A sight for sore eyes: Natural elements out front

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Perched on its own spot atop a small hill, the modern house commands breathtaking views of the city of Semarang below.

The lofty 1,600 square meter site was a challenge for architect Sardjono Sani with PT Bias Tekno - Art Kreasindo.

But since the site possesses a beautiful scenic view yet remains off from the main street, the architect decided to use huge windows -- allowing a 270 degree view outside and giving the occupants a stunning eyeful at every turn.

"The view is something not to be overlooked and it is this view that has determined which direction the house must be built, not the form of the site. I present nature to those living in it," he said.

The architect wanted to create a house that stood out without overshadowing its natural setting.

"The house does not 'compete' with its natural surroundings. I value the existing (natural) setting by not trying to imitate it (the nature) in the design."

Architecturally, the modern house looks slightly futuristic and industrial due to the use of metal and glass as its main materials. The architect came up with the design to reflect the lifestyle of the owners whose business involves hi-tech designs.

Still, despite its "industrial" look, the house's huge windows are capable of maintaining balance with the interior by providing exposure to the outside, and bringing nature inside. And in order to avoid obstructing the beautiful view, an infra red alarm system, instead of a fence, is used for security precaution.

Apart from relying on curved shapes for both the interior and exterior, the architect also used two wooden panels to bedeck the house as architectural accents. These panels, according to Sardjono, were actually fashioned from the backs of built-in wardrobes in the bedrooms.

The interior is also designed to enable easy flow through the house, and the use of glass combined with the high ceiling seems to further expand the extensive interior.

While the architect's other designs often incorporate overlapping masses to create an unusual, "blurred" space, for this project he leaves a room looking out onto space from different viewpoints by designing two masses with openings that connect the rooms into one area.

A palpable contrast prevails in the interior, where the clean interior design is starkly blended with various antiques and objet d'art, including a carving by Ida Bagus Tilam from the owners' art collection.

The house is divided into public areas, like the media room and dining room, which occupy the ground floor, and the private areas, like the bedrooms and a living room, on the second floor.

The media room is underneath the swimming pool and is designed to evoke a cool atmosphere. Besides the soothing sound of water, the room, set up on top of the swimming pool's holding tank, is lined only with a glass floor, exposing the water underneath. The cool water ambiance is further intensified by the use of blue light.

Lighting is designed to be functional and pleasing to the senses, like the cool blue in the media room, as well as to create effects in the interior, like the floating sensation it produces for the staircase.

Glass is used for the pool's borders, giving a sense of taking a cool dip on the edge of a cliff. From the interior, the pool is part of the view of downtown Semarang.

"The pool is specially built on the second floor so it becomes part of the view to be enjoyed from the living room and the bedrooms. The height and the borderless pool offers a different swimming experience. Those who are not used to it may feel a little bit wobbly swimming in it at first," Sardjono said.

For the landscape, serving as a frame to a painting, the architect specially framed the house with a tropical garden, planted with low maintenance plants. The garden seems to be the extension of the interior since the ground level in both areas is maintained at a continuous plane.

"It adds up to bringing nature inside the house," he said.