Siwaluh Jabu
Name of Building
Siwaluh Jabu
Town or City, Country where the building was originally established
Lingga Village, Karo District, North Sumatra, Indonesia
Date the building was designed and/or first built
Mid 19th Century to Early 20th Century
Name of Architect, Builder, or Primary Patron Responsible
Karo Peoples of North Sumatra, Indonesia
Culturally Specific Time Period
Pre-Colonial Indonesia
Geo-Location
3.1207485292314012, 98.4656979519234
Materials
Wood
Bamboo
Reeds
Architectural Type
Domestic
Building Description
A stilted longhouse of the Karos people in Northern Sumatra. Usually it has a rectangular foothold, the structure rises around 12meters. It has an iconic triangular thatched roof that makes up over half of the structure's size. The insides are large enough to house large families. The purpose of the building's unique style is to resist the elements of the region, such as earthquakes and storms. Made of out wood, bamboo and reeds, traditionally without the need of nails or modern tools.
Image source
Image 1: Siwaluh Jabu Desa Budaya Lingga.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siwaluh_Jabu_Desa_Budaya_Lingga.jpg)
Image 2: COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een Karo Batak loods TMnr 60004176.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Een_Karo_Batak_loods_TMnr_60004176.jpg)
Image 2: COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een Karo Batak loods TMnr 60004176.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Een_Karo_Batak_loods_TMnr_60004176.jpg)
Creative Commons or other copyright information
Image 1: Creative Commons
Image 2:Creative Commons
Image 2:Creative Commons
Student First and Last Name
Waldemar Barrios
Collection
Citation
Karo Peoples of North Sumatra, Indonesia, “Siwaluh Jabu,” World Architecture, accessed June 28, 2026, https://www.worldarchitecture.artinterp2.org/items/show/12.
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