ISVS e - journal, Vol. 2, no.4 , September , 2013 Journal of the International Society for the Study of Vernacular Settlements

The Living Culture and Typo-Morphology of Vernacular Houses in Kerala

Abstract
This paper is an account of observations of traditional-vernacular houses in Kerala using the frameworks of Typo-Morphology and vernacular architecture. The observation yielded five general types of residential buildings with regard to structural, spatial arrangements and their nature of development. Rectangular hall with veranda or porch turns out to be the basic form for the more elaborated design. The observations also yield a glimpse of the living culture and the characteristic feature of the vernacular and traditional architecture of Kerala which share the characteristics with Southeast Asian Arch itecture. This study confirms the existence of an uninterrupted continuity between the architecture of South India and the Southeast Asia
.
Keywords: Southeast Asian architecture, Kerala, nalukettu, ekasala, veedu, pattayapura, vaastu, Vaastu typo-morphology, vernacular, traditional architecture

Bedah Buku: TEGANG BENTANG, 100 Tahun Perspektif Arsitektural di Indonesia.,Jumat, 3 Mei 2013

Available in IPLB article, 19 May 2013

ISVS e-journal, Vol. 2, no.3, January, 2013 (ISSN 2320-2661)

 Arapura: Spatial Configurations of Granary Houses in Kanyakumari, South India

Indah Widiastuti
School of Architecture Planning and Policy Development
Institute of Technology Bandung, Indonesia
&
Ranee Vedamuthu
School of Architecture and Planning
Anna University, Chennai, India

Abstract

Arapura in this discusion refers to traditional residential building that accommodates agriculturist matrilineal joint-family (taravad) in Kanyakumari area. This paper outlines the evolution of the Arapura from the prototype of granary whose sequential transformation could be traced from the design of granary box, pattayam. Three cases of Arapura are documented and analyzed with respect to their spatial configurations.

Keywords:
arapura, veedu, nira granary-house, granary-box, Kerala, matrilineal, Kanyakumari, India and Indonesia

International Conference on Culture, Society, Technology and Urban Development in Nusantara (ICCSTUDN) 2012, Brastagi, North Sumatera

DISCOURSE OF “WOMAN POWER” IN TRADITIONAL SETTLEMENT CONCEPT OF SOCIETY PRACTICING MATRILINEAL KINSHIP IN MINANGKABAU, WEST SUMATERA INDONESIA AND KERALA, SOUTH INDIA
Dr. Indah Widiastuti

ABSTRACT

This paper tried to critically look on the reflection of matrilineal descent rule on the concept of traditional settlement of the society practicing the same. The study was based on the comparative study of settlement concepts of Nagari in Minangkabau, West Sumatera Indonesia and Tara-Nayar in Kerala, South-India. Minangkabau and Kerala represent matrilineal society in Asia.  The exposition would start with questioning the matrilineal descent rule concept against the fact that female position is not always strong and how the patriarch power of elder male's member (Penghulu in Minangkabau and Karanavar in Kerala) could be more decisive than the female. This paper would further argue that the role of female power is more related to a phenomenal relation female as principal anchor of clan in a location, rather than their superiority. The interconnections of female and their houses symbolize the existence of a clan in a geographical scope. The relation among three houses would be articulated in a network that could territorially constitute a settlement.

This working paper is not intentionally designed to present a theory but a discussions to reach comprehensive understanding about the nature of matrilineal kinship and how it affect environment and landscape. It is discovered that their matrilineal descent-rule concepts in both regions cannot be detached from the other traits such as the role of senior male-members and assembly of elders, the corporate enterprise and its networking systems articulated spatially and territorially as habitation (nagari and tara). Keywords: Matrilineal kinship, nagari, tara, kampung, kaum, taravad, marumakattayam, ninik-mamak.

Paper for Artepolis 4

NETWORK MECHANISM IN TRADITIONAL HUMAN SETTLEMENT IN ASIA (Cases: Nagari in Minangkabau, Indonesia and Tara in Malabar, Kerala, India)

2012: Paper presented for Arte-Polis4 on Bandung, 5-7 July 2012 held by ITB,,Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

This paper tried to elaborate the concept of network and connectivity of two settlement concepts of matrilineal society: Nagari in Minangkabau, Indonesia and Tara in Malabar in Kerala, South India. In this concept of settlement network and connectivity are central mechanism and process that build the unity of habitation referred to integrative notion of maternal ancestress, regardless the  spread spatial distribution of the settlement components. Adding to it, the economic expansion also attach on this concept, proved by situations that both ethnic of Minangkabau and Kerala are known as entrepreneuring ethnic.

This topic is brought as a critical review on architectural discourse about traditional settlements, which often describe it as static, obsolete and therefore irrelevant topic to contemporary situation, This architectural description often contradicts the ethnographic descriptions where the pre-Colonial and traditional settlement of Asia had been also described as dynamic and enterprising, comparable to modern situations in manner of network and connectivity.

Realizing the difficulty to elaborate the dynamic situations concepts of the traditional settlement this paper would use the term coined by Egenter (1997) - settlement-architecture. Settlement-architecture defines habitation not as a static unity configured by settlement component. It is a controlled territory composed by elements of a horizontal network of landscape which maintained network equilibrium with other habitation units in an indefinite extent. In this framework kinship, maternal ancestor would be exposed to explain the development of network and connectivity that build up a habitation with which the economic flows manifest though its spatial interconnections.

Guest Lecture

"Wacana Pengaruh Budaya India pada Arsitektur Nusantara" Kuliah Tamu, Departemen Arsitektur- Universitas Tarumanegara, Jakarta, 4 April 2012

Phenomenon of District Art in Kala Godha Festival, Mumbai

Presented in Cultural Arts & Design of Creative Communities session

International Conference Arte-Polis 2, 2008, Bandung, Indonesia

This paper is a descriptive discourse that try to uphold the globally growing discourse of creative society in urban area where urban space, is functionally discussed more than engineered physical object. Street, district,

landmark contain more than cognitive and artistic value as conventionally understood. It molds multi-facet social relations between space and people as stake holders and participants, simultaneously or specifically for artistic,

social, religious and cultural motive. The events of Kala Godha festival is a case where urban space articulate participative and holistic designed object and in return contribute to the shaping of identity, place-making as well as awareness for environmental preservation.