THE LIMAS HOUSE OF PALEMBANG: A FLOOD-RESILIENT ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

The Musi River waterfront area in Palembang has environmental characteristics influenced by tidal fluctuations, necessitating housing designs capable of adapting to flood risks. The Limas House, as a form of vernacular architecture in South Sumatra, is believed to employ various adaptation strategies to these conditions; however, studies analyzing its resilience by comparing buildings with varying degrees of transformation remain limited. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach through field observations, ducomentation, and literature review, using House Form and Culture theory as the analytical framework. The analysis focused on five variables: building structure, elevation, spatial layout, ventilation, and materials. The results indicate that Limas House in the 7 Ulu area still retain vernacular architectural characteristics that support their resilience capacity through elevated platforms, high floor elevations, the kijing system, natural crossventilation, and the use of Unglen wood, which is resistant to humid environments. Conversely, physical transformations to the Limas House in the 10 ilir area such as closing off the under floor space, altering elevations, simplifying spatial layout, and using modern materials have been shown to reduce the building’s adaptive capacity. This study confirms that the resilience of the Limas House is shaped by the integration of five mutually supportive architectural elements, meaning that these principles have the potential to serve as a framework for adaptive housing designs in riverside areas.