In The Margins of Modernity: Sindujoyo’s Bale as Coastal Identity and Cultural Resilience

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-632-6_3How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Bale; Coastal Community; Cultural Resilience; Identity; Urban Nodes

Abstract

Modernization that led to livelihood shifting persistently affected the northern coastal area of Java. Located in the northern part of Gresik Regency, Sindujoyo became the last surviving fishermen village in the city amongst aggressive industrial expansion. For a coastal community, the fishermen’s hut or bale serves as an essential facility, functioning as a resting place, communal meetings, and a space to prepare fishing equipment before going to sea. In Sindujoyo, however, the role of the bale extends beyond its utilitarian use. It also serves a traditional cultural rite that reflects the area’s identity. Despite modernization, the structures persist and play a vital role as urban nodes in maintaining vibrant local traditions. This research employs a qualitative approach to explore the cultural significance of the bale. Through spatial analysis, two types of bales were identified based on visual characteristics. Despite its differences, both types illustrate the interrelation between Javanese architectural and local folklore, which collectively shape the coastal identity. Moreover, the affordance of the Sindujoyo bale is multi-layered, as its perception varies across different community groups. By unveiling the cultural roles embedded in the bale’s architecture, the study offers an insight into how traditional practices and spaces can sustain identity and resilience amidst rapid industrialization in coastal areas.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Utari Sulistyandari
AU  - Shafira Zulfa Audina
AU  - Ayos Purwoaji
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/04/13
TI  - In The Margins of Modernity: Sindujoyo’s Bale as Coastal Identity and Cultural Resilience
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Architectural Research and Design (ARDC 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 18
EP  - 30
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-632-6_3
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-632-6_3
ID  - Sulistyandari2026
ER  -