Spatial Reconfiguration in Traditional Architecture: Altered Spatial Practices in a Mbaru Niang Guest House (Niang Gena Maro)

Abstract

Wae Rebo is one of the most famous cultural tourist destinations in East Nusa Tenggara. It is recognized for their traditional houses, Mbaru Niang, seven uniquely shaped houses with plenty of cultural and traditional values and often discussed in relation to vernacular form, function, and symbolic meaning. However, changes in habitation patterns, economic needs, and the growth of Wae Rebo as a cultural tourism destination have led some houses to function as guest accommodation rather than permanent dwellings. As traditional houses are spatially organized according to cultural norms and social meanings, such functional changes raise questions regarding how spatial practices and meanings are altered through this transformation. 
This study examines how the transformation of a traditional Mbaru Niang house into guest accommodation alters spatial practices and reshapes the meaning of domestic space and its symbolic meaning. It will be focusing on Niang Gena Maro as a single case study. This study uses a qualitative method by conducting field observations and interviewing residents and architecture researchers to obtain information. Traditional spatial organization is presented as a conceptual baseline rather than as a comparative object. 
The findings reveal significant alterations in spatial practice, particularly on the first floor, which is now fully dedicated to guest activities rather than being divided into three specific zones. Traditional spatial zoning is no longer applied, kitchen functions are relocated to separate areas, and domestic privacy is redefined through collective sleeping and dining arrangements. These changes indicate a shift from kinship-based domestic organization toward hospitality-oriented spatial use.