Weighing Islamic Expression In the Indonesian Town and Its Architecture (a note to remind us all)
Being a country with the largest muslim population in the wodd, Islamic expression in the Indonesian local town and architecture is found in its various forms. Both in regards to the planning of settlements as well as to the form of its folk architecture, mainly those of passed eras.They were mostly created spontaneously by means of local genius, and in which to day theybecome a treasured heritage. There are also towns and its architecture created within the newer periods by professional planners, architects or designers. Whether those towns and their respective architecture as a legacy of the past were planned and designed based on a reference or by adapting theories of Islamic traditions, it is still a quest to many scholars; since they might purely be created rationally on functional bases. It is a fact however that many traditional housesor religious buildings (with focus on mosques) in certain part of the Indonesian archipelago,reflect interesting interpretations on how certain architectural forms and details of town plans are indeed reflecting Islamic values and how in the process of the integration or assimilation of outside influences with local traditions can be interlaced acceptably. The article highlights some domestic examples and includes as well relevant references, selected from other countries of the Islamic world.