Example of the Petungan operation

(Source: R.Tanaja (compiler)(1976): Primbon Djawa Pandita Sabda nata; T.B.Peladjar; Solo; p.9-13, 20-23)

Petungan and the Design of a Home

Many writings about Javanese building and architecture say that there are five types of building: Tajug, Joglo, Limasan, Kampung, and Panggang-pe type. This classification is based upon the performance of roof. If building functions are mentioned, writings on Javanese building and architecture only limit themselves to Pandapa (or Pendapa), reception hall; Omah mburi (or Dalem), living quarter; Gandok, pavilion; Dapur, kitchen; and Regol, main gate.

Does Primbon tells the same thing? Examinations upon Primbon book shows that no single Primbon mention about that building type. What we have from this Primbon book is the building functions. From Primbon Djawa Pandita Sabda Nata (1976; p.13-14), for example, we find that one complete Javanese house is as follows. For the house faces south, its living quarter (Omah mburi, Dalem) is sited in the center of the plot, and facing south; one or two gates (Regol) is situated on the south part of the complex; to the south of this living quarter is the reception hall (Pandapa, Pendapa); music chamber (Pagongan) located to the west of Pandapa; the pavilion (Gandok) lies to the east of Omah mburi; the kitchen is to the north of Omah mburi; animal quarter (Kandang) is to southeast of Gandok; horse stable (Gedogan) to the south of Kandang; a family mosque is located to the southwest corner of the complex/house; and a meditation chamber is to the northwest corner of complex. There should also amply open space on the front, side and rear part of complex. A mirror arrangement is taken place if the house faces north.

From this description we see that a Javanese house is made up of a cluster of building units with the living quarter as its center. From another Petungan we also find that this Javanese house also has a well (sometimes two) which located north of Dalem but south of Pawon. Probably some symbolic significance is given to this source water for at least three Petungan-s are presented in the Primbon book.

Furthermore, the existence of Javanese house as a cluster arrangement of buildings will only reinforce our understanding of the strategy in design. The strategy enables us to build the house in several stages; also allows us to use wood as basic building material, and therefore its structural column from wood different category of petungan for different function of building. The use of wood as basic building material, and its change of structural column from wood to brick pilaster also common in the 20th century village houses, without any need of modifying the Petungan.

However, this change has made an impact toward the Petungan. When the building uses wood as its material, the building can be pulled up from its position and moved to another place. That is why the Primbon provide petungan-s to find the best momentum to move the building out. Modification of material into brick will directly make petungan on moving the building becomes useless or void. Dimensions of building and distances between units are sufficiently provided by the Petungan. It is now the task of the builder to make justification and decision; arrange and assemble them in an optimized suitability,fitness and properness.

Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that Petungan does not prescribe the appearance of building; it only give a set of dimensioning and arrangement of components.Arrangements and assemblages of Petungan, therefore, will guide the designer to arrive at, among other things, architectural composition of building units (mass composition), spatiality of spaces between buildings, volume and proportion of building.

What will become of this Javanese house if affordability to get such one complete house is the problem? Field observation presents us with this following picture. The living quarter as the center of the cluster may also stands as single building in a plot. This is not uncommon among the Javanese, particularly among those who cannot afford to build the whole arrangement. In this case the living quarter (Omah mburi or Dalem or Omah) is considered as a complete house. Functions such as kitchen (Pawon) and reception hall (Pandapa) may appear as just an extension or just an additional attachment to the house. Still, the provision of a well is demanded by the Petungan, and located properly.