Design Methods of Vernacular Architecture: Insights from Ngundaginin by Undagi: Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

This research examines the Balinese undagi vernacular design method called ngundaginin as an inspiration and reinforcement of contemporary designers' understanding of vernacular design as a process and relationship between the designer and the design object. It thus formulates a design method that can be employd by the Balinese Undagithe traditional architect of Bali vernacular architecture, namely ngundaginin, to preserve the authentic Balinese vernacular architecture through his practice. Undagi is a Balinese vernacular architect whose existence has been recorded since 882 AD and whose condition is getting decadent.The research uses a multidisciplinary systematic literature survey that qualitatively analyses academic records and traditional manuscripts on the design-built stages of Balinese vernacular architecture performed by Undagi. The results are analyzed through the lexicometric method to find the same terms from various works of literature with a diversity of terms in the ngundaginin stage. The literature data is then triangulated and reorganized to get a general pattern of the ngundaginin method. The triangulation process uses traditional scriptural sources (lontar), academics interviews, and contemporary Undagi to understand the vernacular architectural design process in the field textually and practically.The findings rveal that Balinese vernacular architecture symbolizes cosmic beings that will coexist harmoniously with their inhabitants. They show that the ngundaginin method as the design built stage of Balinese Undagi in designing vernacular architecture in Bali consists of three main stages: preconstruction, construction, and post-construction. The ngundaginin method shows the correlation between the Undagi's worldview in Bali vernacular architecture as the final result of their design.