Southeast Asian Vernacular Settlement and Its Architectural Transformation: Tenganan Pegeringsingan in Bali as a Case Study

Abstract

From the colonial era onward, Western observers have held romanticized notions of Southeast Asia as part of the East. As a consequence, Southeast Asian vernacular villages, possessing a strong sense of cultural identity and convenient accessibility, are currently transforming into tourist attractions. From an economic standpoint, tourism is beneficial, but it also has other effects, such as changing the village's architecture and landscape design. The purpose of this study is to shed light on the architectural and spatial changes that took place in Bali's Tenganan Pegeringsingan Village and how the locals interpret these developments. We use qualitative research methods such as archival analysis, building and architectural surveys, and qualitative interviews to study pre-change conditions, compare them to current conditions, and ascertain how the community accepts or rejects the changes that have taken place. Furthermore, the difficulties of preserving its identity will also be discussed. The study's findings describe the difficulties and resiliency tactics of villages with deep cultural ties in the face of external variables affecting their internal process of knowledge transfer. The research will conclude by outlining how a Southeast Asian traditional settlement has changed in the era of global capital, namely tourism, and what creative endeavours can fulfil its current and future needs without sacrificing its identity.