The sustainable built environment maintained by the Betawian traditional house's faithfulness in local wisdom

Abstract

The uniqueness of construction and building process influences the purpose of form, generally recognized by local wisdom. Occasionally climate will not influence the building it follows, custom-tradition and environment condition that determine the differences of characteristics in responding to the climate. There are three elements to consider in architectural discipline: Nature as a place that influences the building; Building as a product to fulfill human necessity to stay in nature, and human as user, occupant, designer or builder. Those elements are inseparable, as they link to each other. Consequently it is important to take into account the environmental conditions when establish building and dwelling. Beside that it is necessary for house residents to obey and follow the stipulation regulated by local custom or tradition. The Betawian house is traditional house that maintains the built environment sustainability it is faithfulness in the local wisdom. For instance the house has veranda as a respond to the climate. For that reasons the author conducted this research with the following hypothesis "the fidelity to local wisdom in supporting the traditional house's response to the climate" with descriptive-qualitative methodology. The discussion included the theory of traditional architecture in Indonesia, the Betawian ethnic house; the tropical architecture-building theory and the sustainable architecture theory. Findings showed the decrease a number of housing and dwelling that use of local wisdom as a response to the climate changes. One of the research goals was to preserve the local wisdom by maintaining the traditional house and teaching the house resident to preserve. Publishing a journal article is a way to raise the awareness of the built environment sustainability.