Breezeway creates tropical home with breath of fresh air

Maria Endah Hulupi, Contributor, Jakarta

Tucked away from the busy area of Cipete, South Jakarta, the tropical house was designed with a corridor to allow a fresh breeze and natural light into its interior, as well as provide a view of the peaceful garden outside.

The man behind the design of the 1,000 square-meter plot is Bayu Witjaksono from Image architecture firm; the land belongs to his mother.

"The aim was to bring in the outdoor element to provide a more comfortable and natural home for her to live in," Bayu said.

The house was his first project.

A long and narrow driveway flanked with neat flower beds leads to the front of the house and a garage off to a corner.

Here, the view is calming, thanks to a cultivated landscape and a pond filled with several flowering water plants, such as lotuses and water lilies in profusion of colors when in bloom.

"The pond absorbs the harsh heat and thus makes the interior of the living room cooler and more comfortable during the day," Bayu explained.

The external architecture is a smooth blend of opposite elements of hard and soft -- the house and the landscape -- light and heavy -- stones and glass -- and light and shade. The elements are carefully blended to create a unified overall appearance.

The breezeway, in the middle of the house, is a steel structure with glass panels, topped with a louver. A light, wood- and-steel staircase accompanies this spacious and airy structure. The breezeway also functions as a corridor that lends a sense of seclusion to the other two sections of the house.

Dozens of family photos are arranged atop a cabinet at the entrance to the house and along the wall of the staircase.

"Many people who have come to this house said that it is homey," said Ibu Wahjudi, the architect's mother.

An Indo-European nuance fills the interior. "I was looking for a suitable style for a tropical house. One of my concerns was optimal ventilation to allow plenty of fresh air into the interior," Bayu said.

Inspired by public spaces in European countries, the architect designed the breezeway to resemble European streets, complete with antique lampposts and benches along its sides.

The two other sections of the house feature a living room, bedrooms and bathrooms. Most rooms are furnished with antique furniture, several of them decorated with crocheted tablecloths made by Ibu Wahjudi's patient hands.

"I like crocheting. I keep some of my pieces in my wardrobe, some others are displayed. When I am crocheting, I like to sit here," she said, pointing her finger at a chair in front of a miniature version of Michael Angelo's Pieta.

The house is filled with mementos of her late husband and a special cabinet in the family room was specially designed by the architect to hold his father's belongings, such as grooming implements and watches.

Aside from the flower pond, Bayu also allotted an expanse in the backyard for a garden. His mother loves gardening, and the space again has a functional object of separating the main house from the service area.

Mango, banana, rambutan and matoa trees shoot up from the garden.

"Most of the trees are easy to grow. They don't require a lot of maintenance," said Ibu Wahjudi, explaining that some of the plants had an emotional value, as they recalled sweet memories of loved ones.

"I like planting trees and watching them grow. I just let them grow naturally without any pruning or trimming. I do think they look more attractive that way," she said.

Filled with breeze and sitting among lush greenery, the house is indeed a tropical hideaway, a secret treasure among the dusty confines of Cipete.