A sight for sore eyes: Natural elements out front
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.