Bridging the elements<\/p>\n
Maria Endah Hulupi, Contributor\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Using creative license with textures and colors in both the
\ninterior and exterior can give a different feel to a house,
\nwithout resulting in an architectural hodgepodge.<\/p>\n
This is true in a newly built modern house in East Jakarta,
\nwhere textures and colors dominate both the interior and
\nexterior, such as the use of layered walls to create interesting
\nand stylish living quarters.<\/p>\n
The exterior has a rigid geometric feel with its rectangular-
\nshaped windows, doors and different colored sections at the
\nfront. Inside, the elements used melt that feeling away,
\nfostering a clean cut, functional and light interior.<\/p>\n
For the home, standing on a plot 11 by 21 meters, young
\narchitect Edwin \"connected\" the indoor and outdoor by bringing in
\ncoarse looking surfaced walls, commonly found in the exterior,
\ninto the interior.<\/p>\n
He also used a wall from the rear part of the house that
\nprotrudes into the dining room.<\/p>\n
\"I obscured the exterior, intermediate and interior approach
\nthrough the finishing (using a coarse looking wall for the
\ninterior). This way I can give accents to the interior as well.\"<\/p>\n
In designing the house, the architect aimed at creating a
\nbudget design which is as simple and efficient as possible
\nwithout sacrificing esthetic concerns.<\/p>\n
Due to space limitations, circulation in the interior was
\ncarefully planned so it can smoothly flow from one room to
\nanother without having to allocate space for a corridor.<\/p>\n
For the staircase area, the architect created a curved, gritty
\ntextured wall, painted in a terra-cotta color. This curved wall
\nis in contrast to the straight ones, helping it stand out in the
\nhouse's public areas. The wall is central because it can be seen
\nfrom various angles.<\/p>\n
\"It (the wall) was designed as focal point so I used a
\ndifferent texture, material and a darker color,\" Edwin said.<\/p>\n
Just above the staircase area, there is a skylight from which
\nthe daylight leaves an interesting shadow to the coarse wall as
\nthe day progresses to evening.<\/p>\n
In the house, the architect also incorporated a hint of
\nJapanese influence in the layering of walls. The walls can be
\ndense, transparent or semitransparent.<\/p>\n
He chose steel and timber as materials for a bridge, which is
\ndesigned on the upper floor to connect a bedroom with a study
\narea.<\/p>\n
\"The bridge was against the wishes of the owner's parents. For
\nit is considered unsafe, especially for a family with children,
\nbut we took everything into account, especially safety.\"<\/p>\n
Huge windows in the sitting\/family room and next to the dining
\nroom allow daylight to illuminate the interior, while providing a
\nview from the rear yard and the small dry garden.<\/p>\n
The rear garden, adorned with heliconia plants, can also serve
\nas an extension of the dining room -- useful when organizing a
\ngathering -- while the narrow side garden is simply planted with
\ndecorative leaf plants and covered with loose stones.<\/p>\n
Edwin chose low maintenance basic materials suitable for a
\ntropical house, such as aluminum for the window frames, timber,
\nglass and plastered walls. The use of both fabricated and natural
\nmaterials results in an exciting, modern feel.<\/p>\n
\"Everything is practical and needs low maintenance because the
\nowners are a young couple who are busy with their own routines,\"
\nhe explained.<\/p>\n
The architect said that the furniture, the colors and the use
\nof curtains for some windows were selected during the development
\nphase by the couple. \"They wanted to keep the interior consistent
\nwith the overall design concept.\"<\/p>\n
In fact, the architect only created the design layout and the
\ncouple built the house themselves with his guidance.<\/p>\n
\"They did everything, (starting) from buying the materials. I
\nintroduced them to skilled workers to build the house. They
\ndidn't hire a contractor to save money,\" Edwin said.<\/p>\n
The house design, the architect recalled, was made based on
\ninterviews with the couple and a few other family members. The
\ncouple had even started out their own design exploration before
\nthe project began, taking pictures of houses in different parts
\nof Jakarta that they considered conformed to their wishes.<\/p>\n
An unexpected encounter with Erwin ended the couple's search.<\/p>\n
\"I noticed a man in a car driving down the street staring at
\nmy house. One day he introduced himself and after learning that I
\nwas the architect who designed my own house, he was elated. A few
\nweeks later, we started working together,\" Erwin said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bridging-the-elements-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}