Lessons from Omohada and Gadang Traditional Houses

The Sumatran traditional house has been designed to be in harmony with its geographical position which is susceptible to earthquakes. The house sways but remains standing.

November 10, 2009

JARIMIS calmly listened to his family’s rumah gadang (Minangkabau or West Sumatran traditional house) creaking as it swayed in an earthquake last September. The 55-year-old man who is a resident of Pisang village in the district of Pahu in Padang was not worried that his house would collapse despite being hit by an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale. Jarimis also remained in the house without fear of it collapsing as he has done duri

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