Traditional Burmese Teak Farmhouses

Early 2024 has seen the successful completion of several of the Endangered Wooden Architecture Programme Grants. One such project is the Burmese Teak Farmhouse Documentation Project conducted by World Monuments Fund. The project surveyed 20 teak farmhouses from different regions of Myanmar to show the range of farmhouse typologies. The basic form of these houses is a platform elevated on stilts upon which a structure with a single gable thatched roof is erected. The columns are sturdy vertical teak logs that are embedded in the ground; and in Burmese, they are known as long-legged houses. The sturdy posts support a broad platform, bamboo walls, and covered staircase that connects the platform with the space beneath the house that provides shelter for livestock and a place to store agricultural tools.

A two-story residential farmhouse in Yang Keng Village,
East Shan State. EWAP1046SG-STA-0329 (c) Jeff Allen and
WMF, 2023. https://doi.org/10.60491/ewap1046sg022024016
 

The tropical monsoon climate supports both wood-eating fungi and wood-eating insects, which can quickly destroy a wooden structure if left unchecked and these natural pests are partly responsible for the loss of the wooden built environment in Myanmar. Even as agriculture continues to underpin Myanmar’s economy, many farmhouse owners are also opting to replace their homes with modern buildings made of non-traditional materials. Additionally, the old farmhouses are sold for their materials as teak wood commands a high price in the market. 

Even while undertaking this project the researchers witnessed the dismantling of farmhouses, highlighting the importance of this survey. Engaging with farmhouse owners the project has contributed to our understanding of Myanmar’s rich vernacular architectural legacy and provides the foundation for future research. As well as the data present in EWAP’s database the project team has created a video on the project.

The Endangered Wooden Architecture Programme (EWAP), Oxford Brookes University, is funded by Arcadia, a charitable foundation that works to protect nature, preserve cultural heritage and promote open access to knowledge.