Cultural determinants in the design of bugis houses

Abstract

As elaborated by scholars, the built environment is influenced by culture, belief and past experiences. The paper intends to elaborate on the cultural determinants in the design of the Bugis traditional houses found in Johor, Malaysia. The methodology involved two main instruments, namely literature review and field observation. The studies suggest that even though the houses were built away from their homeland in Sulawesi, Indonesia, the culture of the Bugis descendants remains intact. This was revealed in their behaviour and the forms of the plans and elevations of their traditional houses.