The Morphology of Vernacular Architecture in Medan City

and Its Surroundings: Case Study - Malay Architecture

I. F. Pane

1,2

and H. T. Fachrudin

Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Padang Bulan, Medan 20155 Indonesia

Laboratory History,Theory, and Criticism of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Universitas Sumatera Utara,

Padang Bulan, Medan 20155 Indonesia

Keywords: Malay Architecture, Morphology, Vernacular Architecture

Abstract: This study intends to examine the development of vernacular architecture in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Malay

Architecture is an existing and developing architecture in coastal areas and Medan city. The development is

signed by the existence of modern architecture / posmodern which develops today. Therefore, this study aims

to see the development of Malay vernacular architecture and how the shape changes that exist in society

recently. The object of research is vernacular building with Malay architectural characteristic. The location

of research is located in the city of Medan and its surroundings because this area has buildings that characterize

Malay for a long time. The method used is a qualitative-descriptive approach in order to describe the facts

that exist in the field and review it with the theory used. The result obtained is the overall form of the building

which still retains the porch and ornament form that is found around the house.

1 INTRODUCTION

Indonesia has various cultures that representation

of human activities. The results of this culture can be

things that are important for aspects of human life.

Results of culture are often referred to as artifacts.

Artifacts that arise from a particular culture have their

own characteristics. These traits that distinguish

between one culture and another.

The development of architecture is a development

that along and in line with historical development

(Rapoport, 1969). The development of history covers

all aspects of human life including culture.

Architecture is an integral part of the journey of

human life. From the period before Christ to Modern

times and Posmodern, humans have known the

shelter to keep his life alive. This shelter became the

backdrop of humans to form architecture. The term

architecture has not been known in the period before

Christ but the people involved in this development

were regarded as the person who contributed to the

development.

Architectural development in Indonesia is

dominated by traditional architecture. This

architecture develops in line with the process of

cultural activitization conducted by the ancestors up

to now.

In the past, the development of traditional

architecture was colored by the beliefs held by the

ancestors, while at this time the development of

architecture more towards the universal. The process

of development is colored with changes in accordance

with changing customs and beliefs.

Along with the period, the change to Malay

architecture is colored by the times that have changed

today into the modern / posmodern. Malay

architecture that developed in the east coast of

Sumatra is not the same anymore as Malay

architecture in the past. This change indicates that

there has been a modification to the Malay house in

accordance with the functions and activities that

increase from the past.

The identity of the culture can arise from its

architectural formation (Abel, 1997). Malay

architecture with a distinctive formation, especially

the curved roof shape and ornamentation around the

building is a figure of a building with a strong

identity. The development of Malay traditional

architecture is not same with the present, but identity

is still shown from the various ornaments displayed.

Its development is now replaced by architecture that

still refers to Malay but it is no one hundred percent

same as in the past.

Vernacular architecture is an architecture that

comes from local influences with a local touch but not

302

Pane, I. and Fachrudin, H.

The Morphology of Vernacular Architecture in Medan City and Its Surroundings: Case Study - Malay Architecture.

DOI: 10.5220/0010090103020306

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

302-306

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

one hundred percent using tradition like the old

traditional building. Malay architecture which is full

of Islamic influence becomes the main theme of the

study. The study of architectural morphology is

intended to see how much the influence of this form

on the development of the period. This research was

conducted to find out the development of Malay

architecture at this time in the surrounding area of

Medan city and to find the morphology of this

architectural development in order to know the

change of its shape until now. While the benefits that

can be taken is to understand the development of

Malay architecture are useful to enrich the science of

architecture.

In the development of research in the field of

architecture, theoretical exploration is needed to draw

the common thread of cultural development. The

culture has a unified physical form and has ideas

(Koentjaraningrat, 1990). The development of this

culture is examined by the theory of form or

morphology within the architecture. This theory

explains that the form may change according to the

circumstances that lie behind it.

Architectural morphology is related to the shape

of the building. Traditional forms of architecture

represent the meaning contained therein. This

meaning at the present shifts into a meaning whose

function as a container of daily activities. This shift

of this meaning relates to changing times and

changing the interests of society. The architectural

form has an order (Krier, 2001). This form is the basic

forms that have an arrangement that produces an

expressive form.

The architectural form consists of regular,

irregular or combined form of both. This form is also

called the geometry and the shape of this geometry

has elements in its form. These elements are dots,

lines, planes and spaces (Ching, 2000). The existence

of this element will color the shape of the overall

architecture.

Malay Architecture is an architecture that has the

shape of a typical stage house and roof shape. The

development is not separated from the social

conditions of society so that the current architecture

is still in the form and shape of Malay architecture.

Social cohesion is required to reinforce and

strengthen the logging of cultures that support the

development of architecture (Carrà, 2016). In the

research process will be done the searching of Malay

vernacular architecture existency in Medan City.

Vernacural architecture with Malay architecture is

still found in the city of Medan. This architectural

form like other traditional buildings, has a stage and

the floor of the house which is above the ground.

Physically, these traditional buildings use wood as its

structure and construction. They have roof shape with

certain types. There are several existing types; Type

of Long Ridge; Five Ridge; Silver Ridge and Pyramid

Ridge (Yuan, 1987) (Figure 1).

There are also another 2 (two) types of roof that

are Long Tipped Type and Elephant Sit Type. At the

end of the roof there is a carving that serves as a roof

covering. This roof shape type is to make easy for

classifying and configuring based on its

characteristics. In general, the form of sketch is

square and there is a front porch inside it that serves

to receive guests.

Figure 1: Malay Roof Types (Source: Yuan, 1987)

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2 METHOD

The method used in this research is using qualitative-

descriptive method (Sugiyono, 2009). Research

carried out for one year, by looking at the

phenomenon of existing vernacular architecture in the

field. This method is considered effective because the

facts which are contained in the field studied by an

inductive approach (Moleong, 2004). Inductive

analysis is used by collecting facts that exist in the

field such data of literature and field data that come

from some vernacular Malay architecture in Medan

and its surroundings.

The vernacular architecture developed in Medan

City and its surrounding is dominated by traditional

Malay architecture. These developments have an

impact on the existence of Malay architecture as a

whole. The original view of this architecture is

replaced by modifications in accordance with the

times. This research tries to trace the development of

morphology or form of Malay architecture to find its

development process.

Things that are considered necessary to be raised

and directly contribute to this research will be the

main capital in conducting the research. For this

research process is divided into 3 (three) stages:

2.1 Data Collection

This stage is the preparation stage and the survey

phase with direct spaciousness to see architectural

objects. Direct and indirect observation is a way of

observing field conditions (Sudradjat, 2004). Primary

data collection and to collect data in the form of

architectural drawings of research objects which are

Malay traditional houses in Medan. While the

secondary data in the form of relevant photographs

including the literature used for this study.

The criteria of the object of research is the house

located in the city of Medan and its surroundings, the

age of the house has reached +/-50 years or more, has

a figure as Malay architecture with a stage and roof

shape and ornaments typical of Malay and the house

is in good condition and still done daily activities in

it.

2.2 Data Compilation

At the compilation stage, the data have started to be

compiled and sorted from the data that have been

obtained and grouped to validate the data in

accordance with historical facts. The data of Malay

traditional house that has been collected and then

selected by its type of roof. The 6 (six) types of roofs

show the difference to the overall shape of this Malay

traditional building.

Literature review is done by using the theory of

building morphology to study the form changes that

occurred. The results of this literature review is the

research variable as a reference in implementing it. In

this variable there are also research indicators so that

the research can focus on the variables used.

2.3 Data Analysis

Data analysis is the most important stage in this

research because this stages will be studied by the

theory used in research with case study in this

research that is building which has characteristic of

Malay traditional architecture.

Inductive analysis is done by collecting

possibilities with field phenomena and drawing

conclusions based on built theory. After this stage of

analysis, conclusions and useful recommendations

for the development of science in the field of

architecture are drawn. This recommendation is an

appeal to continue this research to a deeper level to

assess the existence of the Malay Architecture as a

whole.

From the results of literature review then to

determine the morphology of the vernacular Malay

architecture change is taken the research variables

which are building form and ornamentation. This

variable is studied with the theoretical approach about

form, especially the geometry of the building and the

theory of architectural transformation.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The results show that the overall shape of the building

has changed to the traditional Malay building form.

The thing that causes this change is the space

requirement for the activity that causes the shape of

the building change according to the desired needs.

Malay Architecture in its establishment always

refers to 3 (three) things that are Resam Customs,

Islamic law and Local Climate. Resam customs is a

rule or good guidance to individuals or the general

public so as to live harmoniously and respect nature.

Islamic Law signifies that the Malay people generally

adhere to the religion of Islam and daily activities

related to Islam as a whole. The local climate

indicates that the Malay people highly appreciate the

existence of nature and construct buildings with

actions that do not destroy nature (Pane, 2018).

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The case study took 3 (three) buildings located in

the area of Medan City and surrounding areas namely

Malay House-Tanjung Pura, Malay House-Serdang

Bedagai-1 and Malay House-Serdang Bedagai-2. In

the first case study of Malay House-Tangjung Pura,

fundamental changes seen under the building that

changed into a car garage and there are rooms and

bathrooms on the underside of the building While the

ornamentation in this building is still using Malay

carved objects combined with glass windows (Figure

2).

Figure 2: Malay House-Tanjung Pura

In the second case study, the house was built with

reference to Malay architecture which has poles with

wooden material. Fundamental changes seen on the

poles made of concrete which replaced by wood as a

support of buildings, under the house is still

maintained but there are rooms made under the

building. Roof material has also been using zinc and

no longer using fibers, the shape of the roof is a form

of saddle (long-ridge) extending from front to back.

The window uses two leaves on the perimeter of the

building while the door leaves do not use a wood

which serves as a door barrier (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Malay House-Serdang Bedagai-1

For the third case study, the Malay house is in

Serdang Bedagai-2, still in the style of the Malay

Architecture. This house is about 70 years old and the

condition of the house in some parts looks rotten and

need revamping. Malay architectural features seen on

the stairs made of brick and wood material as the

support of the building which still looks solid. Some

Malay ornaments are still clearly visible; one of them

is above the door. Roof material has already used zinc

and fascia board it still looks the form of Malay

carving (Figure 4).

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Figure 4: Malay House-Serdang Bedagai-2

4 CONCLUSION

The conclusion that can be drawn from this study is

the unavoidable change of the times. The existence of

Malay architecture is still preserved up to now but in

different ways. Implementation into a house to live is

different from the previous generation.

The use of materials becomes an alternative when

the building is built and no longer used the material

as it once was. The use of the verandas is still

preserved nowadays; the most noticeable feature of

the overall shape of the building is a veranda with a

concrete ladder. Some ornaments are still used though

as decoration but it leads to forms of Malay

ornamentation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Universitas Sumatera Utara who

funded this research with TALENTA program 2018,

No: 2590/UN5.1.R/PPM/2017 and date March 16,

2018 and also thank the Department of Architecture

students who assist in the process of collecting

research data for case study.

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