Ruko
Definition
Rumah toko — a combined shop-house typology in which the ground floor operates as a commercial space and upper floors serve as living quarters. Ruko is the dominant building type in Indonesian commercial streets, town centres, and suburban business districts. The form derives from the Chinese shophouse tradition brought by Peranakan communities, refined during the Dutch colonial period, and subsequently mass-produced in standardised rows across the archipelago.
Example
The ruko strips of Kota Tua Jakarta preserve some of the oldest examples — two- to three-storey shophouses with covered arcades (five-foot ways) at the ground floor — while contemporary ruko in suburban areas are often four to five storeys with minimal setback and a garage replacing the traditional arcade.