Why Are Traditional House Roofs Often Shaped Like a Pyramid? Here’s the Answer

Traditional house architecture in Indonesia is seldom used in modern house designs nowadays. One of the abandoned designs is the pyramid-shaped roof, even though it has many benefits. When viewed from the front, the pyramid-shaped roof looks like a truncated and flat pyramid. When viewed from the side, it resembles modern house roofs. According to Dr. Ir. H. Ibnu Aziz, M.T.Ars, the appearance of the pyramid-shaped roof refers to a hip roof or shield roof, where all sides of the house are covered by the roof.

Looking back at its history, the pyramid-shaped roof can be found in traditional houses in South Sumatra, Lampung, Riau, Medan, and Java. Each pyramid-shaped roof has differences in specific slopes and the structure covered by the roof. Why were pyramid-shaped roofs widely used in traditional houses in the past? There is no definite explanation, but there is a theory stating that the design originated from the North Coast of Java. This design supposedly inspired the formation of traditional houses in South Sumatra, known as the pyramid-shaped house.

The pyramid-shaped house in South Sumatra was not just inspired by the design from Java but also had a historical influence from the royal family lineage in South Sumatra, which still had connections to Java. Therefore, some believe that there is a possibility that the pyramid-shaped houses in Palembang are an evolution of the Javanese pyramid-shaped houses. Apart from this theory, history also records that the appearance of pyramid-shaped houses dates back to before the Islamic civilization. Evidence can be seen in the paintings at the Muara Jambi site from the 9th century, which was during the Hindu-Buddhist era.

In addition to its interconnected heritage, the pyramid-shaped roof is said to be more resistant to wind compared to the gable roof commonly used today, which has a triangular shape and tapers at the top. While the construction of a pyramid-shaped roof is more complex and costly, it was still affordable for wealthy noble families at that time. This is also why modern houses rarely use pyramid-shaped roofs like this.