Preserving Culture in Jakarta’s Villages

Jakarta Globe, Suzannah Beiner, July 15, 2013

This picture shows houses built on a the banks of a river in a slum in Jakarta
 on June 11, 2013. Jakarta administration has proposed moving river-side squatters
 to ‘vertical kampungs’ to alleviate annual flooding. (AFP Photo/Adek Berry)

None of the lecturers at the Jakarta Vertical Kampung seminar this month defined the word “kampung.” Neither did the guests forming the panel invited to speak about subjects related to the current state of kampungs and plans for affordable housing.

In Indonesian, kampung means village. But the lack of an agreed definition at the event did not inhibit dialogue about introducing a new dimension to affordable housing models for kampung areas: verticality.

The Jakarta office of independent design firm SHAU initiated the master class, conference and exhibition, all of which focused on the Jakarta Vertical Kampung. The Dutch cultural center Erasmus Huis hosted all three events.

The July 7 conference marked the culmination of a 12-day master class between young Indonesian architects and guest teachers, and also the opening of an exhibition that finished on Monday.

The exhibition showcased two collections devoted to models of redesigned kampungs in Jakarta. One collection contained independent projects by professional architects while the other introduced the six models made during the master class.

High rise village?

The international lecturers who kicked off the conference were from diverse fields and had differing opinions on the value in designing high-rise kampungs.

Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana’s Eko Prawoto, the only Indonesian lecturer, and the University of Edinburgh’s Stephen Cairns were outspoken critics of the idea that high-rise kampungs can meet Jakarta’s need for affordable housing while retaining the kampung identity.

Eko opened his lecture by pointing out his lack of experience with designing high-rise buildings. “Jogja [Yogyakarta] is low density and doesn’t have high-rise buildings,” Eko said.

Eko suggested architects should shift from an egocentric or Western approach when redesigning kampungs. Instead they should look to the people living in the community as the inspiration, in order to create designs that fit a community rather than forcing a community to fit into a design.

“I would like to share my thinking concerning the role of architects. It’s more about attitude and cultural approach than purely architecture. What we can learn from kampung is informality,” Eko said.

Eko’s slideshow took the audience into existing kampungs, with pictures of living conditions and adaptations.

His one-hour time lapse of a weekend market in Surabaya generated mild laughter from the audience as they watched a deceptively quiet courtyard burst into a buzzing marketplace and then fade again into calm emptiness.

Homegrown

Eko was the only lecturer to focus solely on Indonesia’s kampung culture.

According to Eko, kampung denizens’ autonomy is critical to fostering community life and self-governance.

“We might think that this kind of chaotic form is not beautiful at all or that it’s very dirty. But we can also see from a different perspective that this is a different kind of intellectual ability,” Eko said.

One slide presented a picture of women hanging laundry early in the morning juxtaposed against a picture taken much later in the day of the same lines being used as an impromptu badminton court.

“They’re able to manage themselves, to create rules that are appropriate for the benefit of the community. [Kampung dwellers] are able to make rules to improve [their] living condition,” Eko said.

His final message was one of caution.

“We need to keep the scale to a manageable size. You have to keep in mind the available skill sets,” he said. “We have to limit our roles as architects. We should give people more of a chance to decide. Life is bigger than an architect.”

Cairns used Singapore’s success with the transition to high-rises as a lens to examine the viability of vertical kampungs in Jakarta. He found Jakarta’s existing infrastructure came up short.

“Fifty years ago, Singapore undertook the kampung-to-high-rise project. … It was a very dramatic, a very traumatic and a very demanding and aggressive transformation,” Cairns said.

Cairns related how in 1961, a fire broke out in the Bukit Ho Swee settlement, killing four people and completely destroying the kampung.

The following day, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had “a series of responses” that centered on high-rise housing models.

“So, in a way, almost overnight the transformation from kampungs to high-rises was achieved through this highly disastrous situation,” Cairns said.

Cairns said the transition relied on a “huge amount of bureaucratic work and technical work” from a highly centralized state.

Cairns noted how the Housing and Development Board (HDB) took an active role in re-educating citizens not only “how to live in a modern way” but also how to live accommodatingly in a multistory building.

Educational catalogs were sent to each high-rise residence, informing the 85 percent of Singaporeans living in them how to decorate, handle domestic tasks and operate lifts, among other lessons.

“My research colleague and I have published some of the kind of detail required to sustain this kind of high-rise housing. It involves daily, weekly, monthly, three-year, 15-year maintenance cycles to sustain the fabric of this kind of condition,” Cairns said.

‘The most desirable housing’

The last lecturer at the conference was University of Seoul’s Bin Kim.

Kim presented a converse outcome of what can happen to high-rise social housing by examining South Korea’s rebuilding process following the Korean War of 1950 to 1953.

High-rises, which began as affordable housing for the “native people” of Seoul, are now “the most desirable housing in Seoul,” according to Kim.

“Apateu started as affordable housing and is no longer affordable,” said Kim, using the Korean word for apartment.

Kim said that following the rapid population growth of the 1960s, the government responded by building high-rises “in quantity over quality.”

From the 1970s to 1990s, rapid economic growth created a rise in housing development. In turn, the government responded with the adoption of new laws to protect development.

By 2000, high-rises were being built on a much grander scale. Apartments began to be constructed by private companies and branded, such as the Lotte Company’s Lotte Castle high-rise.

“Gangnam, you probably know that from the song by PSY, this area is the most trendy area to live,” Kim said of the Seoul neighborhood.

High-rises have now become so unaffordable for South Koreans that they are looking into other types of affordable urban housing, according to Kim.

Shared housing, where 10 or more people share the common facilities of a kitchen, living room and recreational room, and have private bedrooms, have gained in popularity. Other people are turning to duplex houses.

Following the lectures, a panel of representatives from the public and private sectors discussed topics relating to affordable housing and kampung needs.

Toward the end of the conference, both Dutch Ambassador Tjeerd de Zwaan and Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Elka Pangestu gave their support to the event, offering their views about the importance of architecture and commending the master-class participants.

The ambassador said he was pleased that during the master class Erasmus Huis had been “full of action” as a hub for “Dutch professionals and young Indonesians to interact.”

“This type of venue is especially here to build a bridge between our two countries, Indonesia and the Netherlands,” de Zwaan said.

The ambassador said architects should be aware of their influence on people’s lives and that they should design “practicable solutions.”

“The social and economic environment of the buildings should be inspired by the people who will live there in the future,” the ambassador said.

Questions remain

Mari said it was important for Jakarta to “retain and regain its character and soul” in the pursuit of affordable housing.

“Let’s save the villages that are in Jakarta, the kampung, before we become too affluent and they’re gone,” the minister said.

Mari also discussed her wish to end the long daily commutes of those people who migrated to the suburbs because they were pushed out of the city due to rising housing costs.

“Keep the people in Jakarta living in the city of Jakarta and not just on the outskirts,” she said.

Dede Krishnadianty, a master’s student at the University of Melbourne, said she was disappointed by the lack of government representatives in attendance.

“It’s academic snobbery. This is a community-based participation project,” Dede said.

She expressed frustration at the vagueness of the word kampung.

“The government needs to differentiate the term itself. What is kampung? What are slums?” Dede said.

“Kampung is the culture of Indonesia.”

This sentiment, echoed throughout the conference, will perhaps prove the most challenging issue in addressing the housing issue. Attendees said the preservation of culture was as important as budgetary concerns.

Six designs were sent to Jakarta provincial administration “for next steps,” according to the Jakarta Vertical Kampung website.

Erasmus Huis Showcases Sustainable Architecture, Past, Present and Future

Jakarta Globe, Katrin Figge, December 16, 2012

Floating houses are one of the ingenious projects highlighted at the
‘Architecture  of Consequence’ exhibition, currently showing at Erasmus Huis.
(JG Photo/Katrin Figge)

Related articles

• Jakarta’s Architects Build Awareness
• Architecture for Crisis Times at Venice Biennale
• Finding Peace Amid Chaos in Jakarta With Architecture
• Lofty, Leafy Luxury In Singapore’s New Resort Tree Houses
• From Designing Buildings to Constructing Communities

With rapid urbanization happening all around the world, architects are facing more challenges than ever before: to find solutions on how to make good use of limited free space and come up with viable solutions to make living in a crammed environment worthwhile, while also taking into account things like water management and environmentally friendly construction.

But architects from the Netherlands Architecture Institute have created a new engagement and approach to their field. Through its program called “Architecture of Consequence,” the NAI has continuously shown that architecture is an integral part to solving the colossal tasks people are dealing with around the globe.

Erasmus Huis is showcasing projects of the NAI in a new exhibition.

“By juxtaposing work of the past and the present, the exhibition aims to demonstrate the ongoing commitment of Dutch architects and planners in [different] fields,” an introduction to the exhibit reads. “The exhibition serves as a catalogue of ideas intended to seize opportunities and contribute to shaping a more sustainable future.”

By highlighting different projects of the NAI, visitors see how Dutch architects and urban planners have taken on many different challenges since 1840.

One intriguing project shown at the exhibition falls under the section of mass housing. During the 1950s and ’60s, an enormous housing shortage resulted in the erection of many cheap high-rise buildings. Not much thought went into aesthetics and beauty, as the focus was purely on speedy construction, and many criticized the “unimaginative and dull concrete blocks.”

One such example was the neighborhood of Ommoord in Rotterdam, which proved to be a thorn in the public’s side.

“It was not only regarded as desolate and somber, but over time it became troubled by social issues such as crime and low general welfare,” reads the caption under images of the gloomy buildings. “In the 1990s, the majority of the flats were in poor condition and no longer measured up to current standards. Reviving them was deemed useless.”

But despite the perception of the public, the tenants of Ommoord enjoyed living in the area. And so they decided to come together and fight for a better image of their neighborhood. Their efforts created a close-knit community that was able to rescue the flats from demolition.

An architecture office then committed to a project that saw the altering of four flats in 1999 to improve the image of Ommoord: two of them underwent adjustments to be fit for the elderly, while the other two were renovated and refurbished to be put on the market for rent and sale.

Through this renovation, it became clear that “the main challenge for architecture is not in production, but in maintenance, renovation and reuse.”

Another project that has seen a lot of media coverage takes visitors to the city of IJburg, located close to Amsterdam.

This floating city came into being when city planners realized that Amsterdam was growing rapidly, and there was a dire need for housing.

But with almost every inch of land already occupied, a more innovative approach was required.

IJburg is an entire district that has been built on a series of man-made islands on Lake IJ, featuring a central transport link to Amsterdam’s city center. It is a neighborhood of floating homes, designed for the tenants to have an uninterrupted view of the water. The first residents moved into their houses in 2001.

The houses are constructed from a concrete base that sits half a storey below the water level. During the summer, residents can literally jump into the lake from their doorstep for a refreshing swim, while in winter time they can strap on a pair of ice skates and glide along the frozen lake.

To keep the houses from rocking, they are anchored at opposite points to the front and back. To guarantee the stability of the houses in the water, the furniture must be arranged in a way that they keep the balance.

The exhibition also showcases projects of the future that have not been realized yet, such as the model called Park Supermarket. This project is based on the cultivation and harvesting of food in the parks of big Dutch cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The plan is for shoppers to pick fresh fruit and vegetables directly from the plots where they have been grown.

Architecture of Consequence

Through Dec. 28

Erasmus Huis

Jl. Rasuna Said Kav. S3

Kuningan, South Jakarta

Tel. 021 524 1069

Huib Akihary: The Best of Both Worlds

Sara Veal, Contributor The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 10/23/2009 12:10 PM

Huib Akihary: JP/J. Adiguna

In 1983, following a five-day voyage from Jakarta, Huib Akihary stood at the boat's bow at sunrise, watching the two points of the Bay of Ambon grow and gradually encircle him, welcoming him to his father's homeland.

When the boat finally arrived in Ambon, the then 29-year-old waited for the other passengers to disembark, as he had told his aunt he would be the last one off the boat.

"Then four police officers came to the boat and they were asking for me. I said, *I haven't done anything, just visiting my family'," Akihary says.

"*No, no problem,' they said. *Just your aunt has asked us to get you off the boat.' So I was escorted by them and met my aunt for the first time . then she told me that my uncles, cousins and nephews were also there . There were more than 40 people standing there, some of whom had traveled two days to Ambon."

This auspicious reception signaled an important step in Akihary's lifelong journey to understand his Moluccan heritage, leading him to become an expert on Indonesia and Holland's mutual architectural history, and culminating in his appointment as director of Museum Maluku, in the Netherlands, in March this year.

Akihary was born and raised in Holland by a Dutch mother and a Moluccan father. Although he grew up outside the Moluccan diasporic community, he was always interested in his father's culture and roots.

"My thinking and reasoning are Dutch, yet my feelings and emotions are Moluccan. Adat *tradition*, family matters, music, food and helping each other as much as possible are basic Moluccan cultural values and are very much part of my personal life. I try to incorporate that in my Western way of thinking and find a balance in both," he says.

Akihary has two teenage sons, with whom he says he shares Moluccan culture via literature, film, music and cuisine.

"I present it to them and they can choose by themselves if they want to absorb it or not," he says.

"In my case, if I have the name Akihary, I have to know where it comes from."

The name Akihary is well-known in Ambon and increasingly representative of Moluccans overseas. Akihary says many of his relatives in both Indonesia and the Netherlands are highly involved in their immediate community and the wider Moluccan diaspora, as businesspeople, teachers, solicitors and ministers. His cousin Monica Akihary is the lead singer of Boi Akih, a world jazz ensemble that performs Moluccan songs.

"We all share a mutual interest in our Moluccan culture and traditions wherever we live," he says. "As Monica and I play an important role in spreading and conserving Moluccan culture, our family supports us in every way."

Since his first visit to Indonesia in 1983, he has returned several times: in 1984 to research his thesis on the history of architecture of the city of Batavia between 1870 and 1942; in 1988 for a seminar on Indonesia and Holland's mutual architectural heritage; and in 1990 to conduct a five-year inventory of all the Portuguese and Dutch fortifications in the Moluccas, a project cancelled in 1991 for political reasons.

Last month, the Moluccan governor and diplomatic community invited Akihary, in his capacity as Museum Maluku director, to Ambon to organize a musical theater project, Paku Coklat, performed by the Moluccan Music Theatre Ensemble, and reportedly a sell-out success.

His position as director of Museum Maluku is one he has strived for since graduating as an art historian from the University of Amsterdam in 1986, the same year the museum was founded.

"I was involved with the museum since the start, as an adviser, as a member of committees and as chairman of the foundation of Friends of the Museum. In the 90s I was asked to organize a few exhibitions," he says.

"Under my direction and in close cooperation with the newly appointed curator Dr. Jet Bakels, a very experienced museum worker, the Museum Maluku will focus on a broader audience, broader than simply the Moluccan community in the Netherlands."

He says partners will include institutes and individuals worldwide that study Moluccan culture, such as the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC, government departments in Moluccan province and Moluccan cultural societies in Jakarta.

"It's important to join hands and strengthen the cultural identity of Moluccans wherever they live," he says, adding there are significant communities in California and Jakarta.

"I have a very active role now in preserving, discovering, documenting, registering and describing Moluccan culture... In short, safeguarding it for those who live abroad."

Although his focus is on Moluccan heritage, his doctoral research on Batavia means he is knowledgeable about Jakarta's architectural treasures, citing the city as a modern marvel, as well as a major example of Indonesian and Dutch mutual heritage.

"When you drive through Jakarta at night it's beautiful, with all the lights and all the high-rise buildings," he says.

"At present, these buildings, as well as shopping malls and complexes, have an international style. The interesting question is if modern Indonesian architecture and urban planning will find ways and means to develop its own Indonesian identity."

A unique Indonesian identity, he says, remains evident in the architectural remnants of Jakarta's past.

"The layout of Jakarta still shows the history of its growth since 1600, such as the town near Pasar Ikan with its Dutch layout of streets and canals *Kali Besar*," he says.

"This is why it makes me sad when I see that they are destroying a building without knowing its meaning or historical value."

So far, Akihary feels his greatest professional achievements have been his publications on Dutch colonial architecture in Indonesia, which he says have helped Indonesian architects in their urban planning, as well as architectural exhibitions he has participated in, such as at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

"But by far I am most proud of and feel very privileged to have the chance to work on and to promote the Moluccan culture as the new director of Museum Maluku in close cooperation with Moluccans worldwide. It's very rewarding in many ways."

Related Article:

SBY pledges ‘strategic, prestigious’ post for Maluku figure

Education the key to history

Trisha Sertori, The Jakarta Post, Fri, 01/30/2009 3:14 PM  

Few people today are interested in the country's ancient history, says archaeologist Kristiawan, who teaches at Udayana University in Denpasar. 

"We have just 15 students studying archaeology and the number who apply goes down every year. That's why we have developed an outreach initiative. We go to villages and schools where we raise awareness about archaeology among the general public." This program has proved to be a good way of spreading information about Indonesia's prehistory. 

The public's lack of respect for the past can be destructive; however, the nation's heritage laws and their criteria for what must be preserved plays an even greater role in shaping the future legacy. 

The turtle-shaped sarcophagus found near Kremes, despite being 2000 years old and made during Indonesia's Bronze Age, is considered an also-ran in importance. Turtle-shaped sarcophagi are common, as ancient Balinese believe the turtle served as the vessel to the next life. 

"Ten sarcophagi like this one have been discovered in the Kremes area," Kristiawan said. "Other sarcophagi found closer to the mountains are of greater importance because of their more elaborate decoration, technology and rarity." 

Although any artifact from 2,000 years ago is pretty significant, Kristiawan said some were more significant than others. He pointed out that stone sarcophagi were carved by hand, and, for some still-undetermined reason, stopped being used in burials 2,000 years ago. 

Chinese ceramics found at the site date from between the 10th and 16th centuries, with the bulk of ceramic fragments probably dating from before the 14th century when the two countries were regular trading parties. Trade between the two nations slowed after the 14th century because China closed her doors and destroyed all her shipyards and sailing vessels. 

With the continuing destruction of these porcelain fragments and no archaeological research cataloging the finds at Kremes, we may never learn how strong the relationship was these two great ancient cultures. 

The damage being done daily to the Kremes site can be compared to that which occurred at the Prambanan Temple in Central Java. 

Over the centuries people removed stones from this ninth century Hindu temple, using them to build homes or roads. If that practice had not been stopped and the site protected, Prambanan would be the stuff of legend alone. 

Kremes may not be in the same league as that great Hindu monument, but until it is safely excavated, no one will ever know for sure. 

Nias -- not just stone jumping and surfing

George Junus Aditjondro, Contributor The Jakarta Post

Stone jumping (hombo batu) and surfing are the two most well-known attractions for tourists coming to the island of Nias, 75 miles west of Sumatera, which only take place in Teluk Dalam on Nias' south coast. Young Nias men jump over 2-meters stone walls for Rp 50,000, in the village of Bawomatoluo. Meanwhile, surfing was introduced and developed by foreign tourists on the beach of Sorake.

Coming all the way to Nias, however, tourists should not limit themselves to stone jumping and surfing, since the island -- with a civilization dating back to the Dongson period of North Vietnam -- has a unique traditional architecture adapted to the frequent earthquake tremors in the region.

Two original solutions were created by the Nias ancestors. Firstly, all houses were set on a series of vertical pillars (enomo) which are not anchored into the ground, but rest on stone blocks. Secondly, the vertical pillars were reinforced by slanting piles (ndriwa), which created a very resistant earthquake-proof three-dimensional structure.

While surviving earthquakes, Nias traditional architecture is presently endangered by two big challenges, namely deforestation and modernization. Nias has largely been stripped of its forests over the past 150 years since head hunting ceased and the population grew rapidly. This has nearly depleted the native efoa, manawa dano, and simalambuo hardwood trees, used for the pillars of the traditional clan houses (omo hada), chief houses (omo sebua or omo nifolasara) and large meeting halls (omo bale).

Secondly, modernization has reduced the strength of the clan (mado), with most Nias people preferring now to live in Malay houses, while the government has also forsaken Nias traditional architecture in all official buildings.

The billions of rehabilitation and reconstruction dollars channeled to Nias through the NAD-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Body (BRR), overlooked the need to revive this cultural heritage of Nias.

Fortunately, two European charities -- the German aid organization, Johanniter Unfall Hilfe, and the British Turnstone Tsunami Fund -- have assisted the rebuilding of remaining omo hada on the island. Johanniter cooperated with the Nias Heritage Museum (Museum Pusaka Nias) in Gunungsitoli, the capital of the Nias district, while the Turnstone Tsunami Fund cooperated with the Medan-based North Sumatera Heritage.

With Johanniter's assistance, Museum Pusaka Nias has helped families rehabilitate 26 traditional wooden houses in 13 villages. In addition, with financial assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and the Muenster and Konstant Municipalities in Germany, the Museum has rehabilitated eight more traditional houses in seven other villages. Then, with the assistance of other donors, the Museum has distributed funds -- ranging from Rp 200,000 to Rp 5,000,000 -- to 357 traditional house owners to rebuild their traditional houses.

The museum was trusted by all those donors due to the serious dedication of its director, Johannes Hammerle, OFM Cap, a naturalized German-born priest, to revive Nias traditional architecture. The Museum director has studied chief houses (omo sebua) since 1990, and supervised the construction of the museum compound -- with its various wooden buildings -- according to Nias traditional architecture, involving Nias and German carpenters.

In the museum compound, one can observe a South Nias rectangular wooden house, used as a guest house, where the author has twice stayed, and a North Nias oval wooden house, used as an office building. The oval house, called omo laraga, originated from Sinandraolo village near Gunung Sitoli. Owned by the family of Ama Jeni Telaumbanua, it collapsed during the 2005 earthquake.

The traditional house was rebuilt in the museum compound and modernized with an indoor toilet, with the financial assistance of Brigitte Ott and Guenter Ott and their colleagues from the German International School in Jakarta. The omo laraga was inaugurated on June 22, 2007, with the traditional house inauguration dance, Fameheu Omo, by high school kids dancing and jumping on the floor, to test the house's structural strength.

Meanwhile, the Turnstone Tsunami Fund has rebuilt the chief house (omo nifolasara) in the village of Hilinawalo Mazingo, the oldest omo hada in Southern Nias. This magnificent chief house had survived nearly three centuries, but was in desperate need of restoration after falling victim to intense sun, rain, insect infestation, neglect, and finally, the March 2005 earthquake.

In 2005 and 2006, the Turnstone Tsunami Fund focused on training a younger generation of Nias men, ranging from 23 to 50 years of age, by the elderly village carpenter, Ama Liana, in four-week courses, supported by the Carpenter's Company of the City of London.

Following two carpentry courses, all houses in Hilinawalo Mazingo and four surrounding villages had been fully repaired by mid 2006. In addition, this project also supported a reforestation education project with local teenagers, led by a Nias school teacher, Yamin, and using afoa seedlings.

Thanks to these massive programs, Nias will have much more to offer to tourists than swimming and snorkeling in Teluk Dalam, watching stone jumping in Bawomatoluo, and surfing at Sorake. It would be nice if BRR and all aid agencies contribute to reviving this unique cultural heritage.

As Roger Miall from the Turnstone Tsunami Fund suggested is his email letter to me, some help from BRR to build a road to the village of Hilinawalo Mazingo would encourage tourist to visit the restored chief house. Meanwhile, tourism agencies should incorporate visits and short periods of living in Nias' omo hada in their packages, similar to tourism packages in Sarawak, East Malaysia, where tourists are encouraged to visit and live in Dayak long houses. Or in Mentawai, where tourists also can visit and live for short time in the indigenous people's longhouses.

The author is currently researching the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias, and can be contacted at georgejunusaditjondro@gmail.com

Revealing local architecture's tense history

Astrid Wibisono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Architecture Documentation Center is holding an architecture exhibition called Tension -- Span, which aims to reveal the friction and debates sparked during Indonesian contemporary architecture's 100-year history.

One of the creators of the exhibition, Nanda Widyarta, said this should serve as an incentive for the next architectural discussion. "We try to portray the tension in architecture, which has been a heated debate over the years."

The exhibition is not intended only for architects but also the general public. It aims to widen the public's perception that architecture also functions as a society builder rather than just mere steel and glass.

"Architecture can be a tool for social manipulation. But only if the architects are ambitious," he added.

Tension -- Span exposes one hundred years of Indonesian architecture and is divided into four segments consisting of several models and walls full of visual information. It also has a timeline board which explains the history of Indonesia's architecture from 1870 to 2000.

The first part exposes the formation of Dutch-Indies society through a synthesis of East and West.

When professional architects arrived in Indies, they allegedly started the first exploration and debate on Indies architecture. In their discourse, many Dutch architects built their creations in Bandung, such as Denis Bank and Savoy Homann Hotel, Drie Locomotive, Vila Isola and Hotel Preanger.

The next part examines the Nation-Constructing Modernism. It is related to Soekarno's "nation building" scheme that projected a free and progressive Indonesia. Within the same scene, the board displays buildings in Jakarta, such as the Pola building, Conefo building, the French Embassy, Hotel Indonesia, the National Monument (Monas), and the Gelora Bung Karno.

The third part covers "Rooted-ness and Locality". In the late 1960s, Indonesian architecture tried to find its identity by looking back to its grassroots tradition. A team of architects, who designed the University of Indonesia's Administrative Center Building, aim to find "Indonesian-ness" through a rationalist approach.

The last section tells the story of an ongoing exploration. Fresh architects, who are united in Young Indonesian Architects (AMI), try to explore design possibilities and the potential to meet society's demand. Besides AMI, there are other young architects' groups like FAM, SAMM, De Maya, and BoomArs. Their creations are Steel House by Ahmad Juhara, Gedung28 by Andra Martin, and Trafacon by 12 Akitek. Their soon-to-be-built projects are the Tsunami Museum by Doni Dwipayana and Kupat Kumis by AMI Last. The latter is an environmental project, which has a rooftop that can accommodate evacuees.

Besides showing 15 total building models in its four sections, the exhibition screens a five-minute documentary film, which explains the content of the exhibition. The film will be played repeatedly during the exhibition.

The whole room was made as if the person viewing the exhibition is walking on a giant checker board -- thanks to the aid of red tape lining the floor and walls. Dana, the designer of the room, said that Erasmus Huis had fully supported the design team in accomplishing their work. "I've never found an exhibition place like Erasmus Huis, which has allowed us to utilize the room according to our ideas."

The team, which consists of 10 people, needed around five months to plan and execute their work.

An architecture student visitor, Vanessa, 20, said that the exhibition was intriguing. "I came here to see the models and the exhibition has escalated my architecture knowledge," she said.

The exhibition is going on until January 11, 2008 will see the launching the book Tension , and the documentary film Rumah Angin (The Wind House) at Erasmus Huis, HR Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta.

Beach Games monument unveiled

The Jakarta Post

The Asian Beach Games committee unveiled a monument at Lumintang park in Denpasar on Wednesday.

Rita Subowo, chairwoman of the National Sports Council (KONI), said the unveiling of the monument marked the beginning of the country's preparations to host the first Asian Beach Games, which will take place in October 2008.

"This event will be the biggest beach and water sports competition in the world," Subowo said.

Designed to resemble the ocean waves, the colorful monument is a bit awkward in the city center, at the former site of the Badung administration office on Jl. Gatot Subroto.

The office was burned down during the 1998 riots.

The park will be re-named after Indonesia's first president Sukarno.

"Ideally, the monument should be built in a beach area like Sanur, Kuta, Nusa Dua. But we could not find the right place," said the head of KONI's Bali branch.

The seven-meter tall monument, which cost around Rp 800 million, was designed by local architects and artists using bold colors and traditional Balinese designs.

Bogor publishes heritage book

BOGOR (The Jakarta Post) : Bogor municipality on Sunday launched a book listing some 560 cultural and architectural heritage sites in the town.

Famous as an expansion area of Batavia during the Dutch colonial era, Bogor is home to numerous buildings that date back as far as the 18th century.

"All of the buildings on the list were built during the Dutch era. They include government offices, schools, research centers and commercial buildings," Bogor heritage inventory team head Rahmat Iskandar told Tempointeraktif.com newsportal.

The oldest building on the list is the Bogor Presidential Palace built in 1745.

There are a number of buildings in the same hybrid architectural style known as Indische that date back to between 1938 and 1940.

Most of these buildings are found along a strip that was then known as Groote Posweg, which today is Jl. Ahmad Yani, Jl. Jendral Sudirman, Jl. Suryakencana and strips lining the way from the Puncak resort area to Bandung.

The book also includes artifacts dating back to the pre-Islamic Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms that thrived in the area.

Nias touted for world heritage designation

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

The central government will support a bid to include Nias Island, in North Sumatra, as a world heritage site.

Representatives from various organizations, academics, researchers, the government and members of the general public attended a meeting Friday in Medan, North Sumatra, to discuss the bid.

The meeting was organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in cooperation with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and North Sumatra University.

Head of the World Heritage Center's working committee, Risman Musa, said Nias had a good chance of being listed as a world heritage site, due to its unique cultural heritage.

The island boasts traditional houses which date back hundreds of years, megalithic sites and artifacts, traditional villages, a variety of local languages, special handicrafts and traditional architecture.

Risman, who is also deputy head of religious, cultural and tourism affairs at the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare, said the government would submit a bid to the World Heritage Center in Paris, France, to include Nias as a world heritage site.

"Every year, the World Heritage Center offers Indonesia and other countries the chance to submit bids to have their potential natural and cultural sites listed as world heritage sites. This year, we will submit a proposal to support Nias as an Indonesian cultural heritage site," Risman told The Jakarta Post.

He said there were a number of other potential heritage sites in the country that his office would include in the proposal, such as Bali, Tamansari in Yogyakarta and Raja Empat in Papua.

Risma said the last Indonesian site to be listed by the World Heritage Center was Bukit Barisan National Park in Sumatra, in 2005.

"Indonesians should be proud, because so far seven of the country's heritage sites have been listed as world heritage sites," said Risman.

UNESCO's assessment report on Nias' cultural heritage in 2006 recommended the Indonesian government endorse the inclusion of Nias and surrounding islands as a world heritage site.

Chairman of the national committee for UNESCO Arief Rachman said he supported the proposal and urged the government to immediately seek experts on the island's culture and history.

"It's ironic that we don't have local experts on Nias yet. Those who specialize in the culture and history of Nias are from Germany and the Netherlands," said Arief, expressing hope North Sumatra University could help train local experts.

South Nias Regent Fahuwusa Laia, who also attended the meeting, said he welcomed the idea.

"If Nias becomes a world heritage site, it will help promote both local and international tourism to Nias and nearby islands."

'Tempo Doeloe' photos trace city history

SEMARANG (The Jakarta Post) : The history of Semarang was vividly portrayed in Semarang Tempo Doeloe, a photographic exhibit on the city's olden days that was displayed at the Town Hall from May 21-23.

Those who were unable to view the show may still be able to obtain exhibition catalogs filled with pictures of the city in a bygone era.

Exhibition committee chairman M. Maulana Fahmi said the event was held to coincide with the Central Java capital's 460th anniversary.

"We cooperated with the Seputar Semarang daily, the Semarang municipal administration and the Central Java Regional Archives Office" for the exhibit, he said.

Official records indicate that Semarang is mentioned in the accounts of Dutch historians H.J. de Graaf and Th. Pigeaud. The historians pointed out that before Dutch colonial rule, Semarang was already a crossroads of different cultures and civilizations.

Some pictures were portraits of Semarang's noted citizens and others traced the architectural history of the capital.

The photo of the provincial governor's office, for instance, reveals that in 1956, the building was located on Jl. Oei Tiong Ham (now Jl. Pahlawan), named after a Dutch-era business tycoon. Another street called Oei Tiong Bing Weg (street), is now Jl. Sultan Agung.

Aerial photos showed the Djoernatan area with its Semarang River and city tramway, the Kota Lama -- or "Old Town" -- area in 1948 with a Sleko gas plant, and Semarang town square in its original state.

Apart from buildings and public facilities, the pictures also revealed the earliest conditions of Semarang's markets and other economic activities, art and cultural centers, prisoners' camps and night fairs. -- JP/Suherdjoko

New development demonstrates conservation via compromise

Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

On the side of the fast-paced strip of Gajah Mada, West Jakarta, modern concrete columns converge with an old Chinese roof, creating a space where time, or at least history, stands still.

Amid criticism that new urban development projects often swallow up architectural heritage, an as yet unnamed high-rise apartment project featuring a 19th century Chinese mansion as part of its main entrance serves as an example of how old and new buildings can cross paths.

But in the case of this building, they were paths that crossed involuntarily. It was only public resistance, and then the 1997 monetary crisis, that halted the original plans for the 32 story mixed use complex.

Candra Naya, the old Chinese mansion, still looks as if it has been swallowed by the giant concrete structure built overhead. But at least it has not been chewed.

As land has become increasingly expensive and the urge to build and build has continued unabated, heritage sites have been far from the top priority of developers and the city administration.

True heritage buffs stand at one extreme, arguing nothing should be done to alter historically rich old buildings.

With no incentives on offer for the restoration of these buildings it is difficult and expensive to maintain their upkeep.

Furthermore, it would take significant investment to make them function in line with the pace of modern urban life.

And new investment comes only when something is offered in return.

"There should be compromises to protect heritage buildings. This has been done with Candra Naya," said lecturer at Tarumanagara University's School of Architecture Naniek Widayati, who is overseeing the conservation project.

"After a series of discussions, the developer agreed to make the main building of the mansion part of the main entrance," Naniek said Tuesday.

In the project that intertwines new development with heritage conservation, what started as a conflict of interest between developers and heritage protectors turned out to be a compromise worth observing.

Candra Naya itself was built somewhere between 1807 and 1867. No inscription of the buildings exact date has been found in the building, Naniek explained in her research paper.

The complex originally occupied a 2.4 hectares of land, comprising a main building at the front and an extension at the back.

The house was declared a heritage site in 1931 under a Dutch Monumente Ordonantie and later by a ministerial decree in 1988. A 1993 gubernatorial decree classified it as an A-class heritage site that could not be physically altered.

But in 1994, private developer PT Bumi Perkasa Permai obtained a building permit to build its mixed use complex on the Candra Naya site.

The extension wing was torn down, with the company arguing it was a mere addition to the original building and that the new structure needed the area for essential support.

The public reaction was that the partial demolition had destroyed the beauty and essence of the heritage building.

But what is the essence of heritage?

For Candra Naya, physical existence is only a secondary factor. Most important is the story of how the building helped shape Jakarta's urban society.

The Khouw family who built the complex was prominent in Jakarta life during the 19th century.

Khouw Tian Sek, family's patriarch, was a rich landlord who passed his land on to his son Khouw Tjeng Tjoan, who passed it down to his son Khouw Kim An.

The latter was a Dutch-appointed Chinese community leader, who, apart from being member of the Dutch representative council the Volksraad, was also head of the Chinese council Kong Kwan and the political party Chung Hwa Hui.

Khouw died in 1945 in a concentration camp during the Japanese occupation and was buried in the family cemetery in Jati Petamburan, Central Jakarta.

In 1946, the complex was occupied by Sin Ming Hui, a Chinese social organization which turned the private house into a center for health, social and education services.

The activities later developed into what we know today as Sumber Waras private hospital, sports organizations and education institutions such as the Candra Naya school complex and Tarumanagara university.

Jakarta cultural and museum agency head Aurora Tambunan has stressed the importance of preserving history and making it available to the public, rather than solely concentrating on preserving physical structures.

As much as it sounds like a defensive line from an administration uncommitted to conservation, there is a point: conservation efforts shouldn't just be about pure romanticism.

Architecturally, engulfing an old elegant Chinese mansion with giant concrete columns cannot be a pretty sight.

But architecture isn't the only thing in this world, is it?

Bali wants to step up cooperation with Malaysia in trade, culture

nstonline.com

Mohd Nasir Yusof, BERNAMA

DENPASAR (Bali), SAT.: Bali Governor Dewa Beratha hosted a banquet last night in honour of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah, who are on a four-day state visit to Indonesia.

The banquest was held at the governor’s official residence, Jaya Sabha, a building with unique Bali architecture which was constructed in the 1870s.

Their majesties were entertained to a cultural performance by more than 100 dancers and a dance drama, Sekar Jaga, which is well-known on the island.

Dewa Beratha, in his speech, said Bali hoped to further enhance relations and cooperation with Malaysia in various fields like tourism, culture, trade and education for mutual benefit.

This popular resort island of 3.2 million people is also home to 150 Malaysian students furthering their studies in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry here.

Meanwhile, a specific and unique Balinese chess board is a special souvenir presented to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and his consort Raja Permaisuri Queen Nur Zahirah to commemorate their visit to Bali.

The royal couple were attracted to a medium-size chess board when they were visiting the Ida Bagus Marka gallery in Mas Ubud village, Gianyar, Indonesia’s Antara news agency reported Friday.

The 48-member royal party included Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datok Zaenal Abidin Zain, embassy first secretary Mohd Pilus Ismail, official of the Malaysian royal household Tengku Farok Hussin, and honorary Malaysian consul in Bali Faisol H Hashim.

The royal couple has long been looking at the unique chess board and also looked at other handicraft articles. While they had the intention of buying the specific Balinese chess board, the host Ida Bagus Marka had already prepared it as a souvenir for the royal couple.

In their two-day visit to Bali within the framework of their four-day stay in Indonesia, King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and entourage also visited the Bali Convention Center (BBC), after which they returned to their hotel in Nusa Dua.

In the evening, they attended the dinner hosted by Governor Dewa Beratha and chairman of the Bali representatives council (DPRD) Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa, in the company of their wives.

Architectural treasures fading at Pasar Baru

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Kibout, 59, spent the afternoon sitting in front of the old Chinese shop in Pasar Baru market, Central Jakarta.

The exterior of the dilapidated two-story shop, dominated by faded red and decorated with oriental ornaments, bore the sign "Toko Kompak".

"This house was built by Mayor Tio almost 200 years ago. This was the first building in the market," said Kibout, who grew up in the local neighborhood.

Mayor Tio was one of the five mayors appointed to lead the Chinese ethnic community during the Dutch colonial period two centuries ago.

"This was originally a house but later it was turned into a furniture shop," said Kibout, who has been worked at the market for a number of years.

Despite its rundown appearance, the building's interior, with its faded doors, damaged window frames and ornaments, still evokes a sense of grandeur and authority. .

"I have no intention of refurbishing this shop," said the building owner, who preferred to remain anonymous.

The current owner inherited Toko Kompak from his father, who bought the building from a descendent of Mayor Tio in the 1930s.

"Since the building was declared a cultural heritage site, I haven't received any help with preserving it," he said.

The government declared Toko Kompak a cultural heritage building in 1993, along with four other shop buildings in the Pasar Baru Market area. However, only Toko Kompak has preserved its original appearance. The other buildings have already been renovated, maintaining only their original second floor exteriors.

With its remarkable structure belonging to an older time, Toko Kompak now stands alone as a reminder of the past.

Like other Chinese architecture from the same period, the second floor of Toko Kompak features a void in the center, surrounded by a delicately carved handrail.

At the back of the shop is a wide yard intended as a family gathering space, another typical characteristic of ancient Chinese houses.

"This building has remained the same since it was first built two centuries ago," said the owner.

The owner said he had never thought of turning his shop into a museum, in spite of its historical value as the oldest building in the market area.

Turning such old buildings into museums can actually help preserve them. This has been the case with the National Archive Museum in Jl. Gajah Mada, West Jakarta, the former residence of a high ranking Dutch official. This museum is now one of the best-maintained old buildings in Jakarta.

But Toko Kompak's owner has refused to follow suit, presumably worried about the maintenance costs and the administrative duties conversion to a museum might bring.

Most shop houses at this market have had new and modern facelifts, or been rebuilt entirely, leaving only a few old shops like Toko Kompak hunkered down amidst the towering new developments.

Such ancient shop houses are a sign of the golden period once experienced by the merchants of this busy commercial area, Jakarta's first elite shopping center.

Pasar Baru Market was initially built to serve the growing upper class Dutch community who lived along Jalan Veteran in Central Jakarta, which was then called Rijswijk.

Until the 1970s, this market still served as a luxury shopping center, selling both local and imported products. But its popularity faded with the emergence of new modern plazas and malls.

The only signs that anyone remembers Pasar Baru's history as a successful trading center are the two towering oriental gateways at either entrance, which were built by the government five years ago to boost this market's image as a culture tourism destination.

Besides these gateways, only Toko Kompak's unique architecture hints at the potential this old market has as a tourist site.

"Many tourists, both domestic and foreign, have come here to enjoy this ancient architecture," said Kibout.

Yet with the trend toward renovation and the building of more modern structures to lure today's shoppers to Pasar Baru and other traditional markets, Toko Kompak may find its days are numbered.