 m² to 135 m². A total
of 20 out of the measured samples featured building sizes between 70 and 75 m²,
as shown in Figure 2. These houses consisted of 3 bedrooms, a living room, a
family room, a kitchen, and a bathroom/toilet.
The plans for rumah kancingan were linked to
the spatial and volumetric considerations shaped by the activities defining
each room's function. Each room was closely in line with the grid of the timber
frame and the surface area of the brick wall. This integration of structure
into architecture has been a fundamental aspect of housing design throughout
human history, from primitive dwellings to contemporary technology-driven homes
(Frampton, 1999). Structure was indispensable for architecture
and its absence negated the essence of architecture. To meet the needs of
residents, the spatial organization in the house remained deliberately simple, and interior spaces typically varied from 4 m²
to 24 m².
4.2. Visual Appearance of The Houses
The primary purpose of house was
to be sturdy and meet owners' needs, yet the visual appearance was equally
significant. In Rumah kancingan, every element, including the roof, entrance,
and ornaments, contributed to the total visual appeal.
4.2.1. Roof
shape
The roof of Rumah kancingan
typically took the form of a gable or a simple hip roof. Only a small
proportion of the house incorporated modified roof shapes. A survey of 100
houses in Merauke district showed that those constructed around
the 80s and earlier predominantly featured unmodified gable or hip roofs. In
addition, houses built from the 90s onwards adopted modified roof shapes.
Figure 2 The Roof Shape of Rumah
Kancingan around 1950s on the left and 1980s on the right
Figure 2 showed a house built in
1980 with a Single-Gable Roof Shape. In Rumah
Kancingan, the most prevalent roof type was the box gable roof, although some
opted for the open gable variety. The construction of brick walls varied
between houses with open gable roofs. For those using the open gable roof type,
the walls were built with ¼ stone brick, leading to a wall thickness of
approximately 8 cm. Conversely, the construction of open gable roofs included
the use of ½ stone brick, yielding a thickness of about 15 cm, as shown in
Figure 5.
Figure 3 The Roof Shape of Rumah
Kancingan built in 2000s.
Recently, the development of roof
designs in Rumah Kancingan in Merauke has evolved. The desire for aesthetics was in line with the need for more space
in houses has prompted modifications in roof shapes. While single-pitched roofs
were prevalent in the past, many Rumah Kancingan now feature modified roofs
that blend gable and hip shapes. Additionally, roofs with varying heights have
become popular, imparting a more modern impression, as shown in Figure 3.
Meanwhile, Figure 5 showed that houses constructed in the 1950s and 1960s
typically used a gable roof with a Dutch gable type.
|
|
Figure 5 Roof model
of houses built during the Dutch colonial era in Merauke. Both using gable
dutch type
4.2.2. Entrance
A
terrace served as an open space that connected a house with its surroundings,
shaping the whole appearance of the dwelling. Homeowners often bestowed special
attention on the terrace, considering it an integral part of the house. In the
context of Rumah Kancingan, the terrace served as a means to express the
house's aesthetics. However, not all Rumah Kancingan in Merauke district
included a terrace.
Regarding those without a terrace, the house's entrance was typically shown by a height difference between the yard and the entrance, often featuring a concrete floor. In Rumah Kancingan, known for its affordability and simple designs that prioritize residents' needs, the decision not to include a terrace was often driven by a desire to manage construction costs.