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Talks and Poster Presentations (with Proceedings-Entry):

U. Herbig, G. Weichart, J. Breuling:
"Gender roles and women´s influence on traditional architecture and its development in Indonesia: a case study from Nias";
Talk: The Second National Built Heritage Forum, Dammam; 12-10-2012 - 12-12-2012; in: "Research & Heritage: Research papers on Architectural Heritage", The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Dammam (2012), ISBN: 978-603-8022-74-0; 263 - 287.



English abstract:
Nias is situated at the western brim of Indonesia, in the highest seismic risk zone in Indonesia where earthquakes occur regularly and frequently. This particular situation influenced the development of a unique earthquakeresistant architecture. Whereas the Niha (the people living in Nias) know about the advantages of the traditional houses, new houses are rarely built in this style. Furthermore old houses are adapted to fulfil the requirements of a modern lifestyle. The development towards modernity has been accelerated since the reconstruction period after a disastrous earthquake on Nias in March 2005. In the research project ASSIP (Architecture, Space and Society in Post disaster Built Environments in Indonesia), which started in 2011, an interdisciplinary group of researchers investigates the impact of this process on the traditional built environment.
Our focus in this paper is on gender roles and women´s influence on the traditional architecture and its development. We have addressed the problem by investigating space and work from a gender-specific perspective. This has provided us with answers not only about women´s involvement in construction and adaptation processes and in the design of the interior, but also about her position in the house and household which has led to broader and more complex questions about tradition and change in Nias society.
Whereas the change of building traditions is always the result of complex interactions of changing environmental, political, economic and social conditions, the role of women can be of crucial importance and should be taken in consideration for future planning or in the case of post- disaster management.

Keywords:
architectural heritage, interdisciplinary research, gender, Nias, Indonesia


Electronic version of the publication:
http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/publik_261058.pdf


Created from the Publication Database of the Vienna University of Technology.