shapes of things do tell stories.
look at houses high on the mountains of laos. in the irrawaddy delta. on faraway bali. on shady south pacific islands. by the mekong river in kemboja. along old roads in pattani in thailand. in remote villages in tanah melayu. among sugar cane farms in mindanao, in secluded valleys in timur leste as well as in the lush highlands and seas of borneo.
these highly functional, sustainable abodes, humble in their stark simplicity, have much in common. all over the malay archipelago, indo china and beyond. they look almost the same.
built on stilts for a number of obvious reasons, out of readily available bamboo, rattan, sago or nipah leaves, coconut leaves and trunks from the rainforests, these dwellings are well ventilated, have cool interiors to fight the high humidity of the tropics and are very very affordable.
the steeply pitched roofs efficiently channel the heavy downpours. woven bamboo walls allow free movement of wind throughout the open planned houses, resilient to storms. eaves are deep for sunshading. wide verandahs are such effective transitional spaces between the hot outside and the cool interior.
floors of timber or pieces of the trunk of the lontar palm have tiny gaps for cross ventilation.
the houses are flexible in allowing enlargements and extensions when necessary, as for an extra sleeping space or a larger kitchen.
embellishments on the fascia boards, handrails of staircases, roof ridges, windows and doors differ according to culture, prosperity and raw materials. these are such minor differences which give much richness to the architectural characteristics.
imagine the time when the people of nusantara, the malay archipelago, great maritime travellers that they were, going from place to place, island to island, to trade, look around, connect and perhaps inter-marry.
the beauty of the simple traditional timber houses will ever remain....
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