MASTER PLANS
Three of the best Indonesian architects talk about their pet projects
COSMAS GOZALI
Stone mortars, locally known as cobek and traditionally used to make sambal relish, are stacked high to welcome guests warmly with their shadow play each sunny afternoon. Acting as a partition between the reception area and the restaurant at Amarta Hills Hotel and Resort in Batu city in Malang, East Java, this scenic site was formerly an apple farm from which guests could enjoy a spectacular view of Mount Panderman and the city.
Inspired by Dutch colonial architecture, Amarta Hills has also added a contemporary touch to traditional Javanese elements with interiors featuring locally sourced natural materials such as wood, rattan, natural stones, terrazzo, and terracotta. These colours, which can all be found in nature, when combined with accent colours like white, orange, green, and grey, give a modern and contemporary feel to Amarta Hills’ tropical ambience.
Meanwhile, the hotel’s fixed furniture is custom-made while its loose furniture in the lobby area is made thanks to a collaboration with Indonesian product designer Alvin T. This partnership further emphasises how Amarta Hills helps boost the tourism of Batu by creating jobs for local residents, supporting the local handicraft industry and showcasing the city’s unique food and culture.
revano satria
Revano built the interiors and architecture firm RSI GROUP International and acts as its CEO. One of his recent projects, “The Twist and Shout House”, is a residential project for a client done under the units of RSI Group, with architecture by MSSM Associates and the inside by Revastudio Interior.
With a strong will and ambitious concept, The Twist and Shout House will be a one-of-akind house after its completion in three years. It was even a surprise to the contractors involved because of the ambitious challenges provided by the team—the house consists of hundreds of difficult details that need to be taken care of one by one, and there are more than 50 axes in the working drawing—a normal house would have less than 10 axes.
“Twist” refers to the geometric aspect because of its twisted visual, while “Shout” resembles the explosion effect of the geometry by having it going in different directions after the playful twisting geometry of the house. The house is set to have a clean, futuristic, and allwhite design with matching furniture with some varied texture layers as well. To date, the house has been mentioned as Archdaily Building of the Year 2019, gained an honorable mention in the residential category at the 2018 Architecture Masterprize, and won the 2018 International Property Award for a single residence.
realrich sjarief
Realrich Sjarief is the founder of RAW Architecture and OMAH Library, an architectural library set within his own home where workshops, lectures, and discussions are often held for students and budding architects. His latest project is Omah Le Beton, a private residence inspired by Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, which is widely regarded as a masterpiece of modernist architecture.
Omah Le Beton is a modern tropical house made of concrete and located in Karawaci on the outskirts of Jakarta. Its owners are a downto-earth couple who want the house to blend with nature and feel as spacious as possible.
The living room, which forms the central atrium, is lit brightly by a square glass roof, allowing plenty of natural light to fall on the centre of the house. Landscaped shrubs of pucuk merah trees—known to absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide—surround the house and cool it down during the day by filtering sunlight.
With Omah Le Beton, Realrich aims to adjust his Corbusian approach to the local climate, culture, and craftsmanship. The young architect dislikes people who work for money, fame, and themselves— something he finds commonplace in Indonesian architecture. He loves any space where people can socialise and feel equal. “It’s one way to think of how we should live our lives,” he says.