Architecture<\/p>\n
Coming back to Jakarta after 18 years and with the plan to be
\nonce more one of its citizens for a number of years, I was
\nimmensely impressed by the development that has been taking place
\nin the city, but most of all in its center.<\/p>\n
Being an architect myself, much of my interest, quite
\nnaturally, went to the products of my fellow designers of
\nbuildings. And, although the spread of prestigious office
\ncomplexes and hotels can easily stand the comparison with similar
\nprojects anywhere in the world, I am also very worried with the
\nserious decline in the quality of the architecture in general.<\/p>\n
While the city center can indeed be compared with that of any
\nother metropolis in the world, at the same time it looks
\ndisturbingly like any other center; no special character, no
\nreference to your rich culture, nothing that even remotely builds
\non the basis of traditional Indonesian architecture, or uses
\nanything of its refine language.<\/p>\n
As far as I am concerned, this could be Hawaii, this could be
\nFlorida, and if you take out the palm trees, it could be
\nanywhere.<\/p>\n
Maybe this is a deliberate choice, in which case I should
\nrespect it, being a guest in your country. But I simply refuse to
\nbelieve that! I fear that, like in so many other cities,
\narchitecture and urban design are the victim of economic
\ndevelopment--no time to think twice, not enough care on the part
\nof the people who invested in the cityscape.<\/p>\n
Now, I realize that criticism like this is easier given than a
\nbetter approach is found. To start with, at first glance there is
\nnot much in the history of Indonesian architecture that can be
\nused as a guideline for the design of multi-functional centers at
\nthe end of the 20th century; you are not dealing with sprawling
\none-storey kratons (palaces) anymore, but with offices that must
\nhouse thousands of people.<\/p>\n
But I am sure a new approach can be found, even if it takes
\ncareful study, painstaking analysis and hard work; good examples
\nin regards to results of such work can be found in other
\ncountries. In those cases a careful blend of modern requirements,
\ntranslated with the use of beautiful old language, has been
\ntried--with success!<\/p>\n
This can also be done in Jakarta and I would like to propose
\nthat my fellow Indonesian architects and city planners take up
\nthe challenge; it is so much more worth it!<\/p>\n
HANS W. VAN OS<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/architecture-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }