The construction method and material

The buildings pattern can be categorized by its function to human activity that including the living and working building. The construction of buildings was conducted on temporary platform on the sea as Figure 3.5. The construction was usually conducted by experienced contractor who is familiar to the building method.

Figure 3.5 Temporary construction working platform on the sea Source: photographed by the study

81 3.3.1 Construction details of living house

The construction of living house is majorly classified by two types that are wooden house and concrete house. The main difference of pattern can be identified from the foundation construction method and the material.

1) Wooden house

The foundation of wooden house is comparatively weak in confronting tidal movement and weight of building. Hence, it is constructed one story height and the material is usually light in weight, for example timber and palm leaves.

Table 3.1 Construction process of wooden house 1. The foundation is built by

the mangrove woods. The logs are manually piled into the mudflat in a distance of 6 to 8 feet in between.

2. The piling progress is only being conducted within the low tide period approximately 4 hours per day and took few months to be done.

82 3. After it is done, 6 x 8 inches

cross beams are joined to create an artificial space on sea for building. The platform is usually 1-2 feet higher than the highest tide level. The stilt height varies depends on the experience of artisan while observing the tide height during construction.

4. Wood column are then being connected with the beam below. The height of pillar is approximately 12 feet but highly depends on the material be found.

5. 4 x 5 inches floor joist is then be placed onwards the beam.

6. 1x8 inches boards are placed and form the floor.

83 7. Other columns which

mainly supporting wall loads are built.

8. Wall is built

9. Roof beam and roof be built

10. Sill and partitions be built.

Source: illustrated by the study

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Figure 3.6 Wooden house in earlier period Source: unattributed online (left); photographed by the study (right)

The log is cross-joist and piled into 5 feet underneath mudflats. According to the villagers, the method is developed by the experiment and improvement. Single log was previously piled vertically into the mudflat but due to the adsorption characteristic of marsh mud, the log sink or pushed upwards the ground and make the construction of foundation not applicable. The cross-joist log provide an intersect surface and turn the adsorption energy into stabilizing force of foundation.

Figure 3.7 Construction detail of pile log Source: illustrated by the study

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The fixation of cross beam has evolved in several methods (Figure 3.8). The earliest known way is to join the log and beam together and then place another beam above.

The second method is to join the cross beam with a ribbon-shaped joist and place on the log. The final evolvement is to cut part of the log surface to place cross beam while the joist type remained.

The constructions detail in Figure 3.9 to Figure 3.11 shows that, the woods were commonly joined together without nails. The nails used are optional.

Figure 3.8 Construction detail to connect pile log and cross beam Source: illustrated by the study

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Figure 3.9 Construction detail to connect cross beam and pillar Source: illustrated by the study

Figure 3.10 Construction detail of crossbar Source: illustrated by the study

Figure 3.11 Construction detail of vertical bar Source: illustrated by the study

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Figure 3.12 Some of the wooden construction details found in the settlement Source: photographed by the study

b) Concrete house

The foundation of concrete house is evolved combining nature resilient character of mangrove wood to saline water and heavy load-bearing capacity of concrete. The concrete material and new building technology overcome the constraint of wooden house. It supports heavy weight, higher story, and allows various materials to be used on the design of building.

However, the characteristic of salt water is still the biggest consideration to the construction. The application of mangrove log as foundation is still important. The foundation of concrete house has been evolved by piling the entire log underground. Based on the experience of villagers, they found that the part buried under the ground remained undamaged for the over-100 years’ houses but the part exposed to air damage around every 3 to 4 years. The construction of concrete house improved the way to apply mangrove log to enhance its advantage.

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Table 3.2 Construction process of concrete house 1. Wooden box which formed

by 4 pieces of board will be piled into mudslide as the moldboard of later concrete foundation. The distance between boxes is around 6 to 8 feet depending on the weight of building.

2. After the mud in the boxes is emptied, 12 to 15 units of mangrove log are manually piled to the bottom of boxes.

3. Iron plate is put above the logs and optionally placed surrounded internal of box.

4. Cement is poured into the box and while reach around 2.5 feet, the cement column and iron bar are put in to the center of column and continue to fill the box.

89 5. The bottom part of logs is not

able to be seen even during the low tide period.

6. Cement columns are continued to be stacked.

7. The platform usually takes one month to complete and around 2 feet higher than the highest tide.

8. The columns are built.

90 9. The floor is built.

10. Other columns which mainly supporting wall loads are built.

11. Wall is built

12. Roof beam and roof be built, and finally the sill and partitions.

Source: illustrated by the study

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Figure 3.13 Construction site of concrete house Source: photographed by the study

The construction sequence of building can be separated to three parts: foundation and floor, wall, and then roof. It reflects local perception to building’s pattern. It is the construction method developed by villagers in order to overcome the restriction of the water base.

3.3.2 Construction details of working facility

Despite workshop and working platform developed on the first layer of settlement, there are other two types of working facilities built that isolated from the settlement.

Kelong was built for fish catching. Exact time of its origin is not found in the study. It was replaced by floating fish farm in 1970s due to the impact of sea pollution and decreasing catching.

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Table 3.3 Construction process of Kelong 1. Differs from living house, kelong

is built on sea. It is firstly built a working platform on the sea. Two workers on the platform and two workers dive into sea to manually pile the areca logs into the ground for 5 feet. The distance between logs depends on the tide force. The stronger the tide, denser the logs are piled.

2. The first level is always under sea level. The direction of fish trap has to follow the flow of tide and design trap entrance from north to south to lure fishes into the trap.

3. The second level is for the operation of fishing.

4. Logs are joined by nails. Areca log is high and straight that suitable to the construction on sea.

However, it is easy to be damaged and has to be replaced every 2 to 3 years.

Source: illustrated by the study

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Table 3.4 Construction process of floating fish farm 1. The framework of floating

fish farm is constructed on land. Woods are placed above plastic buckets and nailed together. A fish farm commonly contains around 100 grids.

2. Passage is nailed above the woods.

3. Fish farm is then dragged to open water and fix the position by anchor and mangrove log at four corners to prevent from being swept away by wave.

4. The way to pile mangrove under the ground is same with kelong. Distance between fish farm and log is around 10 feet.

The anchor will then be placed slightly farer than the log.

94 6. Cross-shaped mangrove log

takes same practice with wooden house.

7. Fish nets are then put into the grids.

Source: illustrated by the study

As the fish farms are set on the sea and meet stronger tide, the stabilization of net is considered. The net is string together through iron tube and brick. The tubes at four corners are to ensure the square-shaped of net, while the bricks add weight to net to fix the position.

Figure 3.14 Construction details of fish net Source: illustrated by the study

3.3.3 Construction materials

In history, the materials are basically found locally in the jungles. Mangrove woods were applied for pile foundation. Timbers were used commonly for the column and basic

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structure, wall and thatched roof. Timber structure was then be replaced by modern construction materials and technology such as cement, brick and iron, etc.

1) Pile: mangrove log is used to support the weight of house and need to be replaced every 7 to 8 years regularly. It is then evolved to be buried under the ground to support concrete foundation.

2) Column: extremely good wood is used to support the high portion of weight of the house. After then it was replaced by concrete.

3) Crossbeam: it served to secure the structural framework and made by timber. After then it was replaced by concrete.

4) Floor: made of wood. After then it was replaced by concrete and ceramic tile.

5) Walls: leaves were used normally from palm tree. After then it was replaced by concrete and brick.

6) Roof: it consists of wooden framework and cover by leaves from palm tree. After then it was replaced by tile while the framework remained as wooden.

7) Kelong: trunk of palm tree is used to make entire framework. Timber is used to make passage.

8) Floating fish farm: plastic bucket or Styrofoam is used to make floating devices.

Timber is use to made passage. Iron and brick to fix net’s position.