•  
  •  
 

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Abstract

The proportional systems in vernacular architecture often exist without formal written codification, raising questions about their transmission across generations. Bubungan Tinggi House which is a replica of the Banjar Kingdom palace was built by Banjarese merchants and aristocrats from the 16th to the 19th centuries, showing a uniform aesthetic quality, which indicates a regularity in the proportions of its form. However, no historical written manuals detailing these proportions are known to exist. To prove the existence of regularity in the Bubungan Tinggi House proportion system, research was conducted by taking 7 Bubungan Tinggi House samples spread across South Kalimantan province, with varying sizes and built over different time periods. This study aims to investigate the hypothesis that the proportional system of the Bubungan Tinggi house functions as a set of "unwritten rules" transmitted orally and through practice.

The methodology combines (1) a quantitative geometric analysis of seven Bubungan Tinggi houses to empirically confirm the existence and nature of the proportional system, and (2) a qualitative ethnographic approach through semi-structured interviews with community elders and descendants of traditional builders to explore the transmission mechanism.

The ratio numbers obtained are single-digit integer numbers that are easy to apply, where the ratio numbers are: 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 2:5, 3:2, 3:4, 3: 5/5:3, 1:6, 6:5, and 9:20. The qualitative findings reveal that this knowledge was not articulated mathematically but transmitted through a master-apprentice model, guided by an intuitive aesthetic sensitivity (intuitive/sensory knowledge). This study concludes that the Bubungan Tinggi's proportional system is a form of tacit knowledge, embedded in cultural practice rather than textual documentation. These findings have significant implications for the conservation of architectural heritage, emphasizing the need to preserve not just the physical artifact but also the intangible craft traditions that produce it.

Keywords

Vernacular Architecture; Bubungan Tinggi House; architectural proportion; ratio; unwritten rules; Oral Transmission; Tacit Knowledge; Ethnography; Intangible Cultural Heritage; uniformity; South Kalimantan province

Publication Date

2025

Received Date

16/07/2025

Revised Date

03/11/2025

Accepted Date

25/11/2025

Download

Share

COinS