ARCHITECTURAL CRITICISM ON EXTERIOR PAVEMENT MATERIAL SUITABILITY OF THE MUHAMMAD CHENG HOO MOSQUE JAMBI: A UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY REGULATION PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This study critically examines the exterior flooring materials of the Muhammad Cheng Hoo Mosque in Jambi, Indonesia, a mosque built in 2012 in a Sino-Islamic architectural style inspired by the Cheng Hoo Mosque in Surabaya and established by the Chinese Islamic Foundation of Jambi. The research addresses the use of glossy ceramic tiles in outdoor areas, which technical literature generally considers unsuitable for wet exterior environments due to their low slip resistance. This condition poses significant safety risks, particularly for elderly visitors and women who must walk barefoot after crossing the batas suci (sacred boundary). Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the study combines structured field observations with a normative literature review. Five exterior zones were evaluated against three normative frameworks: the seven principles of Universal Design, Indonesian accessibility regulations, and technical literature on flooring materials. Environment-Behavior Theory was also applied to explain the conflict between ritual barefoot practices and unsafe surface conditions. The findings show that four of the five observed zones are paved with glossy ceramic tiles that are unsuitable for wet outdoor use by barefoot pedestrians. Safety risks are further exacerbated by the absence of adequate drainage gradients, tactile guiding paths, and handrails. This study fills an important gap in both international and Indonesian scholarship, as previous mosque flooring studies have focused primarily on interior ablution areas, while research on exterior flooring safety in Indonesian mosques remains limited. The study proposes design recommendations that improve safety and accessibility while preserving the mosque's Sino-Islamic architectural identity.