An integrated living system of a traditional Sundanese hamlet in West Java, Indonesia.
Ayu Tri Prestasia and Boomi Kim 2019
The spatial organization of Kampung Naga is influenced by its location on the valley. The topographical characteristics of the site defines the vertical zonation of the hamlet, which is closely related to the utilization of the landscape into the water management system.
Kampung Naga floor plan.
Based on its spatial relation to the settlement area, Kampung Naga can be divided into 3 distinctive zones. The “forbidden forest”, the Sacred Area, is preserved at the top of the composition to infiltrate, filter and store the water through its roots. The settlement area, the Inner Area, is located in the middle with terraced soils following its natural topography. At the lowest level, the Outer Area, fish pond system become the location where almost all the water-related activities take place. Bamboo fences are used as the boundary of the settlement area which at the same time clearly separates these three zones.
Strategic position of the areas on the topography.
Kampung Naga maintains the traditional living with nature amidst modernity that develops around the area. No new technology such as the use of electricity and related devices is allowed in the hamlet. The boundary of Kampung Naga is strictly preserved to balance the number of people whose lives can be supported by the food supply and the ability to manage the wastewater inside the village. While maintaining the number of people who live inside, the rest of the family members can live outside the village.
Although almost all water-related activities are located on the Outer Area, water is treated as a major part of their lives. People keep its space to “breathe”, use it wisely, and purify the wastewater before finally being returned to its original place. Centralization of the activities are designed as an integrated system of water and ecological cycle.
Clockwise. Women use the only water found inside the Inner Area at the Mosque to clean food materials; rice husking station is located above the fishpond; rice terraces which are irrigated from the river; man feeding the fishes; woman washing dishes at the latrine building above the fishponds; woman filling container with Nyusu Water.
Circular Stories
Nature works in circular systems. Living with nature, people in Kampung Naga believe that they need to understand thoroughly and preserve this circularity. Water, as one of the main resources of lives, is used wisely to maintain its circularity. The three water sources which are located on the higher parts of the topography are kept clean free from any activities that could contaminate the water quality. People are forbidden to cut trees in the forest on the hill to maintain its ability to absorb and purify the rainwater to the ground water table. In this case, myth and tradition are used by the community as rules that have to be obeyed. After the water is used for daily activities, it is purified by fishpond systems before finally being returned to the river.
Circularity in a house scale, Kampung Naga village.
Kamalir and Nandur Clearing waterways and planting rice
Kamalir is cleaning waterways from weeds and parasites. It is done by the men in Kampung Naga as part of regular community activities before the planting season. Nandur is the activity of planting rice in the fields. This includes regulating the amount of water collected in each parcel to suit the needs of rice seeds to grow properly.
In Kampung Naga, rice is pounded manually using traditional tools. This activity is carried out at the rice husking station which is built on a fishpond. Rice husks will be thrown into fishpond to feed the fish.
Nyusu air – spring water – is the only source of drinking water in Kampung Naga. The inhabitants collect the Nyusu water from the faucet at a platform on a fishpond.
Project: Kampung Naga
Climate: Tropical – Mild temperate humid
Year: Current
Water Type: Fresh water
Landscape: Plains
Meaning: Utilitarian
Water workers & users: Inhabitants
Material: Concrete & Bamboo
Period: Fixed construction for daily activities
Use or Function : Collect potable water from the spring
In Kampung Naga, toilet units were built above the fishponds in a communal area outside the settlement area. Each latrine has 2 water tanks that separate water from the river and the spring.
In the settlement area of Kampung Naga, the use of water is only found at the mosque, as part of religious rituals before prayer. Besides, sometimes people also use it to wash food materials. This water tub has 2 tanks which are used to separate water from the river or the spring.
Project: Kampung Naga
Climate: Tropical – Mild temperate humid
Year: Current
Water Type: Fresh water
Landscape: Plains
Meaning: Utilitarian
Water workers & users: Inhabitants
Material: Concrete & Stone
Period: Fixed construction for daily activities
Use or Function : Cleaning rituals before prayer, washing food materials
The houses in Kampung Naga are built on a raised platform in a linear arrangement. This level difference forms a gutter that is bounded by river stones, creating storm -water drainage channels.
A system to extract the spring water by creating a hole against the hill wall and channeling the water with pipes to the platform underneath. The spring water is a result of water infiltration through the pristine ‘forbidden’ forest and filtered by its roots. The people of Kampung Naga use it as a source for drinking water.
The waterways flow the river water into the main irrigation channel leading to Kampung Naga. It utilizes piles of alluvial rocks that can be adjusted according to the seasonal change of the river water discharge. The people in Kampung Naga maintain this system manually as part of community activities to maintain social bonds.
Project: Kampung Naga
Climate: Tropical – Mild temperate humid
Year: Current
Water Type: Fresh water
Landscape: River
Altitude: 584 m.a.s.l
Soil Condition: Alluvial Soil
Material: Fluvial rocks & River boulders
Period: Regulated based on seasons
Form: Line
Use or Function : Regulate water discharge from the river
