The evolution of railway station architecture in Java

Abstract

ABSTRACT Almost all existing railway engineering systems in Java, from those established at the inception of the railway to those more recently developed, have already been investigated. However, the evolution of railway station architecture on the island of Java has not been explored in depth. Currently, not all stations are functional or in good condition, some being unused, damaged, dilapidated, or neglected. The transformation of stations, between the establishment of the railway in Java and the arrival of the Japanese in 1942, demands attention and more detailed study because it could show the genesis of the island’s railway station architecture. This study finds that Java’s station architecture has originality because it was designed to deal with the conditions in the island. The station buildings are testament to engineers’ pragmatic work before 1900 to deal with geography and climate and architects’ efforts after 1900 to explore local architectural knowledge.