"FOREST"
Green campus - Astra Polytechnic manufacture
by budi pradono architects (BPA)
Studio BPA has won first prize in the competition to design Astra Polytechnic in Cikarang, 2018 and it will be built later this year.
"FOREST" is the main conceptual approach for this building complex in order to reach a contextual association with the location.
Astra Manufacture Polytechnic is located in an industrial area, which is expected to become a forest of knowledge. Therefore, the main purpose of this design is to transform the industrial area into a green area, as well as preserving the needs of experts who will become part of advanced factories in this industrial area. This approach will allow Polman Astra to ensure the sustainability of the area, too.
The green concept is developed explicitly - using well-designed green spaces and city parks around the area. This school will also have seeds of perennials on the rooftops of the buildings.
In order to reduce pollution and the use of fossil-fueled cars as much as possible, the mobility of this area will be accommodated by bicycles. Comfortable bicycle tracks and pedestrian ways will be provided for students to reach classrooms and dormitories.
The building is designed as efficiently as possible with a circulatory system that has functional connectivity. The landscape is made organic.
The whole concept of this forest basically refers to the concept of sustainable urbanism, which consists of six main aspects: (1) sustainable development, (2) compactness, (3) biophilia, (4) the sustainable corridor, (5) high-performance building and (6) high-performance infrastructure.
As an urban analogy, imagine Central Park in New York, where the green area is surrounded by tall buildings with very complex density. Similarly, within an industrial estate, the Polman Astra complex can be imagined as a green central park for the entire region.
This principle can be applied to transform Polman Astra into a green campus, where the flat roofs are designed as a greenscape - integrated with the planting nurseries program to produce more trees for the area.
The intake of this nursery program will be distributed widely to the surrounding industrial estate, so that Polman Astra will have a significant role in the sustainability of the area. In the future, all Astra Polman graduates can be absorbed into the industrial area of Cikarang. Vice versa, all children from industry employees in Cikarang can attend the school to study in Polman Astra. Thus, this cycle will make Polman Astra a highly sustainable campus.
The second aspect of sustainable urbanism is compactness, where buildings are made as compact as possible to reduce the density per
capita from existing sources. Compactness is an integrated system with the general infrastructure in Cikarang.
The third aspect is biophilia, which improves the relationship between humans and nature. Thus, the buildings will have a special relationship with plants, which encapsulates the roof as well as the architectural articulation.
The fourth aspect is the sustainable corridor. The whole 5 ha area is provided with shelters that accommodate pedestrians walking or cycling across, to reduce dependency on cars.
The fifth aspect is high-performance building, which refers to the performance of the building system. For example, efficient energy use, air quality improvements in plants, pollution reduction, and recycled materials.
The sixth aspect is high-performance infrastructure, including the creation of a greener and more comfortable streetscape, as well as rainwater distribution and absorption utility.
Structure system
The structure system primarily uses steel for easy fabrication and rapid development. Only certain parts use concrete structures. The walls use celkon blocks and the newest drywall technology to reduce heat. This technology also has the ability to absorb sound, which can be applied in certain areas that have acoustic control requirements, such as meeting rooms and the multipurpose hall.
Master planning strategy
First, we will put a water element at the center of the site as a symbol of clarity of thought. Water becomes the center of life as well as the center of education. The water element is designed side by side with the auditorium building with the base shape of an oval. Architecturally, these basic forms unite the composition of all Astra Polytechnic buildings.
On the north side, there will be a 9-storey dormitory consisting of two towers that are united by an oval-shaped public area.
Meanwhile, the south side is designed as an education area. The southernmost side is devoted to a workshop and machine garage area that are connected with the surrounding community in Cikarang. The office spaces and rectorate building will be located on the north side of the reflecting pond. Designed as a high-rise tower, this building will become a symbol of leadership.
Landscape
Basically, the entire area is dominated by pedestrians and cyclists. The organic design of the landscape offers a distinctive presence of this area – emphasizing the site within its surrounding industrial area. The parking area is on the north side, where the entire floor is raised upwards of 2.5 meters and then made into a ground floor area for dormitory complexes as high as 9 floors and the ground floor is all greened so that the car is almost invisible in the region because of its hidden location.
A. BUILDINGS CONCEPT
1. Dormitory
1.1 General
Built on industrial-dominated land, this dormitory will highlight the concept of "forest", which interprets the trees that grow solidly in a territory. This concept is a response to the industrial environment that is identical with an arid area. The dormitory is designed as a 9-storey building, integrated with some VIP guest rooms and other facilities, such as a hall, a dining hall, a study room unit, and a laundry.
1.2 Public space as communication device
The dormitory is equipped with several spots of public space that serve as student meeting areas. This area becomes a medium for students to communicate and discuss, resulting in knowledge exchange.
1.3 Green public space
Located between the dormitory towers, the green public space becomes the central park that connects the two buildings functionally. Providing communal sitting areas and several landscaping elements, the park is also ideal for outdoor exhibition activities and community events that can be enjoyed by all users.
1.4 Study rooms
Unlike the general typology of a study room, which tends to be centered, these dormitory study rooms are distributed over several floors – integrated with the dormitory unit. This strategy is applied to achieve a distributed and effective medium for discussion and learning activities. The study rooms are harmoniously arranged within the building configuration, and their presence is highlighted through a well-designed perforated metal façade.
1.5 Green balcony
To emphasize the “FOREST” concept, trees are placed on the balcony so that users can feel the existence of "forest" around them. The green balcony also plays a role in improving environmental quality and maintaining the temperature stability of the building.
1.6 Versatile materials - fast and durable
Dormitory units are arranged on a modular basis using drywall material technology that is easy to install and durable, to increase the speed of building construction. In addition, drywall can be combined with additional features, such as water and fire resistant layers that enhance safety during fire evacuation.
1.7 Hall as connector
The hall is located on the ground floor, connecting the two dormitory towers. It serves not only as a connector between two buildings, but also as a meeting place for the four elements of representatives - teachers, Polman Astra staff and directors, students, and parents - as well as other institutions, such as supporting industry actors.
1.8 Natural lighting
In response to the tropical climate context, where sunlight has the potential to be used optimally, the dormitory building is equipped with continuous skylights from upstairs to the bottom. The use of skylights is also an effort to reduce energy use and enrich the atmosphere in the building.
1.9 Natural air circulation
Natural air circulation in the dormitory is optimized by the open-plan corridor on each floor. Equipped with vegetation, the resulting air circulation can be freed from pollutants. Natural preservation is also manifested in the dining hall area with a ventilation grille on the roof so that cold air from above can enter and reduce the heat of the room.
2. Auditorium
The auditorium building is the center of this Astra Polytechnic manufacture, based on the concept of "FOREST". It presents buildings with many green elements (plants), in contrast to the arid industrial environment. In addition, this concept is an attempt to maintain existing trees around the site. The auditorium is located near the main entrance of Astra Polytechnic - it will be not only the center of this polytechnic but also a monumental building.
2.1 Water
Water is the source of life for living things, including plants. In other words, water is a center. The reflecting pond in front of the auditorium building is the center of this polytechnic as a symbol of clarity of thinking and the education center of Cikarang.
The existence of the reflecting pond in the auditorium is a procession. Users of the auditorium must cross the reflecting pond to enter the auditorium. The reflecting pond offers a spatial experience for users and serves as a buffer - distancing the auditorium from the motorway to reduce noise.
2.2 Ellipse form
The ellipse form is the unifying language of the building on this project. As the center of Astra Polytechnic, the auditorium has an ellipse shape.
2.3 Flexible space
The auditorium can be used for events conducted by Astra Polytechnic itself, or it can be rented as a wedding hall. The
auditorium provides a spacious hall on the ground floor and balcony seats above.
3. Office
3.1 Office facilities
"FOREST" within the industrial area becomes the main concept of the development of the 5 ha area of Astra Polytechnic. The office building is designed to accommodate a wide range of facilities, including a mosque, offices, retail, a central library, and student organization.
The office building and facilities extend the main concept of the area: "forest" with a green architecture building approach, application of zoning configuration according to its function, and interpretation of technological progress in the building.
3.2 Green architecture
Application of this green architecture includes a garden roof and a façade that allows the wind to circulate into the building. This building is also provided with a garden balcony that serves as a communal area for campus administrative employees.
3.3 Zoning
The building area is classified according to the function of activities, ranging from public to private, sorted vertically.
3.4 Modern mosque
The mosque is located in the right wing of the building, designed with modern interpretation. The 5 pillars on the anterior of the mosque become a symbol of the 5 prayer times that must be adhered to by Muslims. On the top side, there is a roof garden where 5 perforations in the glass allow the sunlight to emerge through the 5 voids – giving a religious ambience in the mosque. The light transforming throughout the day offers an aesthetic accent in the building.
3.5 Library
Located adjacent to the mosque, this library has a relationship between scholarship and religiosity. The library is designed to be on the same scale as the mosque and is on the left side of this rectorate building.
3.6 Retail
The retail center is a supporting facility that provides the basic requirements of all academic communities in the form of stationery and books. It includes a canteen or restaurant that is expected to become a magnet in Cikarang.
3.7 Monumental scale
The building is designed on a monumental scale in comparison with the surrounding buildings, indicating the power of its users who are mainly located at the top of the building.
4. Campus
4.1 Organic yet organized
The structured system has a form that stimulates the feeling of being related to living matter. The four faculties - manufacture, automotive, civil and information systems - are educational facilities of a very "technical" discipline. Identical to the procedure, the four faculties are very closely related to efficiency in daily operations. It requires the existence of a system that regulates the relationship between spaces, where each space is very specific to its function for a particular micro task in a macro structure or organization.
However, according to Charles Duhigg in his book "The Power of Habit", it is said that humans can’t advance themselves if they continue to undergo the same procedure. In each procedure, checkpoints are needed to stimulate users - in this case is the students that will have to grow gradually. Therefore, instead of putting together a highly traced, monotonous, and boring faculty program, why not provide a faculty building that is structured efficiently by function as well as wrapped in an unusual arrangement by borrowing natural elements that are naturally beautiful and fun. The building mass is strung over modular cubes and sun-shading fins – arranged to resemble a mountain – a very prominent element of nature, symbolizing a noble educational medium.
4.2 Program
This campus area needs to be organized or consolidated so that its composition becomes compact and efficient. The preparation of the program is classified into three major parts: manufacture, automotive and civil. The arrangement has several parameters: (
1) start with the open parameters and get more enclosed as we reach the top of the building, (2) use a lightweight program, with programs that use heavy equipment on the bottom. While the laboratory area is on the second level and the classrooms are at the top, the automotive department is placed on the south side of the building, intended to make it easier for students to practice in the workshop.
Meanwhile, the information systems faculty is combined with two other new study programs into three groups because it needs a lot of space. The three buildings for these groups are united by a continuous path and surrounded with shady trees that provide temperature comfort. Each room, including a workshop area, has a different view of the park as well as the trees on the perimeter of the site as new checkpoints that provide relaxation stimuli to users.
With the creation of this natural nuance, the souls of the lecturers and students are expected to be purified after their activities in this very "engineering" building.
The experience of different and fun spaces becomes an additional value that supports the continuity of teaching and learning activities of Astra Polytechnic's academic community.
In contrast to the typology of industrial buildings in general, this campus comes with the spirit of re-greening Cikarang, known as an arid factory area. In addition, there are green open parks. The application of vines on the façade reduces the use of air conditioning. The rooftop levels of the buildings are dedicated to tree nursery areas that can later be distributed to be planted by local residents.