Heritage Transformation and Identity Construction: Peranakan Chinese Architecture in Lasem's Cultural Landscape
Keywords:
Heritage Transformation; Peranakan Chinese Architecture; Cultural Landscape; Identity Construction; Heritage ConservationAbstract
Heritage areas in historic cities face complex challenges balancing cultural preservation with contemporary development pressures. This study examines how Peranakan Chinese communities in Lasem, Central Java, construct and negotiate architectural identity within Indonesia's evolving cultural landscape. Using Bakhtin's chronotope theory integrated with Berry's acculturation framework and interactive assimilation theory, this research analyzes heritage transformation as temporal-spatial cultural negotiation. Through case study methodology employing intensity sampling and theory-based construct sampling, twelve heritage buildings were examined using architectural analysis, visual documentation, and field observations. The findings reveal three distinct transformation patterns—adoption (direct replication of traditional forms), adaptation (contextual modification integrating Chinese, Javanese, and colonial Dutch influences), and adeption (creative reinterpretation combining historical elements with contemporary functional needs)—that often operate simultaneously within individual buildings. The findings demonstrate how Peranakan Chinese architecture embodies an identity of becoming through spatial chronotope where Chinese, Javanese, colonial Dutch, and modern Indonesian influences engage in ongoing intercultural negotiation across different historical periods. These insights have significant implications for heritage conservation policy, suggesting that effective preservation strategies must accommodate cultural evolution while maintaining historical authenticity. The research offers guidance for developing inclusive urban planning approaches recognizing heritage transformation as ongoing negotiation between past traditions and contemporary needs in multicultural contexts.
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