The Meaning of Water Environment for Stilt Houses on the Musi Riverbanks, Palembang

Abstract

Water functions are very diverse for humans for daily needs such as drinking water, bathing, agriculture, development, aesthetics, and lower temperatures. Palembang is a lowland area dominated by wetlands, tidal swamps, and rivers. The types of houses on stilts on the banks of the Musi river are limas, Gudang, and Chinese stilt houses which are always associated with the water environment. The construction of roads replacing the role of rivers has realized people that the water environment has an important meaning for the house on stilts. The research objective was to explore the meaning of the water environment from various aspects for residents, stilt houses, and their environment. This research method is a case study with data collection through interviews, observation, measurements, and taking photos. Data and findings were analyzed and juxtaposed with images in the field. The road construction has eliminated part of the function of the river and influenced the change in orientation of the house on stilts. In conclusion, respect for the water environment including rivers has decreased, causing the quality of the river to decline, and the house on stilts cannot take advantage of the existence of the water environment optimally