Same Void, Different Spatial Logics: Rethinking Natah through Asian Courtyard Traditions

Abstract

The morphological similarity of courtyards across cultures leaves a fundamental question: are seemingly similar empty spaces also understood, shaped, and valued in the same way? This study examines the Balinese natah, with traditional Chinese and Indian courtyards as conceptual comparisons, through a structured literature review and comparative document analysis. The data were analyzed through ontological, epistemological, and axiological dimensions. The results show that all three regard emptiness as a meaningful space, but through different mechanisms. The natah functions as a relational center that orients building masses and is shaped through spatial knowledge and socio-ritual practices; the Chinese courtyard emphasizes axiality, hierarchy, and privacy; whereas the Indian courtyard demonstrates diverse relationships among central space, Vastu, ritual, and social order. These findings question the adequacy of the courtyard as a cross-cultural morphological category. This study offers an ontological-epistemological-axiological framework for interpreting empty space and emphasizes that the conservation of the natah needs to preserve the relationships, knowledge, and practices that make it meaningful.