Learning from the past: sustainability aspects of Dutch Colonial Housing compared to traditional and modern houses in Aceh

The Dutch colonisation of Indonesia, which lasted for more than 350 years, left behind a variety of architectural relics, including colonial houses that continue to serve functional purposes until today. In Banda Aceh, several Dutch colonial houses are still occupied, either as private residences or offices managed by the Indonesian military. These houses were designed by adopting architectural features suited to tropical climates, such as large openings, high ceilings, and wooden wall structures that support natural ventilation and thermal comfort. This study analyses the sustainability aspects of three Dutch colonial houses in Banda Aceh by evaluating their spatial design, ventilation strategies, and construction materials. To strengthen the analysis, comparisons are also made with the Acehnese traditional house (Rumoh Aceh), which embodies local wisdom in climatic adaptation, and modern houses that are commonly built in Aceh today. The findings reveal that colonial houses demonstrate strong sustainability performance through passive cooling strategies and the use of locally available materials with low embodied energy. These approaches parallel those of traditional Acehnese houses but differ significantly from modern houses, which rely heavily on energy-intensive materials and mechanical cooling. The study concludes that colonial housing design provides valuable lessons for contemporary sustainable architecture in tropical regions.