Preservation of the Round House as a Local Architectural Identity in Tarakan City: A Review of Conservation and Tourism
Abstract
Rumah Bundar, a traditional architectural heritage associated with the Tidung community in Tarakan City, is increasingly threatened by physical deterioration, architectural modification, modernization, and limited conservation support. This study examines its physical condition, conservation challenges, institutional protection, and potential development as a community-based cultural tourism attraction. A qualitative instrumental case study was conducted in Pamusian Subdistrict using direct observation, semi-structured interviews with homeowners, traditional leaders, government officials, and tourists, and a review of relevant documents. Data were analyzed thematically and validated through data-source triangulation, member checking, researcher reflexivity, and an audit trail. Of the seven Rumah Bundar units observed, one (14.28%) retained its original form and remained in good to moderate condition, two (28.57%) had been partially modified, and four (57.14%) were severely deteriorated or abandoned. The main challenges included high maintenance costs, limited availability of traditional materials and craftsmen, insufficient technical and financial support, inadequate promotion, restricted accessibility, and homeowners’ concerns about privacy and cultural commodification. Nevertheless, Rumah Bundar has potential to strengthen Tarakan’s architectural identity and support cultural tourism. Its sustainable preservation requires an integrated strategy combining physical conservation, legal and institutional protection, traditional craftsmanship regeneration, homeowner assistance, and community-controlled tourism development.
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