My proposal was selected
during the Bintaro Design District 2020 which held on September 2022 creative
event. I proposed an anti-object architecture called "Lorong
Lungguh," a library that blends with nature in the middle of the Sampirien
forest. Every wooden stick and every tree in the forest has a barcode that
contains specific information for visitors. Lorong Lungguh will be an
underground stopover situated in the middle of the forest.
Lorong in Indonesian means a small tunnel, and
Lungguh in Javanese means “to sit.” So, instead of creating an object in the
middle of Bintaro’s Forest, I tried to create a rare experience. Most people
enjoy the forest from a distance, but in this case, people will be able to
experience it from their cars. I have the desire to bring people here to
experience the beauty of this nature, even more so after the pandemic when we
now appreciate nature more. By going into the forest, we can satisfy our
curiosity from within an architectural masterpiece buried in the ground.
Merleau-Ponty has described the human body as
the beginning of human perception. According to this approach, all meanings
related to the environment begin in the body. Approaches based on the body and
bodily movement in architecture could find meaning in architectural
phenomenology in terms of the body's experience of the space.
This project is an architectural masterpiece
based on the concept of "anti-object" by Kengo Kuma. In his writings,
he stated that Le Corbusier and Mies Van Der Rohe made nature the background of
their buildings, as an object that stands out regardless of the concept of
minimalism. However, Kuma appreciates what Bruno Taut did when he tried to
bridge matter and consciousness. This is also reflected in several of Kuma's
works that highlight the human experience of traveling and procession. So he
makes his facades mostly out of pixels or even louvers to eliminate the
object/product architecture, an attempt that was quite successful.
Lorong Lungguh is a very small architectural
project, only measuring 33 square meters, compared to the size of the site,
which is 13,89 Hectars. To experience the building, one has to walk around in
the middle of the forest. And since it will be buried underground, no one can
see it; all that will be visible is the louver covering the roof, floating like
leaves. If people have to walk far, they can sit and enjoy the lowest area of
the tree. This is a chance to feel the body-feeling space of underground
architecture. In my opinion, this is the product of anti-object architecture, a
reinterpretation of the theory proposed by Kengo Kuma. He advocated for
plainness and formulated his ideology with the words "less is more,"
which formed the basis of the purism principle, an idea about doing away with
all kinds of decorations and embracing simplicity.
Man's separation from the artificial environment
is a fundamental problem that architecture tackles and sometimes even creates.
Therefore, the relationship between subject and object should be the subject of
care. Phenomenology, which plays an important role in architectural space
research, aims to create spaces based on experiences and to address the senses
in architectural design to prevent alienation from the environment.
I created spaces with a focus on the bodily
experience. However, it is important to pay more attention to emotional and
spiritual issues. My goal is to allow people to experience space with their
bodies while also using a technological tool. Using their cell phones, visitors
can scan every wooden stick along the path and read stories.
The Alastrawas gelato inside the Lorong Lungguh
Pavilion will be a major site of attraction. People will be able to walk around
and sit at the underground site. Lorong Lungguh tells the story of human life.
Everyone has to go through a journey in life where, at some point, they have to
sit back and reflect on the past, present, and future.
In short, Lorong Lungguh is a representation of
a future library where literacy is spread throughout nature. Visitors will be
able to take a literacy journey in the middle of the Sampireun forest. There,
they will find points of information that will enrich their journey. In the
final moment, they will find a place to relax and learn about the past and the
vision for the future.
Lorong Lungguh is a completely anti-object
architectural concept. In just ten days after the Bintaro Design District
event, the structure will be disassembled, the excavation pit will be covered,
and the building will cease to exist.