Lay out plan increasing the sunlight

The main ordering principles of the Javanese houses are centrality and linearity. Centrality dominates the open pavilion, which has its focus in the middle, and the house as a whole where the duality of the pavilion and the living quarters are synthesized by the passageway. Linearity is dominant with respect to the most sacred place in the house, which is situated at the middle at the back of the living quarters. A further differentiation between private and public opposes the living quarters to the open pavilion where guests are received in a formal way. Around this basic structure of the house other rooms, such as the kitchen, bathroom, guest room, and dining hall, may be found. The whole compound is encircled by a fence. (Prijotomo ;1984) Building orientation of Javanese houses is to fit in with point of the compass, North and South or West and East. North and South are upstream towards the sea. West and East are upstream towards the mountain. In the East there are Semeru and Merbabu mountains, whereas in the West is Merapi mountain. Orientation direction to East and West is influenced by the people in habitant livelihood as a farmer. They use in front and the back of the house to dry their rice-plant. North and East orientation are influenced by their traditional beliefs with the goddess, especially Nyi Roro Kidul from East.

The Balinese dwelling is likewise a form of open space architecture. The orientation upstream of the house towards the holy mountain Gunung Agung plays an important role. This direction is considered sacred, while its opposite is profane. The territory of the house is divided, on the one hand, into mountain (head), land (body), and sea (legs), and, on the other hand, into the rising (head), zenith (body), and setting (legs) of the sun. The combination of these two divisions results in nine cells of which the mountain/sunrise (head/head) combination is the most sacred and oriented towards the holy mountain. The sea/sunset (legs/legs) combination is the most profane. This means that the Balinese house is dominated by anthropomorphic and cosmic principles combined in gradation from sacred to profane (Nas 1995).

adpted from : Suryandar, Putri and Sajjad Mubin; MIX AND MATCH TRADITIONAL AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY, TOWARD SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURAL HOUSING IN THE TROPICS; Architecture Dept., Faculty of Engineering Budi Luhur University