A Study of the Meaning of “Home” and Residential Preferences among Urban Nomads in Manado City: A Phenomenological Approach to Boarding-House Dwellings
Keywords:
Kost boarding house, Manado, Meaning of home, Phenomenology, Spatial hierarchy, Urban nomads, Urban vernacularAbstract
This study explores how urban nomads in Manado conceptualize “home” and choose where to live. Drawing on a qualitative, phenomenological approach, it analyzes primary data from surveys and student podcasts conducted in several boarding houses (Kos Rachmat and comparative cases), complemented by secondary literature on housing, urban change, and vernacular architecture. The findings show that, for urban nomads, home is not merely a physical dwelling but a dynamic emotional space: a temporary refuge that “absorbs fatigue,” a transitional shelter that provides comfort amid mobility, and a “second home” saturated with memory and identity. A spatial hierarchy of private, semi-public, and public zones shapes a hybrid culture that negotiates individual values (privacy and autonomy) with collective practices (mutual aid, everyday rituals, and informal conflict resolution). Residential preferences are strongly influenced by accessibility to campuses and city centers, perceived security supported by clear rules, the availability of basic infrastructure, and affordable rents that correspond to student and young-worker budgets. These insights deepen Amos Rapoport’s theory of house form and culture and offer practical recommendations for designing adaptive boarding houses and developing inclusive, sustainable urban policies in Manado.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ryo Kurniawan Prijadi, Vincent Dwight John Pasla, Sitti Rahma Sy. Wahab, Melisa Fernanda Robot, Tiara Kenisah Kalele, Filly Riany Juliana Mewo
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