UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE OF TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE

Indonesia has hundreds of tribes with different social and cultural backgrounds. Traditional architecture of each ethnic group is the result of an understanding of the context as wisdom in terms of dialogue with the nature and the environment. The presence of traditional architecture is a work of the search process and an appreciation of nature and culture as its context. The understanding of the context produced the right design and addressed the needs of engineering, social, and cultural of traditional architecture in Indonesia. The application of local knowledge in most traditional architecture in Indonesia differs from most modern buildings, which is more building shape oriented. Shapes, structural systems, and material possesses, are the answer to the existing local conditions, as well as the response to the attitude of the context. This paper is a result of observation in some traditional architecture in Indonesia and theoretical study of the traditional and the modern buildings that implement local understanding. The discussion is in the form of analyzing field data and theories of traditional buildings and modern buildings. The conclusion reveals that the application of local knowledge in architecture can address the needs of the building, both the needs of the shape, structure, function and comfort of the building. Keywords: Local knowledge; traditional architecture; context; need.