Reconstructing Heritage Yogyakarta Post Earthquake

Ikaputra

Yogyakarta Special Province Program

1.      Brief about Earthquake's History and Heritage Damage in Yogyakarta

Historically Yogyakarta’s region has experienced a significant seismic event for a period of every 60-75 years.  In the past 200 years, there were 3 vulnerable earthquakes. Those are in 1867, 1943, and 2006. The last vulnerable earthquake, in May 27, 2006, was occurred after 5 non-vulnerable earthquakes in 1981, 1992, 2001, 2004, and 2006. One can learn that the nearest the earthquake to the 2006’s vulnerable earthquake, the shorter the span in between two earthquake. This indicates the more frequent the earth plate was moving and shaking towards the significant seismic event. (see figure 1.) It was reported that in the earthquake 1867, 372 houses were collapsed and 5 persons were dead. However, the city landmarks so called “Pal Poetih” (“wittepaal=white pile) was ruined, the water castle “Taman Sari” was totally damage. Some of Sultan’s residents were also damaged. The resident huis of the Dutch colonial was also suffered from the earthquake. If the city land mark was reconstructed with new design that is nowadays known as “Tugu” (tower), the water castle remains ruins till now. The water was filled by the densely houses of families who used to be Sultan’s abdi dalems (a kind of civil servant in Javanese aristocratic system). The vulnerable earthquake in 1943 caused 2,800 houses damaged and 213 people were dead. No heritage building was reported damage.

Figure 1.  History Earthquake and Heritage Damage in Yogyakarta

(Analyzed & Modified from: http://www.pu.go.id/infopeta/RwnBanjir/bencana2006/3334gempasejarah.htm, in Ikaputra,

2009: 1)

In the Yogyakarta’s earthquake 2006, it was more than 300.000 houses collapsed, and 6,234 people were dead. It was reported more than 200 listed heritage in Yogyakarta special province have been damaged. Those figures were not to include the heritage damage of the Central Java province. The 2006 earthquake was believed to be the most vulnerable disaster in the Yogyakarta’s history.

2.      Yogyakarta’s Heritage Vulnerability in the Earthquake 2006

Yogyakarta has been developed a government program called “KCB” or Kawasan Cagar Budaya (Cultural Heritage District) since 1995. The districts of cultural heritage contain number of architectural heritage and artifacts, intangible cultures such as a place for batik makers (traditional painting clothes), silver craft, and other artworks. All 4 regencies (Kabupatens) and city of Yogyakarta Special province have listed 1,233 heritages. According to a report of Kondisi Umum Kekayaan Budaya DIY: 2007 (A General Condition of Cultural Property of DIY: 2007), around 91 % (1,132) of the cultural properties were in good condition before earthquake. It was decreased after the earthquake. It becomes 74.29 % of listed properties are in good conditions after earthquake. It means the damage cultural properties increased from 9 % to 25.71 %, from 111 damage cultural properties (existing) to 317 damage one post earthquake. The damage heritage increased more than 3 times. The detail data of the five districts and city in the province can be understood from the following graphic (see figure 2):

Figure 2. the Heritage Condition Pre-post Earthquake in DIY

(Analyzed & Modified: Kondisi Umum Kekayaan Budaya DIY: 2007 in Ikaputra, 2009: 2)

There are at least four types of architectural heritage that had damage in the earthquake 2006 even. Those are Temples, Kraton or Sultanate palace and its surrounding, colonial buildings, and the Javanese traditional architecture. They have specific problem concerning “non-surviving” part of their architecture in anticipating the last earthquake.

Temple (candi) is among others heritage which has a high degree of irreplaceable and antiquate. The candi Prambanan’s compound, candi Plaosan compound, candi Sewu, candi Sojiwan were on the list of damage temples by the earthquake. The 1991’s World Heritage Temple, the Prambanan temple’s compound, suffered the worst damage comparing others. In the Yogyakarta Palace (built in 1775), although some of building within the palace were constructed using iron casted structure, most of buildings and houses were built from wooden structure and brick constructions. Most wooden structures of many traditional house and buildings were survived during the earthquake, but the palace's Bangsal Trajumas—the grandeur wooden open pavilion was collapsed on a sacred set of gamelan instruments.

Meanwhile the Colonial architecture which could represent a value of artistic monumentality from the Dutch, structured by the bricks bearing walls type. This type of structure is very critical to resist from lateral forces resulted by earthquake. The thickness of walls and the location towards the active fault gave influence to the type of damage from wall cracks to totally collapsed walls.

The representative Javanese traditional architecture which can be found in rural and urban area is called  “dalem”. Most of dalems has Joglo type of architecture. The Joglo type was built with wooden structure supported by the main four pillars in the middle called “soko guru” and 12 smaller pillars at the periphery. The soko guru and other pillars stood up at upper ground type foundation so called umpak. The four soko guru were connected rigidly at the upper parts by tumpang sari—multi-frame beams constructed one on the top of the other by interlocking and overlapping system. This very rigid tumpang sari supports the upper part of Joglo roof. The integration of umpaks-soko guru-tumpang sari formed a core structure known as “rong-rongan.” (Prihatmaji, 2007: 5) It is believed to be the strongest part of Joglo in stabilizing the effect of ground shaking because of its rong-rongan construction rigidity and weight. (see figure 3. Joglo Structural Parts)

Figure 3.  The Joglo Structural Parts & Joglo damage Typology

Although theoretically, the Joglo has strong system structure to anticipate the earthquake, the critical parts lie on the connection between the umpak and the soko guru or peripheral pillars, between the soko guru and the tumpang sari, and between the peripheral pillars to beams above them. The Javanese connection details are weak to anticipate the lateral forces. (Frick, 1997: 163-164 in Prihatmaji, 2007: 3) Through observation of collapsed and damaged Joglos suffered from the Yogyakarta’s earthquake 2006, we found several cases which can be understood from the following diagrams: (see fig. 3. Joglo)

3.      The Proposed Priority for Heritage Post Earthquake

The Heritage Supports Post Disaster usually becomes in low priority comparing to humanitarian aids. It is recommended that all possible anticipations to safeguard the heritage towards future disaster especially earthquake are to include at long term planning and implementation. The long term disaster preparedness program for heritage has been embedded into the government program of conserving cultural heritage since 2008—two years after the house and public buildings reconstruction post earthquake 2006. The various type of heritage can be managed differently as case by case, but most of privately owned heritage properties are usually in critical situation. The proposed priority consists of:

-     School Retrofitting Program for Colonial Building Heritage

-     Traditional Architecture Heritage Reconstruction for Historic Noble’s Residences

School Retrofitting Program for Colonial Building Heritage

The weakness of Colonial Building Heritage is the main structure—the bricks bearing walls type. This type of structure is very critical to resist from lateral forces resulted by earthquake. The thickness of walls and the location towards the active fault gave influence to the type of damage from wall cracks to totally collapsed walls. There are still many colonial building heritage complexes functioned as public facilities especially schools.  Most of damage heritage schools have been repaired by the institution owner (who can be state or private ownership). However, the existing schools with the colonial building type still have the weak structure to anticipate the future earthquake. Since 2008, the provincial government has promoted “School Retrofitting Program” for Colonial Building Heritage which is aimed to not only safe the cultural assets but also to secure pupils and teachers from damage when the coming earthquake occurred. The undergoing School Retrofitting Program for Colonial Building Heritage in 2009-2010 has selected Margoyasan and Ngupasan Elementary Schools. The propose school currently to be retrofitted is BOPKRI I Yunior High School, SMP Negri IV, SMP Negri 8, SDN Ungaran, SMA Negeri III, SDN Ponjong  Gunung Kidul, etc.

Figure 5. School Retrofitting Program for Colonial Building Heritage 

Traditional Architecture Heritage Reconstruction for Historic Noble’s Residences

The most representative of Javanese traditional architecture is “dalem pangeran” or noble’s residences. The “dalem pangeran” is defined as a primary structure of the Historic Urban Yogyakarta. Javanese Noble's Residences were located throughout historic urban Yogyakarta both inside and outside of the palace fortifications. The growth of those princely residences in Yogyakarta was very much similar to that one of castles in European history. The more aggressively the town asserted claims of self-governance, the wiser it was for the prince to keep his castle at the periphery of the town. (Kostof, 1992; 77) The spread of dalems or noble residences grew toward outside fortifications expanding the king's power and creating a new edge for city defense. (Fig. 1.)

Figure 6. Distribution of Noble’s Residences (red mark) in Yogyakarta

(Source: Ikaputra, 1995;133)

The dalem is representative of Javanese traditional architecture. Its architecture is easily distinguished from that of the less formal structures of the surrounding environment. The need of those noble residences to be reconstructed after the earthquake is not only to preserve the historic architecture and value of dalems as the Yogyakarta’s urban primary unit, but also to sustain them as a community living place in the urban historic Yogyakarta from future Earthquake. Among noble’s residences which suffered from the earthquake is dalem Brontokusuman, dalem Mangkubumen, dalem Kumendaman, dalem Jogonegaran, dalem Nototarunan, dalem Notowinatan, dalem Sindurejan, etc.. The noble’s residence is a complex of combine function as Museum and living place for Aristocratic families and community. The Museum parts have been reconstructed, but the living place of this great traditional residence has not been repaired and retrofitted yet.

Figure 7. Noble’s Residences (dalem Pangeran) Damage

References

Frick, Heinz (1997) Pola Struktural dan Teknik Bangunan di Indonesia. (Building Structural Pattern and Technique in Indonesia). Yogyakarta: Penerbit Kanisius. (In Indonesian)

Ikaputra (1995) A Study on the Contemporary Utilization of the Javanese Urban Heritage and its Effect on Historicity. Doctoral Dissertation, Osaka University Japan.

Ikaputra (2009) Reconstructing Heritage Post Earthquake. The case of Kotagede, Yogyakarta Indonesia. International Symposium on “Urban Risk Management for sustainable development in Historical Cities”, UNCRD-Hyogo  Kobe Japan, October, 14-17, 2009.

Prihatmaji, Yulianto P. (2007) Perilaku Rumah Tradisional Jawa “Joglo” Terhadap Gempa. (Character of Javanese Traditional House “Joglo” against Earthquake). Jurnal Dimensi Teknik Arsitektur Vol. 35, No. 1, Juli 2007: 1 – 12. (In Indonesian)

-------------- (2007)  Kondisi Umum Kekayaan Budaya DIY: 2007 (A General Condition of Cultural Property of DIY: 2007)

Earthquake History:  http://www.pu.go.id/infopeta/RwnBanjir/bencana2006/3334gempasejarah.htm