Architect says old town project needs support
JAKARTA (JP): The old Jakarta revitalization project needs the private sector and the community's greater involvement and participation, a Dutch architect said yesterday.
R.W. Heringa, the author of an architectural book Ir.F.J.L. Ghijsels, Architect in Indonesia (l910-1929), said he was glad to know the city administration had already started a program to refurbish its old city sites.
But he lamented the fact that the participation of the private sector in this huge project was still limited.
Heringa was speaking on his book at the Omni Batavia Hotel, to be launched Wednesday at the Erasmus Huis Dutch cultural center.
The book launching will be highlighted by architectural exhibitions in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java and Denpasar in Bali.
"The city government should first clean up all rivers, including Opak and Kali Besar rivers, in this old area and turn them into a center of attraction," suggested Heringa, who is the grandson of the prominent Dutch architect Ghijsels.
He believed once the rivers were clean, private investors were willing to run their businesses in the areas.
"The government, for instance, could establish water transportation facilities for tourist attractions," he said.
He said the private sector could also play a significant role in the renovation of old buildings along the riverbanks and surrounding areas.
"Look at this building," Heringa said, pointing at the Samudra Indonesia office building on Jl. Kali Besar Barat, West Jakarta.
"The authority can ask the building's owner to refurbish this old beautiful structure. Since a whopping fund is needed to implement the Old City project, the government cannot do it alone," Heringa said.
Since early l990s, the administration has been carrying out an ambitious program to transform its old city, home to hundreds of neo-classical and art-deco style buildings, into a potential business and tourism site.
The old city includes a 134-hectare area stretching from West Jakarta to North Jakarta.
Heringa said his book on Ghijsels might be used as a reference for those who are involved in the project.
The 127-page book contains an overall survey of important and extensive works of the architect Ghijsels in Indonesia between l910 and 1929.
The book was based on personal archives of Ghijsels who died in l947.
Ghijsels inherited all the archives to Heringa.
"For almost 40 years, these important archives were kept in our house's attic," Heringa recalled.
The book reveals under his company, Algemeen Ingenieurs-en Architectenbureau (AIA), Ghijsels designed several important public and private buildings in Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia.
Among his significant works were Kota railway station, Samudra Indonesia office on Kalibesar street, West Jakarta, KPM hospital (now Pelni Hospital) in Petamburan area, West Jakarta, the now defunt Hotel des Indes and Societe de Harmonie in downtown area.
He also designed the famous Villa Isola (now the campus of IKIP Teacher College), Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung and Panti Rapih hospital in Yogyakarta.
"I hope this book will encourage those interested in preserving historical buildings to work harder to preserve their architectural heritages," Heringa said. (raw)