An investigation of the sustainability of old traditional mosque architecture: case study of three mosques in Gayo Highland, Aceh, Indonesia

The existing traditional architecture has a sustainable design that is adaptive to the environment. Old mosque is one of the traditional architectures that has withstood the test of time due to its adaptations to the environment. Mosques as religious buildings designed for Muslims to practice their religion lead to their design being convenient and sustainable. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the design elements of the old traditional mosques in Gayo highland of Indonesia, i.e. Asal Penampaan, Tue Kebayakan, and Al Jihad Mosques, so that a more sustainable approach to architecture may be developed. The methodology of this study is qualitative, carried out through observation and a literature review on the design and environmental elements of the mosque architecture. In this study, the design and environmental elements reviewed are limited to the building materials; the building floor plan and Structure; the openings; and the water bodies surrounding the mosques. The results showed that these traditional mosques have structures, materials, and designs that are adaptive to climate and the environment. The characteristics of this mosque include low embodied energy from the local materials and resilience to earthquakes through the Saka guru system, supported by mortise and tenon joint system.