agatha carolina

Holistic Design

“It took a leap of faith for me to get started in my career as an architect,” says Agatha Carolina, founder and architect of Bitte Design Studio, founder of Monstore, The Lapan, and Acak. “At first, I wasn’t sure with what I was going to do with my life, but I decided to give it a try by studying architecture at Parahyangan Catholic University in Bandung and then, after graduating, I worked at Andra Matin architect for two years. It was years of self-improvement.” While studying for her bachelor degree, Agatha established Monstore, a streetwear-inspired clothing line, in 2008. “It has been around for 13 years now,” she points out. “We previously have stores in Kemang, Kota Kasablanka Mall and now in The Lapan, Bintaro.”

Agatha considers Bitte Design Studio as another remarkable milestone as she started it when she was only 24 years old. “As someone without much experience back then, it was a learning process. Together with my two colleagues, Chrisye Octaviani and Seno Widyantoro, we believe that to design is to understand not only about the aesthetics, but about the context, the experience, and materiality,” she elaborates. Established in 2012, Bitte Design Studio is an integrated design firm that develops architectural and interior environments specialising in restaurants, bars, retail spaces, hotels, and design projects. The studio believes in a holistic approach to design, developing the architecture, interior, and furniture for every project.

Living in this digital era, Agatha, who holds a Master’s Degree in Interior from the University of Arts London, feels that social media plays an important role in the growth of her career and of Bitte Design Studio. “This era opens wide connections where we can reach and gain opportunities. There are always pros and cons, and we need to always stay mindful.”