PROBLEMATIKA PENERAPAN METODE FIELD RESEARCH UNTUK PENELITIAN ARSITEKTUR VERNAKULAR DI INDONESIA - Martana, Salmon Priaji (DIMENSI (Journal of Architecture and Built Environment), 2006)
Field research method was introduced into the academic world on the second half of 19th century. This method commonly used by anthropologist. According to Bronislaw Malinoski -field research pioneer in 1920s- social researcher must interact directly and live together with the indigene to study their tradition, belief, as well as their social process. As the time passing by, field research method also used by another branch of science, including architecture. The implementation of field research method for vernacular architecture research is believed as an appropriate measure, for its ability to portrait the aspects of artifacts, idea and activity within the community where the architecture takes place. However, one has to be aware regarding several problems arise when using this method in the vernacular architecture research. Alongside the fact that architectural research is still a rather new issue, there are quite a few limitations around architect and architecture researcher which made them unable to equalize the anthropologist yet. This paper elucidates the characteristic of field research and its implementation on vernacular architecture research in Indonesia perspective. Abstract in Bahasa Indonesia : Metode field research diperkenalkan di kancah akademik pada paruh kedua abad 19. Pada umumnya metode ini diterapkan oleh peneliti antropologi. Menurut Bronislaw Malinoski -salah seorang pelopornya di tahun 1920an- peneliti sosial harus berinteraksi langsung dan hidup bersama masyarakat pribumi, mempelajari adat istiadat, kepercayaan serta proses sosialnya. Seiring berjalannya waktu, metode field research mulai digunakan pula oleh disiplin ilmu lain, di antaranya arsitektur. Penerapan metode field research untuk penelitian arsitektur vernakular merupakan langkah yang tepat, dikarenakan kemampuannya untuk sekaligus memetakan aspek artifak, tata nilai dan aktivitas dari masyarakat di mana arsitektur tersebut tumbuh dan berkembang. Namun demikian, terdapat beberapa masalah yang perlu dicermati dalam penerapan metode field research pada disiplin ilmu arsitektur, khususnya yang menyangkut penelitian arsitektur vernakular. Di samping penelitian arsitektur itu sendiri yang masih relatif baru, terdapat keterbatasan-keterbatasan tertentu dari arsitek dan peneliti arsitektur yang membuat mereka hingga saat ini belum berhasil sampai pada taraf yang setara dengan peneliti-peneliti antropologi. Makalah ini memaparkan aspek-aspek field research beserta penerapannya dalam penelitian arsitektur vernakular, khususnya di Indonesia. Kata kunci: field research, penelitian arsitektur vernakular.