From preservation to revitalization: climate-responsive conservation of Dalem Kepatihan Mangkunegaran, Surakarta

Wooden heritage buildings in tropical areas experience severe conservation issues due to dynamic environmental conditions, organic material sensitivity, and shifting building use patterns. This study aims to analyze the relationship between architectural configuration, microenvironmental dynamics, and material degradation in traditional Javanese historic buildings through a case of The Mangkunegaran Palace in Surakarta. This study was designed with an interdisciplinary approach that integrates architectural documentation, material condition evaluations, non-destructive diagnostic testing, microclimate monitoring, and stakeholder perception analysis. Surveys were carried out on traditional Javanese spatial systems, while material conditions were evaluated through wood moisture measurements historical plaster analysis using portable X-ray fluorescence. Temperature and relative humidity were monitored in numerous building spaces. The results revealed that material degradation patterns were significantly were impacted by environmental exposure and the ventilation. Wooden elements in open spacesdecayed more rapidly, but moisture accumulated in enclosed places. These findings offer an integrated conservation framework for wooden historical buildings in tropical environments.