Explores the concept of 'house' in the context of Levi-Strauss' idea of the house as a link between kinship-based societies and class societies, developing this further into an examination of a conjuncture of architecture, people and symbolism.

Explores the concept of 'house' in the context of Levi-Strauss' idea of the house as a link between kinship-based societies and class societies, developing this further into an examination of a conjuncture of architecture, people and symbolism.

Southeast Asian architecture tends to be generalized under one umbrella due to the countries’ common geographical, climatic, and historical context. However, Southeast Asian countries are dissimilar due to their ethnic and religious differences, which led to each country’s own subtle characteristics in housing. In order to identify the commonality and diversity among Southeast Asian architecture, details of the architectural forms have to be carefully analyzed. This book begins with an introductory section about housing culture in Southeast Asia as a whole and then examines the traditional houses of five countries in more detail. Each chapter contains a brief summary of a Southeast Asian country’s history and culture and an introduction to the general characteristics and major types of traditional houses of the country. This is followed by a detailed explanation on the form and significance of one of the country’s major types of housing. The authors also explain how traditional houses are being modernized, offering a glimpse at the future of traditional housing in each country.

The modernization of traditional houses in each country may be understood as a process by which various aspects of culture and architecture originating from China, India, European colonial countries and international style were assimilated into various forms and elements of traditional houses. In contemporary houses recently developed in Southeast Asian cities, influences of more nearby regions such as South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore can easily be found. Even under such multi-cultural influences, Southeast Asian countries sought compromises and maintained each country's unique housing culture, resulting in the differentiation of each country's housing style. This book aims to find out the uniqueness of each Southeast Asian country's modern housing through the understanding of the modern housing typologies of each county produced by the process of modernization. Previous studies of Southeast Asia's urban housing were mostly on political, institutional and economic issues, which can be said to be macro-issues. However, this book focuses on the forms of urban housing, which is rather a micro-issue, compared to previous studies.

The Living House is a pioneering work by respected anthropologist Roxana Waterson that has become a classic in its field. It is first book of its kind to present a detailed picture of houses within the complex social and symbolic fabric of indigenous South-East Asian peoples. The main focus of the book is on Indonesia, but in tracing historical links between architectural forms across the region, it reveals a much wider field of inquiry—covering all of the Austronesian peoples and cultures extending as far afield as Madagascar, Japan and the Pacific islands to New Zealand and Hawaii. As it probes the centrally significant role of houses within South-East Asian social systems, The Living House reveals new insights into the kinship systems, gender symbolism and cosmological principles of the peoples who build them, ultimately uncovering fundamental themes concerning the concepts of life force and life processes inherent in all of these cultures. A vivid picture is produced of how people shape buildings and buildings shape people—how rules about layout and spatial usage impact social relationships. The book concludes with a consideration of present-day changes affecting the fates of indigenous cultures and architectures throughout the region. This book will be of tremendous interest to architects and historians, and anyone interested in the indigenous art and cultures of South-East Asia.

With over 350 vibrant photographs, extensive commentary and architectural plans, this architecture and design book showcases the modern luxury homes of Asia. The Sustainable Asian House celebrates modern architecture as an expression of environmental, social and cultural sustainability, as seen in some of the most breathtaking luxury homes in Southeast Asia. Gorgeous residences in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines beautifully exemplify the trend towards sustainable architecture that engages with the natural world. The 27 houses featured in this fascinating and stunningly photographed architectural digest provide endless inspiration for architects, designers, builders and home buyers. The Sustainable Asian House illuminates the region's reinterpretation of tropical architecture and the growing interest in traditional materials and craftsmanship. There is a new emphasis on fresh air, natural light and spatial variety, reflecting the importance of well-being. Designers are considering issues such as orientation to the sun and prevailing winds to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint. Instead of treating the tropical climate as something to overcome, the architects featured in this book present regional solutions on how to live appropriately in the contemporary tropical world.