Wow! This is an incredibly interesting exploration of Javanese architecture. And in your quest for searching for its traditional framework, it seems that you have encountered mixed signals in terms of its fundamental characteristics. Your hotel experience was also a challenging pursuit because that building instead portrayed a fusion of architectural elements for that distinctive style. Nevertheless, it opened your eyes to the different design qualities of the Indonesian islands of Java 😊👍
So Mac, in your personal opinion, which Javanese architectural version do you find most appealing and why?
It's something I did not expect to find as well. I think that's because I am not an architect major so I don't know much of some technical side of it and my only exposure has always been the history and some simple architectural information that also still related to history.
In my opinion, I think the actual classical Javanese (temples) are more interesting than the traditional Javanese one which was often constructed with wood. That's also because the classical Javanese architecture is richer in symbolism, philosophy and rooted far to even 8th centuries
I understand, no need for being a professional in the architecture and design fields to notice some of these obvious details. An observant eye and a passion for the said industries are simply needed to arrive at reasonable conclusions and judgments. 😊
Oh yes, symbolisms and their philosophies, especially in the metaphorical design aspects of buildings are also one of the most interesting ingredients for heritage architecture, especially if you refer to classical ones like the Javanese temples. 👍