REPRESENTASI KEBUDAYAAN KAWASAN PERBUKITAN DI DESA WOLOAN DALAM ARSITEKTUR RUMAH ADAT WALEWANGKO - Maria Runtuwene; Asni Amaliah Nuchri; Claudia Talita Dariwu (Pusat Pengembangan Pendidikan dan Penelitian Indonesia, 2026)
Indonesian vernacular architecture, particularly the Walewangko Traditional House in Woloan Village, North Sulawesi, is a concrete manifestation of the close relationship between community culture and the hilly environment. This study aims to analyze cultural representation and ecological adaptation in Walewangko architecture amidst the challenges of modernization. Using a case study method with a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through field observations, in-depth interviews, and literature review to examine the form, function, and symbolic meaning of the building. The research findings indicate that the stilt structure, the orientation of the building's mass, and the use of local wood materials represent the Minahasan people's adaptive response to the local contoured topography and humid climate. Spatially, elements such as the lesar, sekey, pores, and double staircases convey profound philosophies regarding social hierarchy, openness, and the value of mapalus solidarity. However, the pressures of globalization have triggered a transformation in function from a communal ritual center to a more pragmatic private residence, characterized by the substitution of modern materials and the reduction of symbolic ornamentation. It is concluded that despite experiencing physical and functional shifts, the Walewangko Traditional House remains a vital symbol of cultural identity and local wisdom, which is now preserved through the integration of traditional values ??into wooden house industry practices and the ongoing socio-economic dynamics of the Woloan Village community. ABSTRAK Arsitektur vernakular Indonesia, khususnya Rumah Adat Walewangko di Desa Woloan, Sulawesi Utara, merupakan manifestasi nyata hubungan erat antara kebudayaan masyarakat dan lingkungan perbukitan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis representasi budaya dan adaptasi ekologis pada arsitektur Walewangko di tengah tantangan arus modernisasi. Menggunakan metode studi kasus dengan pendekatan deskriptif kualitatif, data dikumpulkan melalui observasi lapangan, wawancara mendalam, dan studi literatur guna membedah aspek bentuk, fungsi, serta makna simbolik bangunan. Temuan penelitian menunjukkan bahwa struktur panggung, orientasi massa bangunan, dan penggunaan material kayu lokal merupakan respons adaptif masyarakat Minahasa terhadap topografi berkontur dan iklim lembap setempat. Secara spasial, elemen-elemen seperti lesar, sekey, pores, dan tangga ganda mengandung filosofi mendalam mengenai hierarki sosial, keterbukaan, serta nilai solidaritas mapalus. Namun, desakan globalisasi telah memicu transformasi fungsi dari pusat ritual komunal menjadi hunian privat yang lebih pragmatis, ditandai dengan substitusi material modern dan reduksi ornamen simbolik. Disimpulkan bahwa meskipun mengalami pergeseran fisik dan fungsional, Rumah Adat Walewangko tetap bertahan sebagai simbol identitas kultural dan kearifan lokal yang vital, yang kini dilestarikan melalui integrasi nilai tradisional dalam praktik industri rumah kayu serta dinamika sosial-ekonomi masyarakat Desa Woloan yang berkelanjutan.