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Atap Pelana
THEORY & MATHEMATICSbeginner
Definition
A gable or saddle roof — the simplest pitched roof form, with two sloping planes meeting at a central ridge and open triangular gabled ends. Atap pelana is the most common roof type in Indonesian vernacular and low-cost housing, valued for structural efficiency, ease of construction, and excellent rain-shedding performance under heavy tropical monsoon rainfall. Steep pitches of 30–45° are typical to drain rainfall rapidly and provide deep eaves that shade the walls below.
Example
The mass housing (perumahan) built across Indonesian cities during the New Order period standardised the atap pelana with genteng tanah liat tiles at a 35° pitch — a form so ubiquitous that it remains the default mental image of Indonesian suburban housing today.