Rural Khmer houses are a traditional house types of the

Khmer people The Khmer people ( km, ជនជាតិខ្មែរ, ) are a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Cambodia. They comprise over 90% of Cambodia's population of 17 million.

. Typically, rural Khmer two-storey buildings, varying in size from by to about 6 by . The basic

structure A structure is an arrangement and organization of interrelated elements in a material object or system, or the object or system so organized. Material structures include man-made objects such as buildings and machines and natural objects such as ...

consists of a

wooden Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin tha ...

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 A gable roof is a roof consisting of two sections whose upper horizontal edges meet to form its ridge. The most common roof shape in cold or temperate climates, it is constructed of rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of a gable roof ca ...

(Phteah Rông Daol), a

hipped roof A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope (although a tented roof by definition is a hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak). Thus, ...

(Phteah Pét), the Khmer house (Phteah Keung) with a roof shape sometimes called a ''bonnet roof'' or ''shikoro'' in Japanese. 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. 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

stilt Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates. They have extremely long legs, hence the grou ...

s that sometimes extend as high as off the ground. In this way, annual floods do not affect the main room in the houses of

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

farmers, whereas rural farmers are able to use the ground level area beneath the house for working and to provide shelter for

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...

. 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 A bedroom or bedchamber is a room situated within a residential or accommodation unit characterised by its usage for sleeping and sexual activity. A typical western bedroom contains as bedroom furniture one or two beds (ranging from a crib for ...

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 Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...

, a

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

, and a

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

-operated

electric light An electric light, lamp, or light bulb is an electrical component that produces light. It is the most common form of artificial lighting. Lamps usually have a base made of ceramic, metal, glass, or plastic, which secures the lamp in the soc ...

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 Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

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 Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nanometres (nm), corresponding to frequencies of 750–420 tera ...

, always remains the most important area. Despite indoor and outdoor

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

s of and up to 80% relative

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

the old rural Khmer houses are very comfortable, both at ground level and on the upper floor. In spite of the absence of electric or mechanical

air conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...

, a draught-free environment appears to be attained simply by means of

natural ventilation Passive ventilation is the process of supplying air to and removing air from an indoor space without using HVAC, mechanical systems. It refers to the flow of external air to an indoor space as a result of pressure differences arising from natural ...

Khmer house

The original Khmer house is a

stilt house Stilt houses (also called pile dwellings or lake dwellings) are houses raised on stilts (or piles) over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding; they also keep out vermin. The ...

, or pile, house. The

consists of evenly spaced wooden pilings that extend from the ground to the eaves or the roof ridge historically called

ridge-post framing Ridge-post framing is an old type of timber framing. The ridge board of their roof is not carried by king posts based on tie beams, but the ridge posts are based on the ground work. The German term for this construction is ''Firstständerhaus''. T ...

. No provision is made at ground level for any form of wall

cladding Cladding is an outer layer of material covering another. It may refer to the following: *Cladding (boiler), the layer of insulation and outer wrapping around a boiler shell *Cladding (construction), materials applied to the exterior of buildings ...

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

gable roof A gable roof is a roof consisting of two sections whose upper horizontal edges meet to form its ridge. The most common roof shape in cold or temperate climates, it is constructed of rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of a gable roof ca ...

with an open truss completes the structure. Depending on

social status Social status is the level of social value a person is considered to possess. More specifically, it refers to the relative level of respect, honour, assumed competence, and deference accorded to people, groups, and organizations in a society. Stat ...

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 A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''veran ...

, 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 A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope (although a tented roof by definition is a hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak). Thus, ...

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 Khmer house is an example of indigenous materials used with a traditional design called

vernacular architecture Vernacular architecture is building done outside any academic tradition, and without professional guidance. This category encompasses a wide range and variety of building types, with differing methods of construction, from around the world, bo ...

The rural Khmer house: a functional dwelling

The rural Khmer house is a perfect example of a

dwelling In law, a dwelling (also known as a residence or an abode) is a self-contained unit of accommodation used by one or more households as a home - such as a house, apartment, mobile home, houseboat, vehicle, or other "substantial" structure. The ...

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 An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used ...

. 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 Agricultural machinery relates to the mechanical structures and devices used in farming or other agriculture. There are many types of such equipment, from hand tools and power tools to tractors and the countless kinds of farm implements that the ...

. 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 A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation in a dwelling or in a commercial establishment. A modern middle-class residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a ...

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

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. File:cambo_120.JPG File:cambo_108.jpg File:cambo_123.jpg File:cambo_121.jpg File:cambo_124.jpg File:cambo_126.jpg File:cambo_122.jpg File:cambo_741.jpg File:Cambo 85.JPG

Traditional rural Khmer house

The typical rural house is the basic structure from which all variations have developed.

Construction Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...

elements are made of wood; rounded posts are used for piles, whilst

joist A joist is a horizontal structural member used in framing to span an open space, often between beams that subsequently transfer loads to vertical members. When incorporated into a floor framing system, joists serve to provide stiffness to the s ...

s are made of squared beams. Simple

carpentry Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenters tr ...

is used to join horizontal and vertical elements; the use of

screws A screw and a bolt (see '' Differentiation between bolt and screw'' below) are similar types of fastener typically made of metal and characterized by a helical ridge, called a ''male thread'' (external thread). Screws and bolts are used to fa ...

, 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 Settlement may refer to: *Human settlement, a community where people live *Settlement (structural), the distortion or disruption of parts of a building * Closing (real estate), the final step in executing a real estate transaction *Settlement (fin ...

. Typical characteristics of such a

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. The image on the right shows a 107-year-old house and is still owned by the same family. It has a wooden

, with

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

walls. The roof is

thatched Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge (''Cladium mariscus''), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of ...

with

straw. The lifespan of such houses is obviously not very long, probably not more than 100 – 120 years. File:cambo_141.jpg File:cambo_142.jpg File:cambo_143.jpg File:cambo_144.jpg File:cambo_149.jpg, This house is 107 years old

Traditional waterside Khmer house

These houses stand in water, either temporarily or permanently, and are genuine pile buildings, with no

foundations Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

. Wooden

diagonal In geometry, a diagonal is a line segment joining two vertices of a polygon or polyhedron, when those vertices are not on the same edge. Informally, any sloping line is called diagonal. The word ''diagonal'' derives from the ancient Greek δ ...

struts that strengthen the piles standing in the water ensure the stability of the building. File:cambo_152.jpg File:cambo_151.jpg File:cambo_154.jpg File:cambo_155.jpg

Further developments using modern building materials

Modern rural houses differ from simple rural houses above all in the wall cladding and roof covering. Wood is still used for the main structure, the only difference being that the piles stand on individual prefabricated concrete

. Instead of the original homemade

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

matting, wooden boarding is used for wall cladding.

Window A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent materia ...

s and doors remain as structural openings, but sometimes they are equipped with shutters. Clay tiles or corrugated tin roofing replace the conventional roof covering that simply provided protection against the sun. Tiles are not homemade and have to be purchased. The use of modern building materials and the consequent alteration in the basic structure of the building increases the need for ventilation. File:cambo_161.jpg File:cambo_162.jpg File:cambo_163.jpg File:cambo_164.jpg File:cambo_166.jpg File:cambo_167.jpg File:cambo_168.jpg File:cambo_169.jpg

Walled rural house

Today's population has an ever-greater need for security and prosperity. In contemporary houses, the ground level, which was previously an open area simply defined by the open framework of the building, is now walled in. The walls are made of

brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...

and are rendered on the outside and inside. The interior is now no longer an open space but divided into separate rooms by dividing walls. The window and door openings, so important for efficient

, are now closed with wood-framed glass windows and a solid wooden front door. The upper floor is still made of

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin th ...

and built in the same way as the traditional wooden houses. However, the walled construction of the ground level means that the load no longer has to be conveyed to the individual points of the supporting structure, but can now be distributed at random. Consequently, we now find constructions that differ radically from the typical traditional basic design. File:cambo_171.jpg File:cambo_172.jpg

Masonry Versus Carpentry

Colonial architecture Colonial architecture is an architectural style from a mother country that has been incorporated into the buildings of settlements or colonies in distant locations. Colonists frequently built settlements that synthesized the architecture of their ...

introduced the idea of solid, durable buildings that could be bought, sold and inherited. This was a radical cultural change. Such buildings were “grounded” by a system of walls requiring foundations rather than the traditional post and beam structure made of wood and raised off the ground. The Southeast Asian tradition of carpentry uses ingenious structures that are stable with a minimum of material. Carpentry for construction derives from three-dimensional thinking from boat building, basket weaving and even kite building. While the traditional wooden house was built on stilts with matting used to enclose the raised living area, the colonial house had thick walls in which window openings could be cut out. With colonial architecture, the wall and the mason are predominant. With traditional architecture, wooden post and beam and the carpenter come into their own. This section "

Masonry Masonry is the building of structures from individual units, which are often laid in and bound together by mortar; the term ''masonry'' can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are bricks, building ...

Versus

Carpentry Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenters tr ...

" is an excerpt from the book Building Cambodia: New Khmer Architecture 1953–1970.Grant Ross, Helen and Collins, Darryl Leon ''Building Cambodia: 'New Khmer Architecture' 1953-1970'', Bangkok: The Key Publisher Co. Ltd., 2006

Access

Access to the upper floor is a special feature of Khmer houses and very varied. The simplest form may be a wooden

ramp An inclined plane, also known as a ramp, is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle from the vertical direction, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load. The inclined plane is one of the six clas ...

ladder A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps used for climbing or descending. There are two types: rigid ladders that are self-supporting or that may be leaned against a vertical surface such as a wall, and rollable ladders, such a ...

, whilst

staircases Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...

can be of wooden

filigree Filigree (also less commonly spelled ''filagree'', and formerly written ''filigrann'' or ''filigrene'') is a form of intricate metalwork used in jewellery and other small forms of metalwork. In jewellery, it is usually of gold and silver, ma ...

spiral In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving farther away as it revolves around the point. Helices Two major definitions of "spiral" in the American Heritage Dictionary are:masonry Masonry is the building of structures from individual units, which are often laid in and bound together by mortar; the term ''masonry'' can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are bricks, building ...

. Whereas this means of access would formerly have been handmade, nowadays

prefabricated Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located. The term is u ...

concrete elements are widely used. File:cambo_21.jpg File:cambo_24.jpg File:cambo_22.jpg File:cambo_23.jpg File:cambo_25.jpg

Household and family structures

If there is a

it is located at the back of the house, generally a few steps lower than the upper floor. Often the

is situated in a separate building near the house, usually behind it. Toilet facilities consist of simple pits in the ground, located away from the house. When filled they are covered with earth. Any

(

pigs The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...

and

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, a ...

) is kept in cages, on the ground level.

Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

farmers have water buffalo, which are kept in the area around the house.

Houses and health

In farming communities people do not seem to be particularly concerned about

health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

. Unless the illness is due to an eating disorder, which can be dealt with by a change in diet, it is assumed that it is caused by spirits. Due to the collective consciousness of the community, illness may affect not only individuals, but entire households and villages. When this occurs, people believe that the spirits are not taking good care of them, so they move to another house for another ‘contract’. They may even abandon a village for the same reason. For further information about household and family structures see: http://countrystudies.us/cambodia/42.htm

Furniture

People in

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

do not have much

furniture Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Fu ...

. However, one item that is found in all houses is a multifunctional low table, which is used for sleeping, sitting, talking and working. Different styles of tables are found both upstairs and downstairs – always within the area of the house itself; on the ground level it is a vital element of daily life. A

hammock A hammock (from Spanish , borrowed from Taíno and Arawak ) is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two or more points, used for swing (seat), swinging, sleeping, or Human relaxation, resting. It normally consists of one ...

is used for sleeping during the daytime and is the most relaxing and comfortable piece of

. On the upper floor the same type of table-like furniture is used as a bed. In more urban surroundings, people may have a simple type of

sideboard A sideboard, also called a buffet, is an item of furniture traditionally used in the dining room for serving food, for displaying serving dishes, and for storage. It usually consists of a set of cabinets, or cupboards, and one or more drawers ...

on which they place items of importance: a

, a

shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...

, a

operated

mobile phones A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...

, as well as

photographs A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now created ...

of their grandparents and members of the family who have died. Because of the spatial organisation of the basic Khmer house,

is placed alongside the

wall A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or, is decorative. There are many kinds of walls, including: * Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the supe ...

s within the personal space of the inhabitants. The central area is always left free and is used as a common room. File:cambo_301.jpg File:cambo_302.jpg File:cambo_303.jpg File:cambo_304.jpg File:cambo_305.jpg File:cambo_306.jpg File:cambo_307.jpg File:cambo_308.jpg

The house in its setting

Nowadays the plot of a rural Khmer house is situated between the main street, to the front, and the

rice fields A paddy field is a flooded field of arable land used for growing semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in southern China, associated with pre-Aust ...

at the back. In a busy thoroughfare, there is often a small shop, which consists of a simple wooden shelter beside the street, where all kinds of goods are sold. A

party political A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or pol ...

sign may be displayed outside the house on the street side. A water channel separates the site from the street; here buffalo drink, and lotus plants are able to grow. With increasing urbanisation, this channel serves to drain excess water from the ground when seasonal rainfall causes flooding. Generally a well, which provides drinking water, can be found on one side at the front of the house. A

welcomes visitors. The bare ground in front of the house serves as the main working area for any major task requiring plenty of space:

is spread here to dry (sometimes it is even spread on the warm

asphalt Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...

of the

road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...

);

threshing Threshing, or thrashing, is the process of loosening the edible part of grain (or other crop) from the straw to which it is attached. It is the step in grain preparation after reaping. Threshing does not remove the bran from the grain. History ...

takes place here, and milling, as well as all kinds of repair work. The house itself is situated on the highest part of the site. It is essential that the main working area on the ground level is not flooded during the monsoon rains.

Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

trees In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are u ...

and

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

palms grow beside and mainly behind the house.

Vegetables Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...

may also be cultivated.

Vegetation Vegetation is an assemblage of plant species and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic character ...

around the house helps to shelter the house from the intense sunshine, as well as forming a break against powerful winds or storms. Depending on the amount of space available, a clay house for

storage is situated at the back or to the side of the house. If

are kept, their sty will also be in this area. The back of the house is used as a private space: toilet pits are dug here for example;

garbage Garbage, trash, rubbish, or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or gaseous wastes, or toxic waste produc ...

is also deposited here. The area at the back of the house is often used to store

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

, and all types of material that are not being used for the time being; there is less activity here than at the front of the house. When children marry, or other relatives move into the household, further separate buildings are built beside the main house. To begin with, when money or building material is scarce, additional family members often live in a temporary

shelter Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. Shelter may also refer to: Places * Port Shelter, Hong Kong * Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations * Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locatio ...

on the ground beside or behind the main building. A new building is erected as soon as circumstances permit. Due to lack of

money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as ...

or shortage of building materials such buildings are generally smaller than the main house. All settlements are arranged in a similar fashion, in a

linear Linearity is the property of a mathematical relationship (''function'') that can be graphically represented as a straight line. Linearity is closely related to '' proportionality''. Examples in physics include rectilinear motion, the linear r ...

pattern A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated l ...

along a

. In more densely populated villages, which lack direct access to the rice fields and are cut off from main roads, dwellings remain independent from each other, separated by a garden with

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

palms and a

vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...

plot. In these circumstances the rice fields are situated outside the village.

Constructional details

Typology of Khmer house File:cambo_51.jpg File:cambo_52.jpg File:cambo_53.jpg File:cambo_54.jpg File:cambo_57.jpg File:cambo_56.jpg

Main characteristics

The building consists of a supporting framework, which stands on individual

. There are no bracing or shear walls to strengthen the structure. The roof is built before wall cladding is applied. File:cambo_511.jpg File:cambo_512.jpg File:cambo_513.jpg

Foundations

The load-bearing piles of the building stand on single foundations. To comply with the specific conditions of the generally

loamy soil Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...

s, single foundations are laid in the following manner: At the bottom of a 1 metre deep excavation several wooden poles of 1.5 – 2.00 metres length are rammed into the ground and then covered with a layer of compacted stone, followed by a hewn stone or prefabricated concrete slab, which provides the base for the pile. The excavation is then filled with soil. In a modern version the single foundations are linked with concrete slabs and prefabricated pillars extending to the upper floor are used. File:cambo_521.jpg File:Cambo_527.JPG File:cambo_522.jpg File:cambo_523.jpg File:cambo_524.jpg File:cambo_525.JPG File:cambo_526.jpg

Piles

For each pile, a single round hardwood tree trunk, such as .(...) is used. Extending from the foundation to the roof, and in the centre as far as the

roof ridge A roof ( : roofs or rooves) is the top covering of a building, including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights, providing protection against rain, snow, sunlight, extremes of tempe ...

, the piles, together with the horizontal

s, form the bearing structure of the house.

Joists

Rectangular-sawn hardwood (such as ...) is used for the

s. In earlier built, traditional houses these continuous elements run through the vertical piles, whereas in more modern houses

s consist of two elements running either side of the piles. The distance of the joists can not use for a long distance (From 2m to 3.75) for the Khmer house structure because it is easy to crack or bend while we use over load. So the technical of Khmer house almost use the wood as a principle materials.

Roof

Piles,

s and

rafter A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members such as wooden beams that extend from the ridge or hip to the wall plate, downslope perimeter or eave, and that are designed to support the roof shingles, roof deck and its associated ...

s, on which battens are laid, are linked together to form a rigid roof truss. This

construction Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...

helps to stabilise the whole structure of the house, and can be described as a rigid

prism Prism usually refers to: * Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light * Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron Prism may also refer to: Science and mathematics * Prism (geology), a type of sedimentary ...

s. File:cambo_531.jpg, Piles File:cambo_532.jpg, Piles File:cambo_533.jpg, Piles File:cambo_541.jpg, Joists File:cambo_542.jpg, Joists File:cambo_543.jpg, Joists File:cambo_551.jpg, Roof

Assembly

Given the absence of diagonal bracing or shear walls, the stability of the structure depends on the joints. In traditional houses transverse and longitudinal rigidity is achieved by passing the horizontal

s through the piles, in close proximity, one above the other. Wedges are used to lock the joists in position. Nowadays this labour-intensive technique is no longer used and joists are no longer passed through the piles; instead the joists consist of two identical beams that are placed to each side of the piles, to which they are fixed by screws or nails. File:cambo_562.jpg File:cambo_563.jpg File:cambo_564.jpg File:cambo_565.jpg File:cambo_566.jpg

Wall cladding

Differences in the design are basically dependent on the financial means of a family and the materials available. Houses of simple farmers generally have walls made of

leaf matting, the preparation of which is labour-intensive but does not rely on imported materials. The palm leaf matting is fixed directly to the structural framework. Fine

struts are often used to anchor the matting. In more sophisticated houses wooden boards are used to clad the walls, aligned either horizontally or vertically. The horizontal version is fixed like weatherboarding, with the upper board overlapping the board below. Boards are butt jointed; in some cases joints are covered with a strip of

. File:cambo_571.jpg File:cambo_572.jpg File:cambo_573.JPG File:cambo_574.JPG File:cambo_575.jpg File:cambo_576.jpg

Thermal comfort in a tropical, sub-tropical climate

lies in the

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

zone, 10 to 13 degrees north of the

equator The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can als ...

. The

climate Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologic ...

is dominated by the

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

cycle, with dry and wet seasons. November – February cool and dry, March – May hot and dry, June – August hot and wet, September – early November cool and wet. Temperatures and rainfall are summarized in the following tables: see http://www.canbypublications.com/cambodia/climate.htm

Temperature and humidity recordings

Temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

and humidity recordings show that variations in

of the inner and outer surfaces no greater than + / - 1 °C. Thermal imaging confirms this, which leads to the conclusion that there is no noticeable difference in

outside or inside the house. Contrary to expectations, constant air circulation, which would have a cooling effect on surface temperatures, does not take place. However, the gap between the roof and the walls allows air to flow in and out, thereby preventing heat accumulation below the roof (see 6.3.). File:cambo_611.png File:cambo_612.png

Thermal imaging

Infrared thermal imaging reveals that the lowest temperatures are found at ground level beneath the house. It can be said that the comfortable indoor

is brought about by a combination of the ‘umbrella effect’ of the roof and

. The roof shields the house against direct heat radiation, whilst the continuous opening between the roof and the top of the walls allows a constant flow of air in and out, which prevents an accumulation of warm air beneath the roof. File:cambo_621.jpg File:cambo_622.jpg File:cambo_623.jpg File:cambo_624.jpg File:cambo_625.jpg File:cambo_626.jpg File:cambo_627.jpg File:cambo_628.jpg

Air flow study using smoke as tracer

File:cambo_631.jpg File:cambo_632.jpg File:cambo_633.jpg

Conclusion

Despite indoor

s of 36 °C and up to 80%

relative humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

, and though there is no electric

air-conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...

, a comfortable, draught-free environment is maintained. This is possible thanks to the ‘umbrella effect’ of the roof.

Primeval forest settlement north of Siem Reap

Size of settlement: 50 – 80 houses, of which the oldest is approximately 120 years old; typical two-storey Khmer houses on piles. Village structure: several open areas, and one central, communal area (measuring about 2,500 m2) with a well. The inhabitants and their livestock live communally beneath the same roof. Animals are left to roam freely throughout the day, with no fencing. Clear division of space: the area between houses forms alleyways of variable width. Day-to-day family life takes place on the ground level; on the upper floor individual rooms, partitioned off by cloth hangings, serve as sleeping areas and – if there is one – a place to watch TV. File:cambo_703.jpg File:cambo_704.jpg File:cambo_705.jpg File:cambo_706.jpg File:cambo_707.jpg File:cambo_708.jpg File:cambo_709.jpg File:cambo_710.jpg File:cambo_711.jpg File:cambo_712.jpg File:cambo_713.jpg File:cambo_714.jpg File:cambo_715.jpg File:cambo_716.jpg File:cambo_717.jpg File:cambo_718.jpg File:cambo_719.jpg File:cambo_720.jpg File:cambo_721.jpg File:cambo_722.jpg File:cambo_723.jpg File:cambo_724.jpg File:cambo_725.jpg File:cambo_726.jpg File:cambo_727.jpg File:cambo_728.jpg File:cambo_729.jpg File:cambo_732.jpg File:cambo_733.jpg File:cambo_734.jpg File:cambo_735.jpg File:cambo_736.jpg File:cambo_737.jpg File:cambo_738.jpg File:cambo_739.jpg File:cambo_740.jpg File:cambo_742.jpg File:cambo_743.jpg File:cambo_744.jpg File:cambo_746.jpg

Similar constructions outside Cambodia

In south-west

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, Dong and Miao houses are built in a similar fashion to the Khmer house. The Dong and

Miao Miao may refer to: * Miao people, linguistically and culturally related group of people, recognized as such by the government of the People's Republic of China * Miao script or Pollard script, writing system used for Miao languages * Miao (Unicode ...

populations are both minority groups in

, and are privileged. They most probably immigrated into

from

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

and north

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

in pre-

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

times. File:cambo_81.jpg File:cambo_82.jpg File:cambo_83.jpg File:cambo_84.JPG File:cambo_85.JPG

References

External links

Architecture – Khmer Civilization

Cambodian Art and Architecture: Free Encyclopedia Articles

Cambodia Cultural

Non-profit volunteering - Rural Community Development

Non-profit volunteering - Project No.4
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rural Khmer House Houses in Cambodia Cambodian culture Vernacular architecture