Area 24

Pancoran
Jakarta
Indonesia

Client/Owner
Bintang Rajawali Perkasa
Architect Firm
PT. Urbane Indonesia
Principal Architect
M. Ridwan Kamil
Project Architect
Rizal Muslimin
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
PT. Metakom Pranata
Structural Consultant
PT. Davysukamta
Site Area
24,770 square metres
Gross Floor Area
140,000 square metres
Building Height (metres)
130
Building Height (storeys)
30 (office); 28 (apartment)
Construction Start Date
1Q 2009
Scheduled Completion Date
2011

Area 24 mixed-use complex is located adjacent to the intersection of business and commercial activity, along the peripheral line of central Jakarta (Pancoran district) and the commercial-residential district in south Jakarta (Kalibata district).

The complex consists of 558 residential units, 49,396-square metre of office space and 7,316-square metre of commercial activity on the ground level. Following the need to clearly define private and public domains, the two apartments buildings were shifted to the back, while the office tower acts as an outstanding landmark in front.



The office tower is composed of ellipse-shaped floor plates to maximise the surrounding view and a white archway frame to symbolise the gate between the two districts. In magnifying this symbol, instead of having a solid crown, a hole is created at the peak of the tower to amplify the visual impact of the gate in connecting the two districts. Other smaller Morse-code-like holes help ‘break’ the solid surface of the white arch frame.

At the entrance area on the ground floor, a welcoming gesture of linear and undulating strip was seamlessly blended into the surrounding urban milieu. In contrast to the plain white colour and glass surface of the tower, this strip façade has a more festive texture and colour to reflect the vibrant commercial-recreational activity on the inside. Visitors are led through a circular retail promenade as transition between the vehicle area and pedestrian zone before arriving at the main garden. The central open area connecting the two apartment and office towers is a green oasis filled with foliage for residents, office workers and visitors to interact and mingle. The other garden next to the eastern apartment has a modern lagoon that also doubles up as a water catchment area besides being a recreational facility. The lagoon is surrounded by several pilotis to enhance permeability and visual access. Other green spaces such as sky lounges and roof garden were also incorporated in the apartment buildings.

© Copyright 2008 Architecture@08 and BCI Asia. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Arte-Polis 2 – “Creative Communities and the Making of Place: Sharing Creative Experiences”

Date August 8 – 10, 2008
Venue Institute of Technology Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia
Organiser School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development, Institute of Technology Bandung

The two-day conference was attended by approximately 250 participants with more than 80 paper presentations from 16 countries. The aim of Arte-Polis 2 was to bring together different professionals and leaders from various regions to share international experiences and knowledge regarding current issues, best practices and policy implications on the relationship between creative communities and place-making. A one-day design charrette on 10 August offered participants the opportunity to collaborate and engage in an action-oriented place-making session to propose strategies for community development of a creative cluster in Bandung.



© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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FuturArc is looking to profile 30 such individuals in its 2Q 2009 PEOPLE edition

Do you know someone or a group of people who has made a difference to be built environment in a socially driven way? S/he could be an architect, designer, engineer, policymaker, developer or academic. FuturArc is looking to profile 30 such individuals in its 2Q 2009 PEOPLE edition (to be distributed in March 2009)-we need your help to identify here... click here: http://www.futurarc.com/index.cfm# to nominate.

Thanks

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PVC Pipe Shadow Play

PROJECT DATA Project Name
Modern Java House
Location
Jl. Mawar No. 35 Cipete Selatan, Jakarta, Indonesia
Completion
23 June 2008
Site Area
324 m²
Gross Floor Area
364 m²
Number of Rooms
5
Building Height
12 metres
Client/Owner
Ir. Donny Dwinanto
Architecture Firm
Hand Architect Associates (Pinot Architecture)
Principal Architect
Ir. Nehemia Budi Setyawan
Main Contractor
Yudi Hermawan
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
Yudi Hermawan
Civil & Structural Engineer
Yudi Hermawan
Images/Photos
Hand Architect Associates (Pinot Architecture)



PVC pipes are used to mimic the traditional Indonesian batik motif in a modern Java house.

The house at number 35 Cipete Selatan, Jakarta, has a fascinating façade made up of cut PVC pipes of various diameters. This is the architect’s emblematic interpretation of the batik motif (the design achieved by the traditional Indonesian method of tie-dyeing); a representation of the modern Java house as requested by the owner.

The owner had wanted a modern dwelling that marries the ethnic primbon (Javanese astrology) and feng shui (the Chinese art of placing objects) practices, and the result is a home planned with consideration to the orientation and natural conditioning of the interior spaces. Punctuated throughout the living areas are ponds and a water pool in the centre of this abode.



Responding to the humid tropical climate, the architect employed mostly passive strategies of cooling, integrating water bodies and a double-volume open courtyard to encourage natural ventilation. This openness connects the family room and dining room. Inward looking, it offers a private sanctuary to the owner and his family. The PVC pipes that mimic the batik motifs act as a sustainable and affordable screen from the glaring afternoon sun at the entrance, creating shadow-patterns on the interior spaces. Local materials like stone, ceramic tiles and wood are extensively used on both interiors and exteriors.



This 364-square metre, five-room home gives priority to the common spaces like the central courtyard where the family meets to relax and rejuvenate. It even has a small pavilion-like structure at the courtyard. This feature has a characteristic Javanese tile roof with decorative upsweeping ridge ends. Four timber platforms seem to float over a large pond, crossing one another in the centre and connecting the four sides of the courtyard, linking the living areas of the lofty home. – Shahidah Bte Shahjihan/Candice Lim/Erwin Maulana

© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Residing Under The Reigning Roof

PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Rumah Bangka No. 3
Location
Jl. Bangka Raya IX Kemang, Jakarta, Indonesia
Completion
August 2008
Site Area
250 m2
Gross Floor Area
250 m2
Number of Rooms
6
Building Height
2 storeys (1 mezzanine)
Client/Owner
Tantowi and Dewi Yahya
Architecture Firm
Desainrenanda
Principal Architect
Raul Renanda
Main Contractor
Basic structure by developers;
upgrading façade by Ismail;
interior by Nugroho Sani
Images/Photos
Raul Renanda



The architect draws inspiration from the roofs of vernacular Indonesian architecture for this townhouse development.

Rumah Bangka No. 3 is a townhouse in a housing development in Jakarta, and like many mass housing projects in the city, it was completed quickly within a tight timeline and a tighter budget. However, this particular house received a little more attention from the architect than the rest, thus making it just that bit more special.



This is because the owners of house No. 3 gave him the opportunity to further develop the design intent he originally had for the townhouses. Unlike the other houses in the scheme, which appear more plain due to cost constraint, house No. 3 has timber details added to the vertical fins, accompanied by an oddly angled aluminium sunscreen. These added features are intended to accentuate the dynamism of the design.




While modern vernacular was the reigning theme in the housing development, Raul Renanda acknowledges the passive strategies that vernacular Indonesian architecture provides, particularly the architecture of the roof. As seen in most Malay Archipelago countries, traditional houses and other buildings are dwarfed by their overwhelming roofs, whether they are the large boat-shaped roofs of the Toba Batak people or the tongkonan houses of the Torajans with their massively exaggerated pitched saddle roofs. The steep tile roofs of the townhouses, a generalised borrowing from the vernacular architecture, are a dependable solution, if not an immediate one, in the tropical climate. The open plan of the interiors allows for natural ventilation and, coupled with the high pitched roof, responds to the heat. The steep slopes deal with rain runoff during wet days, channelling the downpour to the sides of the homes, cooling the interiors with condensation. The glare of the morning sun is minimised with a large vertical fin that runs down the middle of the front façade. According to the architect, the main bedroom faces the morning sun and this feature allows the owners to view the open sky “without worrying about the heat from the afternoon sun”. – Shahidah Bte Shahjihan/Candice Lim/Erwin Maulana

© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Now You See It, Now You Don’t

PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Niloufar
Location
Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia
Completion
31 July 2007
Site Area
5,170 m2
Gross Floor Area
833 m2
Number of Rooms
5
Building Height
Maximum 6.5 metres; overall 11.5 metres
Client/Owner
Christian Savet
Architecture Firm
GFAB
Principal Architect
Gary Fell
Project Team
Hetta Thynne; Tessaldi Ilmi; Zakky Khalid
Main Contractor
Yobel Construction & Building Supplies
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
Hardian Solusi Engineering
Civil & Structural Engineer
Catur Mitra Utama
Images/Photos
GFAB



The architects designed this villa to blend in seamlessly with its surroundings, like a hidden gem amidst nature’s beauty.

The site is set in rice padi fields on the edge of a ravine banking down to a river. The client requested for a five-bedroom villa, with entertainment spaces and staff areas. The architects wanted the villa to be nestled into the landscape, like a hidden gem amidst the beautiful surrounds. Hence, the challenge was to enable the villa to blend in with its environment.

As the land was sloping above a river, the architects set the villa into the terrain as if emerging from the sloping land. The roofs are at the road and entrance level, and the building slowly unfolds from the entrance. There are water features throughout: roof ponds, reflecting ponds, cascades and a pool, echoing the river below. Because the site is located next to a ‘holy tree’, there was a great deal of negotiation, and allowances were made for Hindu processions to pass, and for the building to have minimal impact on the site. Major temples are located adjacent to the property and the villa is sited so that all these features form part of its aspect. Due to its ‘semi-buried’ nature, the house presents minimum impact to the surrounding landscape, appearing more like a traditional small temple or bale bengong (small shelter in the fields) than a large luxury villa.



All of the materials used were sourced from the villa’s direct environment—the walls were clad in stones from the river bed; the roofs are largely water roofs or planted roofs looking like an extension to the surrounding rice fields; other roofs were constructed from terracotta tiles made locally using deep red soil found in the area. Where possible, there are planted elements instead of walls. From the road access to the villa, the house could hardly be seen, maintaining the architects’ vision and enhancing the owner’s privacy. Instead, one would only see the unglazed terracotta rooftops, which are of the same colour as the soil floating amongst water roofs and planting above the padi fields.

All the private rooms in the villa such as the bedrooms and snug spaces are dug into the slope with the river stone walls retaining the earth roofs or water roofs above, making them almost cave-like, and naturally very cool in temperature. The public spaces are exposed to the elements, surrounded by landscape and water cascades.



The pitched roofs feature a double membrane to assist in cooling: the primary membrane is a steel sheet roof over where the secondary terracotta tile ‘rain screen’ or secondary membrane is laid. The terracotta absorbs the heat of the sun whilst throwing the zinc roof into deep shade—between them a small gap allows the breeze to exhaust any built-up heat. Elsewhere, the standard repertoire of pools and planters ensures the building is kept cool with limited demand on mechanical ventilation. – Candice Lim/Erwin Maulana

© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Urban Oasis

PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Aqua
Location
Seminyak, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Completion
31 May 2007
Site Area
850 m2
Gross Floor Area
764 m2
Number of Rooms
4
Building Height
6 metres
Client/Owner
Andrew Britton
Architecture Firm
GFAB
Principal Architect
Gary Fell
Project Team
Hetta Thynne; Victor Fernandes; Zakky Khalid
Main Contractor
Yobel Construction & Building Supplies
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
JdeR Building Service Consultant
Civil & Structural Engineer
Catur Mitra Utama
Images/Photos
GFAB



Water was used extensively to encourage air circulation throughout the villa.

This villa—meant to be like an oasis in the city—was designed as an urban rental property specifically tailored to the Bali party market. The site is located in a densely built-up area with direct neighbours all around, so sound insulation and privacy are very important. The façade is unprepossessing yet upon entering, the villa unfolds with a 25-metre swimming pool, roof terraces and gardens, spaces for groups and privacy for individuals. All the accommodation has been allocated along the perimeter walls to create a feeling of spaciousness.




As the name suggests, water was used extensively to encourage air circulation throughout the villa. The architects drew from local vernacular notions on ways to deal with weather extremes: deep roof overhangs to provide shade and rain protection; swimming pools, roof ponds and lily ponds to encourage air flow to aid in cooling the property naturally. A Ficus tree was also planted so that it would eventually shade the bedroom roofs completely. Nature is used to mask, camouflage and cool the building, giving this urban villa a sense of tranquillity. The scale of the street was taken into account when the architects determined the scale of the building, and they also treated the façade with planted areas, timber and local stones. The villa is largely open—the living and dining areas have no walls and most of the spaces are external. Rather than dense walls, planting and trellising have been incorporated to allow air flow yet also prevent prying eyes from outside.



In line with the architects’ philosophy of utilising local materials, they used sala gadang, a flint-like stone cut in a square format for wall cladding. On the external façade, paras bukit from the south of Bali was crushed and used as land fill. They are also used for sound and thermal insulation. – Candice Lim/Erwin Maulana

© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Happy Ied Mubarak 1429H

*matahari pada satu sore di Pakijangan, Brebes

senja ramadhan berlalu,
menyongsong fajar idul fitri esok hari…

setelah berjuang memurnikan diri sebulan penuh…
semoga fajar fitri melahirkan pribadi kita yang suci,
rendah hati, jujur dan setia pada nilai-nilai kehidupan.

semoga diberi kesempatan menyambut ramadhan tahun depan…
dan hari esok yang lebih baik...

Selamat Idul Fitri 1 Syawal 1429H
Mohon maaf atas segala salah dan khilaf
minal aidzin wal faidzin...

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FuturArc Prize for green building design

International Design Competition for Green Architecture



Architectural professionals and students are invited to enter the FuturArc Prize 2009 international design competition for green buildings. The competition, organized by FuturArc journal, is sponsored by Autodesk and supported by the World Green Building Council, UNEP Sustainable Buildings and Construction Initiative as well as architectural and green-building institutions in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

This year's competition offers entrants a choice of two project briefs. The first is contributed by an Indonesia developer seeking for an Office Building + Urban Park, on an actual site in West Jakarta. The second is a Community Hub, one that is imagined for a Greener future, for which entrants must select a site from in the city/region they reside. The design submissions must address form, space and activity in a manner innovative and appropriate for the brief, site and climate. The Jury will be looking at how green strategies, systems and technologies are integrated in an imaginative manner, resulting in a user-centric architecture that is functional and in sync with social and cultural demands of their context.

Entries can be submitted online at www.futurarc.com/prize by 31 December 2008. Winners will be notified on 31 March 2009, then receive their awards as well as total cash prizes of SGD33.000 in subsequent prize-giving ceremonies. Entry in the competition is free.

Winning entries will be determined by an international jury of green building experts. The jury consists of Dr Nirmal Kishnani of the National University Singapore, Dr Ray Cole of the University of Columbia, Kevin Hydes of the World Green Building Council, Professor Kazuo Iwamura of the Musahi Institute of Technology, Dr Stephen Siu Yu Lau of the University of Hong Kong and Dr Deo Prasad of the University of New South Wales.

Dr Kishnani, the jury’s chair, said, “The FuturArc Prize has quickly become the preeminent platform for Green aspirations in the region. Last year, the numbers were strong; the submissions innovative and varied. This year, in the second year of the competition, we hope for more than a bigger turnout; we are on the look out for ideas that inspire and clarify what it means to be a Green in this part of the world.”

Design innovation software leader Autodesk is supporting this event in an important way by providing complimentary copies of its Revit Architecture software for Building Information Modeling (BIM) to registered entrants for use in the competition.

“Green design is an increasingly crucial reality for practitioners in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry,” explained Emmanuel Samuel, Autodesk’s Director for Sales Development for Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) in the Asia Pacific “Autodesk firmly believes that ‘green design’, or global sustainability challenges, can be addressed through better design. To this end, the company is focused on making sure its design products enable sustainable design more readily, powerfully and accurately, and while actively partnering with industry leaders and educators such as FuturArc to promote awareness and adoption of sustainable design practices.”


About the jury

Nirmal Kishnani, PhD, is the Chief Editor of the FuturArc Journal. He is both an educator and practitioner in the area of Green buildings, presently teaching at the Department of Architecture of the National University of Singapore. He has lectured and written widely on the subject of Greening in Asia and has been a consultant to projects across the region, most recently as head of a sustainability unit operating from Singapore. Dr. Kishnani is Jury Chair of FuturArc Prize 2009.

Ray Cole, PhD, is the Director of the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia and Academic Director of the School's Design Center for Sustainability. Dr Cole was selected as a North American Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Distinguished Professor for "sustained commitment to building environmental research and teaching" in 2001. In 2003 he received the Architectural Institute of British Columbia Barbara Dalrymple Memorial Award for Community Service and the US Green Building Council's Green Public Service Leadership Award.

Kevin Hydes, is the Chair of the World Green Building Council and Vice President of Stantec Consulting Engineers. He served as Chair of the USGBC for 2005-2006, and is a founder and director of CanadaGBC. Hailing from Leeds in the UK, Kevin has focused on green design for the past 15 years. His vision led to the first LEED Gold Certified project in Canada, the first LEED-EB Gold Certified project in North America, and the successful completion of 20 LEED Certified projects with more than 30 registered projects awaiting certification. He is an Honorary Member of the Royal Institute of Canada and the Architectural of BC, and an adjunct professor at McGill University School of Architecture.

Kazuo Iwamura, M.E. is a Professor in the Faculty of Environment and Information studies at the Musashi Institute of Technology in Yokohama Japan and CEO of IWAMURA Atelier Co., Ltd. He is also Chair of ARCASIA's Committee for Green & Sustainable Architecture, UIA Councillor of Region IV (Asia + Oceania), Director of the UIA Work Programme Architecture for a Sustainable Future and a member of the board of the World Green Building Council.

Stephen Siu Yu Lau, PhD, is a Professor of the School of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong. He served as Chairman of the Faculty Board of Architecture in 2006, and is the Associate Dean from 1998–2006. Graduated from the Barlett School of Architecture in London, Stephen focuses on building science and sustainable environment. He is currently a member of the International Initiative of Building Environment iiSBE based in Ottawa, Canada, and has published more than 30 academic journal papers and several books.

Deo Prasad, PhD, is the Director of the Sustainable Development Program at the University of New South Wales. He has worked on milestone projects including Australia's first solar village, scientific validation of computer simulation tools for energy performance prediction of buildings and related green building assessment tools, advanced performance simulation of buildings using complex modelling software and the Green Olympics projects. He has won an Australian National Innovation Award and the NSW Government 2004 Green Globe Award.


About the prize

The FuturArc Prize has been established by the BCI Group of Companies through its FuturArc journal to inspire architects and other building professionals to draft innovative designs for Green buildings on sites in Asia-Pacific. The Competition format encourages participants to work as integrated teams in producing holistic Green building solutions. Publicity surrounding the Competition is intended to promote competency in Green building design as well as the importance of Green buildings for the environment.


About the promoter

FuturArc Journal is the Competition Organizer whose intent is to promote green building in Southeast Asia, Australia and China. Published by the BCI Group, FuturArc is a quarterly journal recognising the significant impact of the buildings on society and the environment. FuturArc advocates architecture that demonstrates creativity, social responsibility and sustainability. For more information, visit www.futurarc.com.

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“4D” Architecture Exhibition: Under Construction

Date March 19–29, 2008
Venue Indonesian National Gallery, Jakarta
Organiser ILUNI (Ikatan Alumni Universitas Indonesia) Architecture, Universitas Indonesia

Held by the architecture department of Universitas Indonesia (UI), the “4D” architecture exhibition showcased four decades of work by the UI alumni. The event was officially opened by the Vice President of Indonesia, Mr. Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, on 19 March. With the theme “Under Construction”, the exhibition aimed to reflect the evolving process of architecture. Featuring works from more than 67 architects as well as architectural sculptures, there was also a one-day seminar organised in conjunction with the exhibition that gathered leaders of architecture from UI. The entire works of the exhibition was compiled into a book titled Arsitektur 4D and launched on 29 March by the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Mr. Fauzi Bowo.



© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Bottle House

PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Bottle House
Location
Bandung, Indonesia
Completion
September 2007
Site Area
373 m2
Gross Floor Area
320 m2
Number of Rooms
5 rooms
Building Height
10 metres
Client/Owner
Ridwan Kamil
Architecture Firm
Urbane Indonesia
Principal Architect
Ridwan Kamil
Main Contractor
Azkar
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
Dany Setiawan
Civil & Structural Engineer
Dany Setiawan
Images/Photos
Urbane Indonesia, Yosi Wyoso, Sjahrial Iqbal



It is obvious at first glance why the residence of Ridwan Kamil—the principal of architecture firm Urbane Indonesia—is called the ‘Bottle House’. Sixty percent of the total surface area is covered by recycled bottles.

Located in northern Bandung, Indonesia, the split-level courtyard house occupies a site area of 373 square metres. The residence is divided into three zones: Zone 1 features the guest pavilion; Zone 2 comprises the living and the children’s bedrooms; and Zone 3 includes the garage, kitchen, dining room and library area. With a gross floor area of 320 square metres, the house has an open layout with minimal wall partitions to promote spatial flow in the interior. The aim of the entire design was to reprise a resort atmosphere, which was achieved by recreating a tropical landscape and utilising the building setback for a water feature and swimming pool.




RECYCLED BOTTLES
Collected from a six-month period from the dumping ground, 30,000 recycled bottles were used innovatively in different parts of the house. They were used to form part of the exterior skin of the perimeter wall surrounding the house. Inside the residence, the guest pavilion wall is also made entirely of recycled bottles. The ‘bottle wall’ enables natural breeze to penetrate, allowing fresh air to circulate in the living room.

Every private area such as the bedrooms gets full daylighting because of the full glass exposure. However, this also means getting ‘bad sun’ in terms of heat gain from the west. To reduce the impact, the bottles were also used to form the exterior skin for the walls of the children’s bedrooms, dining room and library area, which was done by alternating panels of bottles and glass in a chessboard pattern with a 60-centimetre gap in between. The glass panels can be pushed open to allow for ventilation.



Not only do the recycled bottles function as passive green elements, they also serve aesthetic purposes. The ‘bottle walls’ create an eye-catching façade, and in the interior, they also become pieces of artwork. The early morning and evening rays that filter in through the bottles also create interesting patterns and shades in the interior spaces, creating a special ambience. The warm colour of the recycled bottles also matches the timber flooring, further enhancing the ‘resort’ feel.

GREEN SPACES
Green spaces have been specifically allocated in the residence. Ridwan’s home is peppered with at least five small areas that are dedicated to growing plants and flowers. Part of the 13-metre long perimeter wall bordering the swimming pool is made up of stacks of gardening pots containing flowers and vegetation. The bale—a rectangular-shaped small pavilion by the swimming pool—has a green roof. There are also plans to turn the flat concrete roof above the guest area into a green roof.



ENERGY & LIGHTING
No air-conditioning is used in the house as natural ventilation concepts have been applied throughout the house. Sliding and folding doors as well as windows are designed to be fully opened when needed, and, together with the presence of three courtyards (a main courtyard and two small courtyards), fresh air is allowed to circulate, ensuring well-ventilated spaces. The water feature and the swimming pool situated at the periphery of the house also provide relief to the courtyard area, bringing cool air into the interior space. The courtyards also allow ample natural lighting into the house, minimising the need for artificial lighting during the day. – Erwin Maulana/Lee Bee Luen

© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Rasuna Epicentrum

PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Rasuna Epicentrum
Location
Rasuna Said, Kuningan,Jakarta
Status
Construction
Expected Completion
2010
Site Area
53 hectares
Client/Owner
Bakrie Swasakti Utama
Architecture Firm
Urbane Indonesia
Principal Architect
M. Ridwan Kamil
HOK Hong Kong (Bakrie Tower)
Main Contractor
Hutama Karya
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
Elmes Epsilon
Civil & Structural Engineer
Wiratman & Associates PT.
Masterplan
Urbane Indonesia
Landscape
EDAW; Urbane Indonesia
Environmental Graphic Design
Urbane Indonesia
Traffic Management
Pamintori Cipta
Environmental Impact Assessment
Tumpal PT.
Infrastructure
Wiratman & Associates PT.
River Development
Gapura Nirwana
Images/Photos
Antonius Rudy; HOK; Urbane



The client has high hopes for Rasuna Epicentrum. Its urban concept and architecture have been designed with other world-renowned lifestyle developments in mind, such as Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills and Berlin’s Postdamer Platz. Indeed, Rasuna Epicentrum is already a landmark development—it is the first in Jakarta to introduce the “live, work and play” concept within a single project, integrating high-quality urban amenities with progressive architecture. Covering a site area of 53 hectares, it is the largest superblock in Indonesia, comprising office and residential buildings as well as a lifestyle and entertainment centre. Each building has been designed to showcase contemporary architecture, among which the egg-shaped Financial Tower and the 48-storey ‘twisted’ Bakrie Tower stand out as signature structures, redefining the cityscape.



At the heart of the Epicentrum is the Epicentrum Walk (E-walk), a semi-outdoor, partially airconditioned retail corridor, featuring cafés, restaurants and entertainment bars, complete with a water fountain, tropical trees and artistic street furniture for the public. Even the art gallery building has a creative secondary skin made out of neon lights and recycled glass bottles to jazz up the walk. The concept of civic space plays a big part in this development; all ground level areas of the buildings must be made available for public use. A riverfront promenade, set to become a centre for urban activity, has also been designed with generous civic space. Taking into account the tropical climate, the E-walk has a north-south orientation to reduce solar gain from the east-west side, and which also cools the place as it allows for natural cross-ventilation. The strategic placement of trees for shading and the water fountain help to reduce the ambient temperature.



To enhance interconnectivity among the different buildings, sheltered bridges and a skywalk enable pedestrians to proceed to the second level of the superblock, direct from Kasablanka Street. The carpark at basement level three links all the buildings together, enabling motorists to take a different route should there be heavy traffic at a particular exit, hence easing congestion. Trams circulating within the Epicentrum also help improve internal accessibility. Commuters can look forward to even greater convenience when the tram system is linked to the monorail at Rasuna Said Street in the near future.



Rasuna Epicentrum aims to set an example of how a modern region in Indonesia should be designed and organised—where people live, work, create and play all in one place—and in the long run, bring Jakarta closer towards becoming a global city. – Erwin Maulana/Lee Bee Luen

© Copyright 2008 FuturArc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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