In with the old in a nod to tradition

In with the old in a nod to tradition

Maria Endah Hulupi, Contributor, Jakarta

Everyone has their dream house; for one home owner returning
from living in Europe, it is in the form of an old-style house
that blends in with its surroundings, is in harmony with the
tropical climate and offers an inviting garden full of the sound
of birds.

Architect Bambang Eryudhawan's task was to come up with a design
that would suit the climate and fit in with the other buildings
in the neighborhood.

The home makes the most of the 1,500 square meter plot of land
in Pondok Aren, Tangerang, with a "borrowed" landscape view and
energy conserving design.

The architect ensured proper cross ventilation from the
windows and allowed natural light to drench the interior during
the day. The house is cool thanks to its high ceiling, the old
style of ventilation before air-conditioning.

"It (the design) is not just about the look but also about how
to make the house work in an energy friendly way," said the
architect, better known as Yudha.

The owner is a woman who spent several years living in Vienna.
For her retirement, she wanted an old-style residence that would
provide refuge from the heat and humidity of the tropics.

Before he started the design, Yudha inspected the site and
found that the plot of land was located right next to a house
designed by respected architect Tan Tjiang Ai. Apart from making
a design that met his client's expectations, his goal was also to
ensure the newly built house would be in harmony with the one
next door.

Yudha also noticed that the neighbor's house had a couple of
tall palm trees along the side fence, which inspired him to make
the most of the side view for his client's house. He designed a
space along the trees, which was then transformed into a side
garden to enable his client to enjoy a soothing view from the
"borrowed space".

"I tried to respect various elements in the site and to create
a house that reflected them," said Yudha, who is also president
of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Institute of Architects.

At first, his design was opposed by a family living next door,
who argued that the two-story house, with windows facing onto
their plot of land, would disturb their privacy.

But they relented after reassurances from Yudha that the new
house would not intrude upon their daily activities.

The roof was set at a 45 degree inclination, and old-style
ventilation blocks were installed in a diamond shape.

There are plenty of windows, giving an ample supply of light
to all points within and also a view outside.

There are three main sections -- the semiprivate, private and
service areas, with a swimming pool in the center.

The semiprivate area includes the main door that opens to a
living room flanked by a dining room, a sitting area, staircase,
storage and pantry. The architect created a void in this
particular area to allow interaction between those on the second
story and the ground floor.

The private area accommodates bedrooms and a master bedroom
with walk-in closet, while the service area consists of a garage,
a bedroom, bathroom and a TV/sitting room.

Since the service section faces the private section and the
swimming pool, the architect concealed the service area with a
wall equipped with ventilation and a skylight to ensure light
penetration and air circulation.

The fence was designed with a pattern taken from the
balustrade in the interior, and was set conjoined with walls made
from slabs of natural stone. On the side bordering the house next
door, the fence helps to frame the palm trees.

The side garden uses coral stone; grass cannot thrive in the
shady spot and thus there is no threat of mud spatter on the
walls during rainy days.

For the front garden, trusty frangipani was chosen to give a
tropical nuance, while in the rear garden where the pool is, the
owner preferred fruit trees, like rambutan, mango and banana,
because "she wanted plants that attract birds to the garden",
Yudha said.