Rural Khmer house

Whilst visiting Khmer houses during our stays in Cambodia, we were pleasantly surprised to find that despite indoor temperatures of 36°C and up to 80% relative humidity we felt comfortable and stopped sweating, both at ground level and on the upper floor. In spite of the absence of electric or mechanical air conditioning, a comfortable, draught-free, environment appeared to be attained simply by means of natural ventilation. We became curious to know why this was and decided to take a closer look at the way in which traditional rural Khmer houses are built.

Typically, rural Khmer houses are rectangular two-storey buildings, varying in size from four by six metres to about six by ten metres. The basic structure consists of a wooden frame, and the roof is erected before the walls on the upper floor are inserted. The roof frame defines the type of the house: a gabled roof (Phteah Rông Daol), a hipped or mansard roof (Phteah Pét), the Khmer house (Phteah Keung). In Battambong province most houses have open spaces beneath the roof. They are called Phteah Rông Doeung, which may be derived from thbal kdoeung meaning that a rice mill was stored at the back of the house under a second awning (ref. Wooden Architecture of Cambodia, ed. By Francois Tainturier, 2006). A common feature in every type of house is a 5 – 10 cm gap, on all four sides, between the top of the wall of the upper floor and the roof.

Dwellings are raised on stilts that sometimes extend as high as three metres off the ground. In this way, annual floods do not affect the main room in the houses of rice farmers, whereas rural farmers are able to use the ground level area beneath the house for working and to provide shelter for livestock. One or two wooden ladders, ramps or staircases provide access to the upper floor. The simplest houses consist of only one room on the upper floor, partitioned off to provide a storage place for rice, a bedroom for the parents, and a further space for unmarried daughters. The upper floor generally consists of one large room. The main part of this room, the area where visitors are received, is defined by four central pillars; in this space there will be a figure of Buddha, a television, and an electric battery-operated light in the centre attached to the pillars. The parents’ sleeping space is situated either to the left or the right of the central entrance; textiles are often hung to separate this area from the rest of the room. To the back of the upper floor, on the left, is a space for the girls, whilst the boys have a space reserved for them on the right. This arrangement may vary from one family to another, but children are always separated by gender and placed at the back of the house. Other variations in position relative to the main central area are possible, but this room, with a figure of Buddha, television and battery-operated light, always remains the most important area.

Khmer house

The original Khmer house is a stilt, or pile, house. The structure consists of evenly spaced wooden piles that extend from the ground to the eaves or the roof ridge. No provision is made at ground level for any form of wall cladding or protection against wind and rain; by day this area provides shade and serves as a living space for the inhabitants and their livestock. The upper floor, which is closed on all four sides, provides sleeping accommodation during the night; clothes, furniture and objects of value are stored here. A pitched roof with an open truss completes the structure. Depending on social status or financial possibilities, this basic structure may vary. Such variations can often be seen in the partitioning of the upper floor: the division between the parents’ room, or the area set aside for the children, may be extended to include a large veranda, thus providing a separation from the private part of the house. According to the size of the building, further variations may be found: to avoid too great a span width, and economise on material, larger buildings no longer have a simple pitched roof. Based on the framework and depending on the size of the building, 1 – 3 pitched roofs are placed alongside each other; the central roof will be noticeably smaller and narrower. A hip roof is another variation of the typical roof of a Khmer house; this construction requires a large amount of material and is complicated, so that it is rarely seen. The shape of the roof defines the different house types.

The rural Khmer house: a functional dwelling

The rural Khmer house is a perfect example of a dwelling whose simple structure serves its main functions. As well as providing a living and working area, the building serves as a shelter, which is of vital importance in the everyday life of a home in a rural setting that is exposed to the elements. During the day the house functions as a large umbrella. Work and life go on at ground level, where the most effective shade is provided. This area is used for eating and resting, as well as craftwork and various other tasks such as the repair of farm equipment. As the space below the building is dry and easily accessible some less used areas at its outer limits are used for storage; for example people may collect and store wood here until they are able to build the next house for their relatives. People do not stay upstairs during the day; they only sleep here at night. A separate room beside the main living space, which is often a step lower than the upper floor, is reserved for cooking.

Spatial organisation of the house

Typically, the kitchen is situated at the back of the house, often some steps lower and attached to the main building; it is not uncommon for there to be two entrances to this room, one from the upper floor and one directly from the ground level. Sometimes the kitchen is in a separate building near the house. Much attention is paid to certain details, especially in a new house: the main beam of the roof and the main pillars are partially wrapped with glittering metal bands that invite good spirits to protect the house.

Traditional rural Khmer house

The typical rural house is the basic structure from which all variations have developed. Construction elements are made of wood; rounded posts are used for piles, whilst joists are made of squared beams. Simple carpentry is used to join horizontal and vertical elements; the use of screws, which would increase expense, is avoided. Panels of homemade palm matting cover the sides of the house; fixed to the wooden structure in a simple fashion they merely provide protection against the elements but have no influence on the stability of the construction. Palm matting is also used for roofing.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Traditional house in a settlement

The house pictured here is situated in a settlement. Typical characteristics of such a settlement are: The private sphere of each household is restricted to the area occupied by their dwelling; Delimited by the stilt structure of the house, it is at ground level that daily life – work, eating and family interaction – takes place. Livestock is kept here, in simple pens. These typical wooden buildings surround an open space (approximately 150 m2), where there is a communal source of water, which forms the centre of the settlement.

Literature

• Francois Tainturier: Wooden Architecture of Cambodia. A Disappearing Heritage. ISBN-13. 978-99950-51-02-0

See also

Architecture of Cambodia

Weblinks

• Architecture – Khmer Civilization
• Cambodian Art and Architecture: Free Encyclopedia Articles at Questian.com
• Cambodia Cultural