on final preparation BPA exhibition in London 'Inverted Pyramid' at The Bartlett School of architecture, London

Dancing Mountain House by budi pradono architects

P-House is a house with a library for sharing knowledge to the local people.The intension was to create a house with maximizes the use of locally available materials from surrounding area (bamboo, clay, stone, and bricks) and built by the community who lives around the site. Since all the owner's sons and daughters live in other countries and cities, it needs a library for the people to gather around the house. Later after one of the owner passed away, it became a creative sharing space for young creative in the region to bring them to the next stage of their career.

P-House is located at an altitude of 2000 m above the sea level and located on the ridge of Mount Merbabu and surrounded by several other mountains such as Mount Merapi, Mount Andong, Mount Ungaran and Mount Telomoyo. This area is quite cold with an average temperature of 17-22^oC. This project seeks to interpret the Javanese village houses in multiplication and adds the form of mountains in some space as the interpretation of the surrounding mountains, which also serveas skylight to bring natural light as much as possible into the building. In general, bamboo as the material of main structure is easily found around the project

Homeowners isretired lecturer and ballet teacher that would like to share a collection of economic and science book to the surrounding community. Theyappreciate bamboo structure, which began to be abandoned in the community, which raised their passion to learn.

This project uses the indigenous technology (low tech) by the community who is expert in bamboo structural system and the local stone craftsman.

Since the project is in remote area (suburb of a small town called Salatiga in Central Java, 60 km from Borobudur Temple),the project uses the sunlight as natural light during the day and use solar water heater for the shower. Rainwater is collected to be used during dry season.

Conceptually this project is trying to bring a childhood memory of the family with openness and sharing space. The main bathroom is also a social space where we can still interact with other areas. Since the interior spaces are connected by each other without any border ; which are kitchen, lounge, pantry, dining room and family room. Only the sleeping spaces are operated independently and remain closed.All the public areas are completely open, facing towards the garden and tropical forest in front of it. Library or study room is made with other geometry– an oval – and stand separately as a pavilion. Expected surrounding communities can take advantage of the presence of books and free wifi spot in the library.

Simplicity is the second theme in this project so it uses the same materials as those used in the surrounding areas such as brick, bamboo and stone in another way. From a distance these buildings looked like houses in the surrounding villages. The doors are used in each room are recycled doors from the old house (former lecturer standard house), a strategy of utilizing recycled materials. One side of the building is made as transparent as possible towards the garden.

Almost all existing large trees on the site are maintained as an attempt to emphasize a place. On the center of the garden, a "Pule" tree is planted as this tree can be used to heal various diseases, so this place can be more useful to the surrounding community. Floor height is adjustedaccording to the existing contours.

This project’s character is showing contemporary interpretation of simple village house shape. Dominant bamboo structure character is significant. The use of bamboo as a roofing material is something new there.

Technically, this project gives an example of the use of bamboo with old techniques and new technology for the surrounding community. From the economic and social point of view, this project is built not by the professional contractor but by the local community so as to provide economic and cultural aspects in the vicinity.

Nusa-Wood Tower, Durban Africa by Budi Pradono Architects

Nusa-Wood Tower, Durban Africa
by budi pradono architects

Transforming Nusantara architecture to Wood tower

Wood tower is designed to transform the ‘Nusantara’ architecture, by using traditional methods, of wooden house like a shipbuilding method that has existed since hundreds of years in several islands of Nusantara, and spread on thousands of islands in Indonesia. In each island has its own technique but the system adopted has the toughness to defend themselves from earthquakes, typhoons and even tsunamis.

In this proposal the basic techniques that combine traditional and makes a system such as a honeycomb structure that is able to stand ten floors.

Interlocking honeycomb structural system

Some traditional wooden structure relationship of Batak Toba, the island of Nias, the island of Ternate and the island of Java are the main inspiration for creating a system of interlocking honeycomb structure and connected to one another.

Honeycomb structure consists of laminated wooden beams (measuring 30 cm x 30 cm) are connected to one another and form a structure like a bridge.

Wood boards measuring 3m long, 30 cm wide and 5cm thick arranged in rows. Between the board and the other one has a fish-shaped bond that allows the boards of these reinforce the floor structure and function as well as a space for line pipes plumbing. The wood boards can flatten gravity to all parts and transferred through the column down to the foundation base.

On the outside the whole structure of the honeycomb is tied to a wooden cross that serves as a bond of wind and becomes an outer shell that binds all these buildings.

Urban strategy

Rather than creating a massive and enclosed building we wanted to create a building that is more open. The building has an urban void and create a larger public space on the ground floor. Imaginary this urban strategy is to connect the wood tower with sea and urban park close by. In this building we want to connect the inside space as public space with the outer space of the city. It is also to reinvent the new relationship between building and the city of Durban.

Wood Tower as a social housing 

Wood Tower as social housing that provides flexibility for users to form the space they want. In addition to the wooden structural system which is certain, good sanitation system by providing toilet and kitchen on each of its units as one integrated system basis, the rest in the form of an open plan that provides flexibility for the user unit to build their own a space.

One system consists of a honeycomb structure of the wood with an area of ​​each system strrukturnya is 20 m2; There are three types of dwelling with an area of ​​40m2 each (2 x module), 80m2 (4 x module), and 100m2 (5 x module)

Program

At its mass composition around the structure that connects opened in the middle so that it becomes void that align with communal space program and commercial on the ground floor.

On the roof is made like traditional roofs that can withstand the heat but also absorb solar energy and as well as collecting water to be stored on the bottom side of the building. It is also made tree nurseries, every tree that is cut is replaced with ten times the seeds of the same tree, and so it can be sustainable in maintaining and preserving wood structure.

Interior

With open plan the interior building systems will grow such as organisms, by relying on a toilet and pantry, which will grow following the needs of each occupant.

Utility

In one module are arranged in vertical honeycomb can be filled with a pair of lift, so in this building consists of 4 lifts, while the other modules can be either continuous emergency staircase from top to bottom.

Perkembangan Arsitektur Indonesia dalam pengamatan arsitek Indonesia Memahami sejarah demi melahirkan kekinian Oleh: Budi Pradono

Perkembangan Arsitektur Indonesia dalam pengamatan arsitek Indonesia

Memahami sejarah demi melahirkan kekinian[1]

Oleh: Budi Pradono[2]

Pengantar

Untuk memahami perkembangan arsitektur Indonesia sebenarnya harus mendudukan arsitektur Indonesia di dalam konteks sejarah. Pengetahuan akan sejarah, baik sejarah arsitektur Indonesia maupun sejarah arsitektur barat akan memposisioning-kan para pelaku praktisi arsitektur di dalamnya. Hal ini penting disadari agar semangat untuk menghadirkan inovasi, semangat untuk menghadirkan kebaharuan atau kekinian akan terus menyala yang selalu berkolerasi dengan lifestyle, kehidupan masyarakat middle class di kota-kota besar di Indonesia maupun juga dengan kemajuan komunikasi dan tehnologi. Hal ini dengan jelas telah merubah cara berpikir, strategi inovasi, maupun dalam penggunaan material baru yang semakin hari semakin melewati batas-batas geografis suatu negara. Tulisan ini dibagi dalam beberapa bagian yaitu; Arsitektur Kolonial dan Arsitektur Indonesia, Arsitektur Paska reformasi 1998, Arsitektur Nusantara dan arsitektur Hijau. Arsitektur dalam praktek di studio BPA, dan yang terakhir adalah Arsitektur masa depan era Jokowi.

1. Arsitektur Kolonial dan Arsitektur Indonesia

Arsitektur Kolonial saya definisikan sebagai arsitektur jaman penjajahan Belanda. Setelah diamati secara seksama Kota Jakarta pada abad ke 18 ternyata memiliki kesamaan sejarah dengan kota New York. Pada masa itu Belanda sudah mencanangkan Jakarta sebagai kota maritim yang tidak berbeda dengan kota Amsterdam di Belanda maupun Manhattan di New York, Amerika Serikat. Pada masa pra kolonial pada abad 12 hingga abad 16 sejak Kerajaan Pajajaran yang diberi nama Sunda Kelapa pada pantai utara Jawa, yang terletak di hilir Kali Ciliwung. Namun kerajaan Padjajaran ini tidak dapat bertahan lama ketika pada tahun 1527 Sultan Hassanudin menyerang dan menguasai Banten dan Sunda Kelapa. Sejak tanggal 22 Juni 1927, Fatahillah merubah nama Sunda Kelapa menjadi Jayakarta (bahasa sanksekerta berarti Kota yang Jaya).  Disebutkan dalam buku Dumarcay pada abad ke 17, Jayakarta memiliki populasi kira kira 10.000 orang.

Kita bisa melihat  bahwa orang orang Belanda  (VOC) mencoba mengimplementasikan grid kota Batavia berukuran 2,250 m panjang dan 1500m lebarnya, berdasarkan rancangan Simon Stevin tentang ‘Ideal city plan’ yang terinspirasi dari buku Saint Agustine diimplementasikan pada tahun 1650 berupa Batavia city plan. Dengan kanal-kanal yang mirip kota Amsterdam.[1]

Gambar1. Batavia Belanda tahun 1981, dibangun di daerah yang sekarang disebut Jakarta Utara.

Sumber ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company . Diakses tanggal 26 Oktober 2014 pukul 19.20 WIB

Pada tahun 1740, ketika VOC, Belanda berusaha mengurangi populasi masyarakat China keturunan yang tinggal di Jayakarta, dengan kebijakan untuk memulangkan para pelaku kriminal ke negaranya sekaligus melarang kedatangan orang-orang China baru, hal ini menyulut kemarahan masyarakat keturunan China di Jayakarta, perlawanan ini mengakibatkan terbunuhnya hampir ribuan orang-orang China yang tinggal di Batavia. Pada tahun 1799 masyarakat China dapat kembali tinggal secara aman di daerah Wetevreden area di luar Benteng kota Batavia.Gambar 2. Kota Amsterdam 1650 – 1660.

Sumber ; http://www.nc-chap.org/castello/index.php . Diakses tanggal 26 Oktober 2014 pukul 19.25 WIB

Dari sejarah di atas dapat kita simpulkan bahwa situasi politik dan kerusuhan pada abad 17 tersebut mempengaruhi perubahan penataan kota sekaligus mempengaruhi model permukiman setempat. Pemindahan kota administrative Batavia ke kawasan Weltevreden dan Koeningsplein sekarang menjadi Lapangan Banteng dan Monas, sebenarnya di titik itu Jakarta mulai meninggalkan ciri kota Maritim sehingga dalam perkembangannya kawasan hinterland seperti, Sudirman, Thamrin, dan Casablanca berkembang pesat sebagai pusat perdagangan, [1] sementara pusat kota yang lama jadi terabaikan.

Jika kita pelajari dari sejarah situasi di Batavia masa itu juga terjadi di New York Sungai Hudson di New York ditemukan oleh Henry Hudson pada tahun 1609. Pada tahun 1623 ada sekitar 30 keluarga yang berdatangan ke kota Manhattan di antara mereka ada seorang insinyur Belanda bernama Cryn Fredericksz, yang membagi tanah di kota Manhattan menjadi beberapa parcel.[2]

Kota Manhattan dibagi dalam ‘grid’ kota, penduduk lokal lebih suka menggunakan ukuran ‘block’ seperti misalnya dua blok atau lima blok dari satu tempat. Biasanya di kota New York, 1 miles sama dengan 20 blok. ‘A few  block’ berarti jarak yang dekat dan bisa jalan kaki saja. Sistem grid di Manhattan telah dilaksanakan pada tahun 1811 melalui satu undang-undang di Dewan Legislatif New York yang dikenal sebagai Commissioner’s Plan of 1811. Grid kota Manhattan tersebut merupakan cikal bakal urbanisme dimana kepemilikan dalam satu blok terdiri dari kepemilikan publik, jalan dan serta kepemilikan

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[1] Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, PARADOX, Sebuah Naratif Tentang Arsitektur dan Urbanisme di Indonesia Pasca Reformasi, pidato pengukuhan guru besar tetap bidang arsitektur UI; Kurniawan mengungkapkan bahwa kawasan kota lama kini adalah representasi dari pertarungan ruang (‘spatial contestation’)antara para reformist dan revitalist antara formalist, capitalist, dan environmentalist.

[2] Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan, New York, Monacelli Press, 1994; Rem Koolhaas, et al, S,M,L,XL, originally published by Oxford University Press 1978, New York: Monacelli Press 1995), dalam buku tersebut Rem Koolhaas dengan rinci menceritakan sejarah pembagian blok sebagai cikal bakal terbentuknya grid di kota Manhattan.

[1] Johanes Widodo; Jakarta: a Resilient Asian Cosmopolitan City, National University of Singapore, sumber : https://www.academia.edu/8451926/JAKARTA_a_Resilient_Asian_Cosmopolitan_City diakses pada tanggal 21 September 2014

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[1] Disampaikan dalam Seminar arsitektur pada peringatan 50 tahun Universitas Pancasila di Jakarta Design Centre (JDC) Slipi, Jakarta, 27 Oktober 2014

[2] Budi Pradono (1971), anggota IAI professional, principal architect pada Budi Pradono Architects, firma arsitektur berbasis riset, direktur JADUL (Jakarta Digital Urban Lab), saat ini ditunjuk sebagai curator untuk pameran Austellung 70’s bad di Sciltach, Jerman 2014-2015, ditunjuk sebagai advisor pada pengembangan industry creative bidang desain dan arsitektur antara Indonesia dan UK.