Indonesian architecture reflects diverse cultural influences that have shaped the country. The most significant foreign influences were Indian, Chinese, Arab and European. Traditional houses, known as rumah adat, were commonly built on stilts with steeply pitched roofs to withstand heavy rains. Natural materials like wood, bamboo and thatch were used. Religious architecture was also widespread, with Hindu-Buddhist candi temples blending styles and Islamic architecture initially based on Hindu, Buddhist and Chinese influences before developing unique designs.

1. IndonesianArchitecture:
 Reflectsthe diversityof cultural,historical andgeographicinfluencesthatshapedIndonesia.
External forces(invaders,colonizers,missionaries,merchants,etc.)broughtcultural changes
that influencedthe architecture styles.
 Most significantforeigninfluence wasIndian.Chinese,ArabandEuropeaninfluencesplayeda
role as well.
 Rumahadat
o Traditional housesbuiltinanyof the vernaculararchitecture stylesinIndonesia
o Earliesthomeswere communal timberlonghousesonstilts,withsteepslopingroofsand
heavygables.
 Normfor traditional housesisapost-bean-lintel structural systemthattake the
loadstraightto the ground.Walls,made of eitherbambooor woodare non-
loadbearing.
 Mortis,tenonjointsandwoodenpegsare usedto holdthe structure together,
insteadof nails.
 Natural materialssuchas timber,bamboo,thatchandfiberare usedto buildthe
structure.
o Designisforthe country’shotand wetmonsoonclimate.
 Stiltsare usedinmost rumah adat,exceptinJavaandBali.Elevationoff the
groundallowsforbreeze andforsafetyfromflood.Alsoallowshousestobe
builtonriversand wetlandmargins.
 Sharplyinclinedroofsallowsforheavyrainstosheetoff
 Large, overhangingeaveskeepwateroutof the house andprovide shade inthe
heat.
o Numberof Rumah adatare decreasingdue toconcernoverunhygienicdesignsand
expensivesnessdue tothe amountof laborrequiredtobuildsuchhouses.

2. Omo sebua – traditional house inNiasislandinIndonesia.Traditional
house forvillage chief.Builtonironwoodpiles.The island’sfrequent
inter-villagewarshave made the house intoafortress,withthe sole
access beinganarrow staircase witha small trapdoor. Itis
earthquake proof aswell.
Rumah gadang –“bighouse”.Traditional
home of MinangkabauinWesternSumatra
and servesasa residence,ahall forfamily
meetingsandceremonialactivities.Note
the curvedroofswithmulti-tieredupswept
gablesandthe shutteredwindows.

3.  Religiousarchitecture
o WidespreadinIndonesia,butmost
significantarchitecturewasdevelopedin
Java
o Religioussyncretismcanbe seeninthe
designof the religiousstructure
 Indonesiahasalongtraditionof
religioussyncretism
 Religioussyncretismisthe
blendingof twobelief systems
o Hindu-Buddhistarchitecture
 Knownas “candi”in Indonesin
 Builtduringthe park of Hindu-
Buddhistkingdsomsbetween8th
and 14th
centuries
 Style showsShaivist,Buddhist
and Javanese influences.Shares
elementswithglobal Hindu
styles.
 Templeshave geometrical
quality,andsense of verticalityis
achievedthroughuse of
horizontal lineswithanart-deco
sense of streamliningand
proportion.
o VernacularIslamicarchitecture
 Designwasbasedoff Hindu,
BuddhistandChinese influences.
 Resembledpagodas.