Prasetyo's Design Journal

An Unforgettable Trip to Four Seasons Sayan Hotel at Ubud Bali

2011-03-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

I think travelling is important for an Interior Designer to experiencing about many places he or she never visit before and then may gather some design ideas to be further explored. Surely, visual and spatial experiences that are gathered during many memorable trips to some great places will then 'zipped-in' into the memory and ready to be generated as creative inspirations in a design brainstorming process.

A trip to Four Season Sayan Hotel at Ubud Bali, is one of my memorable and remarkable design trip. A trip I have done 10 years ago in the heartland of Bali. It was a time when digital camera is not common yet, this was the reason why the pictures I have enclosed in this blog post are not perfectly recorded.

I never have any idea about this hotel before this trip. This made my trip to this hotel was creating many surprising moments., because I never see and experiencing a built enclosure like this before. The ultimate journey is begun when I was walking on the connecting blue steel bridge over a small valley try to find the hotel main entry that is situated in the middle of a big pond. And the entry opening finally found as a remarkable grand stair that leads the visitors through a hole in the bottom of the pond's basin. The entry gate itself is a kind of tranquil 'porte cochere' in the middle of the pond that floating in the middle of the valley scenery. Surprising smooth entry transition and procession is actually happened when the visitors walk through the stair from the pond upstairs and the suddenly found a lobby downstairs with its different inviting atmosphere.

The walkthrough session then continue try to find the hotel rooms through a long corridor with continuous water feature that creates a strong sensation of small river side path way. The smell and voices that come from the flowing water feature is transmitted through all the room corridor sides and provides tranquilize ambiance.

The hotel room I have visited was a compact two-storey suites room that was consisting of a nice small lounge upstairs and bedroom downstairs. A small void and a nice connecting stair make the upper and lower spaces are well-interfaced. A king size bed is placed directly facing to window with huge view to the outside tropical scenery where paddy field is outspread, coconut trees are waving, frangipani trees are well-growing and a glimpse of river basin is slightly visible at the far-end bottom side of the valley.

I think I have found an example of timeless and everlasting design. A sense of luxurious is naturally explored from the essence of tropical nature elements that are blended together harmoniously. No wonder if most of the major parts of the building both its architectural and interior detailed design are currently remaining in its appearances when I took a visit here about ten years ago. The design is still there and no longer obsolete. I always take a great respect to The Architect and Interior Designer who worked on the designs of this naturally wonderful place.

Idea Sketches October 2010

2010-10-23T16:48:00.001-07:00

Graphic Poster in Interior Space as Spatial and Visual Accent

2010-09-27T23:44:00.000-07:00

Visual accent in a room can create specific spatial ambience. What is the definition of visual accent? Accent simply refers to elaborate minor part that gives significant impact to the major part in a certain room or other type of artificial space environment. Visual accent could be described as a kind of detail that visually creates significant impact to the whole appearance of the room.

This visual accent could be something two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional object. This article is trying to explore the related matters about two-dimensional visual accent particularly in associated with the application of graphic poster.

Currently, digital technology enabling various possibilities for image development in high-resolution source and produce it in high quality print-out material in various type of media. Large size poster could be made in full-height wall size with almost perfect photographic quality, and we can use it as powerful visual statement in the wall (or other room elements). Now, to hang a conventional painting with pretty frame on the wall is not enough anymore, I think we can make another visual statement to be created in more creative and contemporary way!.

Selection of correct images is the first main consideration. In a corporate office interiors such as Bank for example, it is very common that corporate graphic poster works are widely and carefully used as visual communication tools to define corporate identities. Graphic posters in a Bank offcie spaces are carefully developed and selected for certain purposes for example, they are used to lead the customers easily identify particular areas such as Retail Banking area or Priority Banking Area.

Image themes in graphic posters could be used as simple reflection of specific messages that a company or institution want to visually transmitting to the room user such as message of togetherness, openness, fanciness and other values. Functionally, the application of graphic poster could be also utilized as direction signage that lead the user to certain directions.

Consideration in related with graphic poster details such as color composition, size proportion, its combination with text messaging and other detail treatments are important aspects need to be carefully taken further. In overall appearance, the graphic posters application should become integrated part in the interior scenery.

Other consideration is related with how this graphic poster application should be placed in the interior scenery. If this becomes major visual accent, a clearance observation spaces should be properly provided to make it strongly visible. Other interior treatments such color s and other strong detailing selection should be well managed to avoid any potential visual distractions.

When The Room Suddenly More Digitally Interactive!

2010-05-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Digital interactivity maybe could be simply defined with terms “look and feel” that is associated with an interface of user with a digital intelligent device, more often is related with computer stuff. Term of “look” is associated with its visual design appearance and term of “feel” refers physical interactivities. Physical interactivities may refer to every possibility for the user to experiencing or even exploring the tool for a certain activity.

In my previous posting in this blog, I have tried to define an interior space as an artificial 3-dimensional environment. If ‘mathematically” 1st dimension refers to lines, 2nd dimension refers to areas and 3rd dimension refers to volume, how if we put and insert this interactivity ideas as the 4th dimension element in a 3-dimensional environment?

Since this interior environment basically is a habitable space, it will be more convenient to have every components are become user friendly and encourage user to have positive interactivities in line with its specific room functions. In line with current technology development, in a home a user could be easily turn-on the TV by the using of remote control or maybe turn-off the notebook by the using of hand phone. In an office meeting room, a group of persons can have audio-visual teleconference with other members remotely at another place. If needed the meeting room could be darkened by dimming the lamps and roll-down the motorized window screen by the using of remote control to get certain level of comfort.

Maybe the above explanations are common examples of simple digital interactivity functions that could be happened in a room. Yes, ‘functionally’ digital interactivity makes user life getting easier and more comfortable.

But how if these technology possibilities are explored not just enable functional purposes? It is interesting to explore the ideas in related with the application of digital technologies to create interactivities in next further levels: “entertaining and creative levels”?

In The 2008 World Expo in Zaragoza Spain, Sensacell Corporation have demonstrated these interesting possibilities. Sensacell have provided a product they called as Interactive Floor System that enable various visual effects could be projected and alive on the floor surfaces. Now, the floor is not just ‘ordinary surfaces’ but it will become alive, it could be explored to create more interactivities in ‘entertaining ways’. A video here that excerpted from www.sensacell.com shows that there will be so many creative ideas could be explored by the using this Modular Sensor Surfaces Technologies. It really makes the room become alive, when it becomes more digitally interactive!

Of course, the content of the idea will become important aspect, it will determine level of its interactivity. Creative approaches are always needed to make the technology could be well implemented and meet with the user expectations.

Creating Space, a 3-Dimensional Artificial Environment for Human to Living In.

2010-01-01T02:32:00.000-08:00

I would like to say that firstly an interior design solution shall deliver and provide direct and tangible impacts in related with space as a 3-dimensional environment which is generated based on specific and particular functional requirements. This environment space is artificial thing and could be visually and physically recognized by the existence of shape, depth and size. Of course, lighting both natural and internal artificial lighting are important elements that elaborate the existence of shape, depth and size.

Material characters – such as color, texture, transparent, gloss and others – could be slightly integrated after the shape of spaces are well and correctly generated. Maybe, in some cases this statement is not true because 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional aspects could be considered as integrated aspects in an interior solution.

What I'd like to say is, once an interior space is well created 3-dimensionally, it will always look great even all color to materials are white. Lighting details will become a determinant aspect to emphasize the 3-dimensional quality of the internal space.

Once an interior space is well defined 3-dimensionally, selection of color and textures to the material surfacing could be simply arranged.

(The 5th picture, the last 3D-rendering image in this posting is brilliantly prepared by Andika Soesanto)

An Interior Design Overview for a Corporate Executive Office.

2009-10-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

My last posting on my blog is posted in early year of 2009. Suddenly, after I have got some pictures of my design works which is completed 5 years ago from an e-mail, I initiated to recollect past stories in related to these pictures. This project is already described in my blog that posted on December 2008. All of the pictures capture working suites for high level executives in an Oil Company.

First picture shows one of Commissioner Suite. Interior space arrangement is simply generated from placement of working desk, meeting table and lounge corner including adjacent private quater consist of wash room and praying room.

A curved working desk, an Italian table with natural leather top and white carara marble leg is placed at building perimeter corner side with bianco statuario marble credenza behind. A wall-mounted Nakamichi audio player is well-placed on anegree wooden wall architrave behind the working desk.

A round meeting table is placed in the middle of the room, an Italian table with natural leather top and carara marble leg as similar as working desk. Philips Starck’s three legs chairs that surrounding the table are owner choice. An electronic writing board is placed near the meeting table and integrated in a wooden alcove.

The second and third pictures show scenery of spacious Chief Executive Officer working suite. The room layout also generated on a simple scheme which is consisting of working desk area, meeting room spot in the middle space and guest lounge space is placed near room entry. A raised triangle shape lounge deck is placed in the middle-end side facing to panoramic view to the city.

The working desk is an Italian table with curved shape top that is covered in black leather surfacing with white carara marble top. In line with working table, the round meeting table top is also covered with natural black leather with white carara marble legs.

As similar as the Commissioner suite, this Chief Executive Officer suite is also provided with a private amenity, a private quarter behind working desk that consist of small bedroom, washroom and shower room.

Black and white leather chairs and sofas – including the unique Philips Starck’s meeting armchairs – are designer’s collection items that selected by user based on Interior Designer’s guideline that directing the overall design intentions that reflecting the dignity of simply modern and timeless design look.

The fourth picture is scenery of The President Commissioner suite, the largest suite in this executive floor area. The scenery is captured from guest lounge area. The lounge is consisting of Italian ‘Minotti’ sofa set which are united by a simple square coffee table on a loose Persian silk rug. A private quarter is placed adjacent the lounge and a raised-triangle viewing deck as similar as provided in Chief Executive Officer Suite is also placed adjacent to this lounge facing to the Jakarta panoramic CBD area. A Philips Starck Feature sofa is placed in this deck (not shown in the picture).

Working desk is placed in the middle of this suite facing perpendicularly to anegree wooden wall with a wall-mounted flat TV screen placed on. Place in the right and left side of this anegree wooden wall is a seriesof electronically switchable glass panels. By the using of an integrated remote control the user can make this glass panel become frosted or make it clear to enable direct viewing to the gallery area.

The working desk is an Italian ‘Minotti’ leather cover table in combination black leather cover to the main desk and beige leather cover to the side desk. Behind the working desk is placed a bianco statuario marble long pedestal (not shown in the picture) to enable placement of a ‘sleeping figure’ statue.

Basically, all rooms and areas in this executive floor is united by similar cushioned carpet tile flooring, similar anegree wood surfacing to the wall and joineries and similar bianco stauario marble to particular joinery type. In design intention point of view the using of these materials to whole areas is significantly important, because actually all wall enclosures conceptually are transparent glass walls, all individual rooms shall be visually well-integrated as one unity as a one ‘corporate gallery’. Even the lighting points could not be individually turn-off it could only be digitally dimmed when it needed. All ceiling surfacing visually appear as neutral element with simple rectangular padded panel with soft beige color to enable adequate and better acoustic performance and unify the arrangement of various types of lighting fixtures. Seemingly, many of Philips Starck’s stuff are also become element that integrate the overall design intention, because typical wooden doors are also equipped with solid chromed-aluminium handle from Philips Starck collection.

STACKING PLAN, a guideline to generate office space planning

2009-03-27T09:10:00.001-07:00

Space planning is an important part of interior design process. Particularly, in a design process of an office spaces with multi-level occupancies, space planning is important process should be properly done. The output of space planning process are general layout plans where designer can describe to the user about the office occupancy mapping including information of ‘who sitting where’, various type of rooms, affinity of each room to other rooms and how certain office activities are well-grouped and organized to achieve certain level of working environment that meet user needs.

In case of multi level office space occupancy, say an office space with 5 to 10 floors in a tenancy building, further space planning analysis must be carefully considered. Before each floor layout plan are generated in several details, an Interior Designer must demonstrate to all user that the office stacking plan is meet and fit with the user expectations.

Stacking plan is a kind of chart and/or scheme that simply demonstrate occupancy mapping per floor. Basic data that need to be generated a stacking plan are following:

1. Headcount data for each departments and sections
2. Data of particular room that need to place in certain floor (there are specific requirements)
3. User guideline in related with how corporate activities should be accommodated and provided.
4. User guideline for affinities of each working group to other working groups and each work group to specific facilities.

A stacking plan chart could be simply initiated by the using of common spreadsheet software. This process is most likely a quantitative analysis process, where headcount data is initially be included into the spreadsheet. Describe the name of department and insert related headcount data. Add data of nett floor space area into the spreadsheet this will control occupancy density. Normally, open plan office space with minimum enclosed rooms could achieve density of 10 square meter (sqm) per person including workstation, circulation area, filing rooms, meeting rooms and other standard office room facilities. But in case of office with different scenery, say 50% open office area and 50% enclosed rooms, density could be approximately 25 sqm per person including workstation, circulation area, filing rooms, meeting rooms and other standard office room facilities. That is the reason, why an Interior Designer shall carefully ask to the user their preference in related with the type of office scenery.

Specific room such as Data Center, centralized meeting room, canteen or banking hall should be excluded and separately added into the above calculation of 10 sqm density or 25 sqm density. We can categorize these types of room as non-standard facilities. It will be useful should potential growth for the next years could be taken into account. Accordingly, occupancy density at ‘day one’ need to be improved to give adequate space for future expansion. Space for potential growth could be defined as swing space and at ‘day one’ occupancy it could be implemented as meeting rooms or interactive areas that are collapsible when working spaces getting bigger.

If user have already determined such room or facility should be placed in certain floor, this will be useful for Interior Designer to initiate stacking plan exercise. In most cases, user also have preference about where some departments should be placed in. Department with potential growth bigger than other, it should be placed near swing floor area such as centralized meeting room, common sharing facilities or other vacant floor if available.

Sometime office building have already prepared with strengthened floor area, this will be useful as starting point to determine placement of room that accommodate heavy equipment such as communication room, compactor room or maybe a strong room. Transition area of high zone lift and low zone lift is also another important consideration to determine the placement of centralized meeting rooms and or other common sharing facilities.

A space planning optimization should be carefully done, because maybe the placement of one department in a floor is not meet with another department expectation. In this case, main Interior Designer task is to demonstrate that occupancy density is approximately well distributed and affinity to each department are as close as possible with all user expectations. It will be a great and ideal situation where a department is not split-off into different floor level.

Sometime there is situation where a department should be splitting-off into different floor to avoid any situation where office occupancy becoming too dense and not comply with health and safety regulations. Number of fire escape doors and stairs in an office tenancy building are already calculated in line with optimum occupancy capacity. Number of male and female toilets are also provided and calculated in line with optimum occupancy capacity.

Successful space planning process should be initiated with correct and careful step-by-step processes where user needs are well identified, well managed, well optimized and finally well accommodated. An ability to drive users in persuasive manners will be very useful to achieve optimum stacking plan and minimize potential user conflicts could be minimized. If stacking plan for office occupancy could be well initiated, an Interior Designer could jump to next step of design process: to generate layout schemes in every floor level in more easy and smooth process.

INTERIOR LIGHTING, an Introduction

2009-02-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

Lighting is an essential aspect in an interior environment. Without light, an interior enclosure, could not be visually defined and identified. Within light, an interior environment could be clearly defined by the appearance of color, ambience, its spatial size and depth. Light, in a particular intensity, will enable us to visually identify further specific detail characters of materials such as texture, pattern, transparency, glossiness and other visual related characters.

Interior lighting design involves both quantity and quality of lights. The essential functions of interior lighting are:

1. To provide visual comfort
2. To provide comfortable working environment
3. To provide particular illumination effect

Scientifically, visible light could be defined as electromagnetic wavelength (ג) within 4000 Angstrom (Ǻ) to 7000 Angstrom (Ǻ). Human eye is closely related with the appearance of light. Human eye sensitivity is depending on the wavelength of light. Less than 4000 Ǻ, it could be defined as ultra violet light. More than 7000 Ǻ, it could be defined as infra red light. Both ultra violet and infra red lights are not visible by normal human eyes.

Placed around electromagnetic wavelength of 5500 Ǻ, are combination of green and yellow colors. These colors at this range of electromagnetic wavelength provide best level of brightness to normal human eyes. Color of lights could be differed and identified by human eyes because different ranges of its electromagnetic wavelengths. Lamps produce both visible and invisible lights. Color of light is depending on its (electromagnetic) wavelength.

Light Color spectrum is one of important aspect in interior lighting design, because it delivers particular color effects against objects. There are two types of light color spectrum: continuous and discontinuous spectrum type. Light with continuous spectrum type will radiating all colors in the range of visible light, this will enable human eye to identify object in its best color visual interpretation. Meanwhile, Light with discontinuous spectrum type not radiate all range of visible colors. Other important aspects are luminous efficiency and lamp wattage that are associated with particular functional requirements.

Lighting source for an interior environment could be differed to two types of sources. Natural lighting is the first type of source and artificial lighting is the second one. Natural lighting is simply defined as lights which are coming from every kind of natural light source such as sun or daylight. Meanwhile, artificial lighting is simply defined as the opposite of natural lighting source. Commonly, artificial lighting could be simply differed into electrical type and non-electrical type. Natural lighting and artificial lighting provide different color effects to objects in an interior environment. Each of natural and artificial lighting has different color spectrums.

Basically, electrical lighting source could be differed into two types of lamp:

1. Incandescent lamp
2. Electrical gas discharge lamp

Incandescent lamp is a source of electric light that works by incandescence, an electric current passes through a thin filament, heating it until it produces light (Wikipedia). Incandescent lamp radiates all electromagnetic wavelengths that differ in its each wavelength. This mean that this type of lamp produces continuous light spectrum. According to this type of light spectrum, it could be said that generally incandescent lamp has the best color effect against objects.

Visually, color effect produced by incandescent lamp look warm in its yellowish color. Comparing to the other type of lamp, incandescent lamp has poor luminous efficiency. The luminous efficiency is poor, because too much electrical energy that converted into heat.

The second type is electrical gas discharge lamp. Light that is produced by this type of lamp is coming from an electric current passes particular gas inside a kind of tube. The light is produced by the impact of electrons that radiate from electrode device against electrons of the particular gas.

Fluorescent lamp is common example of low pressure gas discharge lamp. Fluorescent lamp radiates non-continuous color spectrum. This mean that fluorescent lamp not radiate all visible color spectrum (only radiate violet, blue, green and yellow). This also mean object that washed by fluorescent lamp will only reflecting particular only and object could not be identified in its true colors.

Fluorescent lamp also produces the un-visible ultra violet light. Particular gas at the internal side of the lamp tube will then convert the ultra violet light into useful visible light. Luminous efficiency of fluorescent lamp is much better than incandescent lamp. Average life cycle of fluorescent lamp is generally much longer than the incandescent lamp type. Currently, in the market we can various fluorescent product lamp types such as TL, SL and PL in many various shape and size.

Another example of electrical gas discharge lamp is natrium lamp a type of low pressure electrical gas discharge with most efficient illumination level. This type of natrium lamp only radiates yellow color spectrum, this mean it has worse color effect because whatever the object colors, it will only be reflected as yellow objects. This type of lamp is used for street lamp.

The basic thing is, selection of lamp fixture shall comply with the type of activity in a room and particular type of visual task. In an office working space fluorescent lamp and fluorescent downlights are used because the light effect commonly soft and properly fit for average three meters offices ceiling height. In case of a lobby room with high ceiling, it could be adequate to use metal halide lamp or halogen downlight. These type of lamp fixture could provide high illumination level on the floor surface even placed at six meter ceiling height. Sometime, two different types of lamp fixtures are mixed together to achieve better light effects for example is the mixing of white light of metal halide lamp and yellowish light of halogen lamp.

Lighting control is another important issue. Light from particular light source could be controlled to minimize glare, provide particular lighting effects and create room ambience. Since currently there is a global concern on energy saving issue, it will be wise that lighting design and planning shall also consider that the energy must be explored and used in a smart and efficient way.

JUNIOR SUITE ROOM REFURBISHMENT, A Design Proposal for a Five Star Hotel at Nusa Dua Bali

2009-01-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

The Hotel is situated in Nusa Dua at south-end-peninsula of Bali Island. The area is a busy tourism enclave area with many of large international five star hotels which is located along Nusa Dua Beach.

This is could be defined as beach hotel room, but actually the hotel buildings existence along Nusa Dua Beach look very dense. I think most of the hotel rooms at this building block could not have a comfortable direct viewing to beautiful panoramic scenery of Indian Ocean.

This Junior Suite Room itself is placed in main building block of the hotel and facing to the garden landscaping. Beach scenery could only be viewed in narrow angle from balcony with neighborhood hotels as a back ground.

This refurbishment proposal issued and presented to the Hotel Owner on August 2001 in emerging and better economic situation after crisis on Asia in 1998. Visually, existing furnishing and decors appear in an obsolete look. This was becoming obvious when it compared with the existence of new hotels around.

But, main attention of course is to offer new space planning ideas. The Junior Suite Room is consisting of two floor levels. Located in lower level are sitting lounge, dining lounge and powder room, rest of the area at upper floor is used as bedroom and bathroom. A stair is placed to connect these lower and upper floors. A balcony is also provided adjacent to sitting lounge area.

First review is taken on the existing connecting stair and the furniture layout arrangement at lower level. New proposed layout scheme offered significant space improvement where stair starting point of stair step is changed and placed in better proximity near to the room entry door. This will release better free space for sitting and dining lounge at lower level. New stair could be developed better scheme than the existing, because riser height could be reduced to provide comfortable foot stepping without any obstruction to any usable bedroom space at upper level.

New long sofa is created as fixed built-in joinery and become more integrated part of the room that combined with loose single sofas and its coffee table with better direction to TV cabinet. Dining lounge is shifted to terrace balcony, this is mean half of the balcony is converted to become extended interior space. This better dining solution with garden viewing outside in compare with the existing scheme where dining table area is placed in tight space in front of the powder room.

At the upper floor, main intention is to improve the bathroom scheme in related with new arrangement of wardrobe, bed, writing table and of course the new void at formerly half of existing terrace balcony. Bedroom size is bigger than the existing scheme, because formerly existing void space is converted as bedroom extended area.

TRANSPARENCY, SIMPLICITY AND DIGNITY OF BASIC GEOMETRICAL SHAPES, Concept for and Executive Office Floor of a Petroleum Company.

2008-12-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

This is capturing an Executive Office Floor of Oil Company that cover approximate 700 sqm of tenancy spaces in an Office Building. The spaces are simply defined based on the need of individual executive office spaces and its supporting facilities.

Enclosed offices are placed along building perimeter wall which are consisting of 1 office suite for President Commissioner, 1 office suite for Chief Executive Officer and 4 office suites for Commissioners. Rest of spaces are fulfilled for amenities and supporting facilities, such as reception, lounge, bar and gallery. Boardroom is placed adjacent to perimeter wall with direct accessibility from President Commissioner Office Suite and bar-lounge area at the center of executive floor area.

The offices suites are generated based on simply basic rectangular shapes that is combined with bar counter in cylindrical shape and also curved feature walls to corridor. These composition of basic geometrical shapes is creating and elaborating a quality of spatial dignity to whole of the area.

Despite the Executive Office is generated from many of individual enclosed office suites, overall space appearance look transparent because the using of many of full-height glass walls. Glass materials and anegree wood veneer are 2 only dominant interior materials are use everywhere in this area. Carpet is appear in more simple plain creamy color but rich in texture details. This carpet selection concept is just to elaborate the rich natural character of anegree wood and unify the each transparent office suites.

The Bianco Statuario Marble is dominant material that used in reception area. It is used for long reception counter surfacing and adjacent hard flooring. This grainy white marble is combined with natural rich character of anegree wood veneer, transparent character of glass wall and visual richness of Persian Rug that placed to define lounge area.

Lighting design is also become important element to create particular space ambiences. All lighting fixtures are control with digital dimmer devices. In the Boardoom, lighting is integrated with high-end digital audio-visual system, including a rear projection system. While in President Commissioner Suite, lighting system is also integrated with the using of electronically switchable glass panels that could be digitally frosted by the using remote control device from working desk.

MEMORIES OF LAKE COMO, a proposed atrium scenery concept for a boutique mall.

2008-11-11T07:29:00.000-08:00

The mall building is part of mix-used building. The building itself is one of first emerging high-rise property developments in Jakarta during 2004 after Indonesia was suffering in 1998’s monetary crisis. The name of building is the name of a place near Lake Como at Italy.

The interior design proposal was elaborating visual detail aspects that related with Lake Como, very far away from Jakarta, based on the name of the building. The elaborate giant Doric Columns are become dominant visual element in the atrium space. Rest of the other details of window awning, street wrought iron lantern and other details might be inspired from Bob Pejman’s paintings such as “Bellagio Memories”, “Lake Como Villa”, “Bellagio Memories” and “Bellagio Village”.

A water feature is proposed in the center of atrium area and many of tall palm trees are proposed to be placed in remaining perimeter area to capture the vertical scale of atrium spaces. There is fixed bench in every palm tree that allowing somebody to sit and having atrium viewing.

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING REFURBISHMENT for International Port and Container Terminal

2008-11-01T05:05:00.000-07:00

This was refurbishment project for an Administration Building of Container Terminal which is situated strategically in the industrial heartland of West Java at Jakarta Indonesia. The port is Indonesia’s national hub with annual throughput of 1.5 million TEU (Twenty foot Equivalent Units). The Administration Building is consisting of 7 storey office floors which are situated in an area that covers a total 100 hectares and is the largest container terminal in Indonesia.

The office renovation program is related with company privatization on 1999 when foreign private port investor from Hongkong became share holder majority. This group of investor world’s leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in a total 292 berths in 47 ports, spanning 24 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Australia.

In lined with the existence of new major share holder, the company was having intention to bring new culture into the office environment. The old corporate culture – which was strongly influenced with typical government owned company – need to be significantly changed and improved.

Originally, the office scenery was dominated with cellular individual office. When new management is established, new open office concept need to be implemented to bring the new corporate value. New office scenery provides enclosed private office just for Director. Rest of the managers, supervisors and staff are work in open office enclosure. Also included in refurbishment program was the up-grading of Data Center Room which is controlling the whole related operations of the port and container yard.

Refurbishment works were executed in step by step basis per floor areas. There were changes of design objective when management trying to establishing what function that fit for the penthouse level. Before finally decided as Control Room Facilities that control the whole operations of port and container yard there were also design and planning exercises to study the placement of dedicated executive offices which are placed in the penthouse level.

WEEKEND TOURS WITH CLIFFORD PEARSON, Visiting Places and Capturing Cultural Souls for a Book about Indonesia.

2008-10-01T20:19:00.001-07:00

The event is begun in 1997 when Mrs. Monica G. Soedibjo contacted me and mentioned that somebody from U.S. needs a visit list for several places in Indonesia. She also mentioned that this person is an Author and have intention to write a book about Indonesia.

Spontaneously, I proposed list of places might be suitable for the purpose, mostly in Java. For West Java, I proposed Bandung local artist houses such as Sunaryo (Sculptor), Srihadi (Painter) and A.D. Pirous (Calligraphic Painter). For Central Java, I proposed Arief Budiman house and Kali Code Compound beside well-known ancient temples such as Borobudur and Prambanan and also Sultan Palaces in Jogjakarta and Surakarta. I was immediately contacted my good friend of mind, Ndaru (Hendro Prabowo) at Jogjakarta and asked another additional list of places could be added into visiting list. Ndaru, as I remember added Jogja local artist houses such as Amri Yahya, Andrianto, local bird market and Sendang Sono, the awesome built-environment designed by the Architect Romo Mangun Wijaya.

I was not involving in every trip, because I could only free from my office in Jakarta during weekend only. Mostly, I met with Clifford Pearson and Ndaru two times on Saturday till Sunday at Jogjakarta. In this town I was recognizing Clifford Pearson as Associate Editor of Architectural Record when he gave me his name card during dining session around Malioboro.

Ndaru he was the man who arrange Saturday-Sunday Trip to Borobudur, Prambanan, Mendut, Sendang Sono Sites,'Kali Code' riverbank compound, Jogja Bird Market and Sultan Palace in Solo.

He was driving the rental car with Bon Jovi songs were playing along the way. He was also find-out a nice small motel at Prawirotaman in Jogja where we stayed during the trip.What I never forget from this trip was the event when on Sunday I called directly Romo Mangun from my hand phone and introduced Clifford Pearson for personal interview. He was very pleased and available for interview on Monday. Unfortunately, I missed this valuable event because on Sunday evening I must got the last train to Jakarta from Semarang, of course because I must get back to work. This is valuable session, because no longer from this event Romo Mangun Wijaya, who is well known as an Architect, writer, spiritual leader and cultural observer passed away.This last Trip session with Clifford Pearson, Bryan Whitney (the photographer) and Ndaru was so memorable for me. I will always keep in my mind we were climbing the hill to find-out Sendang Sono site that we have never seen before or when we were having coffee time at a small coffee shop owned by Danarto nearby Pasar Klewer Solo. Also when Clifford closed his eyes and took a walks in the center of ‘Alun-alun’ Jogja, tried to find straight way in between two ancient Banyan Trees. And he made it!Ndaru, he was continuing this cultural journey with Clifford to Sumatera. Actually, Clifford also have his own list of places should be visited including Bali and Sulawesi. Not all these visited places are recorded and published in his book.

Long time after those memorable trips, we have got the final published book from Mrs. Monica G. Soedibjo. The book title is “Indonesia Design and Culture”, 272 pages of book published by Monacelli Press on 1998. It was great found my name is mentioned among the other names (including Ndaru of course) by Clifford Pearson in the foreword page. Not all of visited places are published in the book. Clifford Pearson also sent to my office (Peddle Thorp Jakarta) sheet of photographs from Manhattan-New York that capture me and Ndaru were sitting together on entry stair of Prambanan Temple and standing in the middle of hanging bridge of Sendang Sono.

Truly and again, this was a memorable trip for me and become one of best weekend in my life time.

Photo references:
www.pbase.com
www.trulyjogja.com
www.flickr.com
www.polytikus.com
www.amazon.com

CIBOGO SERAI HOTEL, Memoir of a Dutch Boy in Java Plantation House as Basic Concept for Hotel Interior Design.

2008-10-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

This was my first assignment when I joined with PT. Parama Loka Consultant in 1994, a Jakarta based Architecture and Interior Design Consulting Firm. Firstly, it was difficult since there was no definitive appointment to the Interior Design Team from the “General Hotel Management (GHM)” as the Hotel Operator. GHM required the Interior Design Team to demonstrate potential ability to propose and deliver acceptable design concept as excellent as design concept have delivered by the appointed Architect Design Team.

During first two weeks, we tried to do design researches to find-out specific theme that relevant could be proposed as design concept, something that reflects local characters. We came to the first presentation day and unfortunately the concept we proposed is directly rejected by GHM. The Hotel Operator gave the team another one week to find-out again the concept that properly proposed for the hotel.

After did for another design and research efforts, finally we came into final presentation session. And, the concept was accepted this time. Basically, the design was reflecting simplicity and natural details as always shown as signature in every Serai Hotel everywhere in the world.

Actually, GHM was asking one another requirement, it was a specific theme could be incorporated into the Hotel Design Concept. To responded this, we did a one day visit to bookstores in Jakarta, and what a big lucky, finally we found a literature book that I believe will be matched and could be properly proposed for the Hotel Concept. Yes, I still remember, I have found this literature book in Kinokuniya Bookstore in Jakarta. The book is a memoir of a Dutch Boy who lived in Java Plantation House during Dutch Colonialism Era in Java Indonesia. Very unfortunately, I lost the book and could not remember what the exact title of the book.If not mistaken the book should be Ernest Hillen's "The Way of a Boy".

I only remember that when I was opening the first page, there was wording mentioned when Dutch boy waked-up in the morning he heard somebody’s foot step on wood floor. And when he opened the door in the morning he saw banana tree are found everywhere in the house courtyard. Roughly, this very suitable with hotel venue where situated in concealed tropical mountain area in West Java within tea plantation surround, about two hours from Jakarta.GHM was very pleased when we shown the bookand GHM immediately accepted that Java Plantation House will become main theme for the Hotel Design. Simply, there will be wood plank flooring and also banana tree pots are placed everywhere in the Hotel Interiors.

Of course, after this session we could enter into the design development process smoothly. It was becoming more interesting when we interfaced together with the Lighting Designer, Nathan Thompson from Australia. Many details of ideas are generated which are actually enriched the design concept.

Our latest interaction with Architect, Project Manager and Lighting designer is happened onsite that is already prepared into “cut and filled” stage. We were imagining together, where the hotel 'porte cochere', coffee lounge, bungalow and other facilities are will be situated. But, this was our latest site meeting, because the Hotel is never built and remaining as a set of idea on drawing papers.

LIPPO ICE SKATING RINK, A Design Proposal for Sport and Leisure Facilities

2008-09-18T00:50:00.002-07:00

A set of initial schematic conceptual drawings for Lippo Ice Skating Rink have submitted on 11 August 1997. It was prepared when I joined with PT. Peddle Thorp Indonesia, an Architecture Consulting Firm in Jakarta with chain affiliation of Peddle Thorp Group of Australia.

It was surprising me, when David Gourlay the Managing Director of Peddle Thorp Indonesia came to my working desk and asking me to join in the next day meeting. When he introduced the project objective, I could not imagine what kind of facility it was.

Based on basic rough initial scheme from David Gourlay we started to initiate design exploration sessions. As usual, I did research on several design and architectural reference books to get relevant design standards and references. We both also did survey sessions on 2 (two) Indoor Ice Skating Rink Facilities in Jakarta and of course I was also experiencing how to play ice skating. This was a one day course and unfortunately, I was never sliding my skating shoes and my body in well-balance. These all existing facilities are situated and incorporated as part of leisure facility in a shopping mall.

The proposed main facilities are 1,745 square meter Ice Skating Rink and Toboggan Slope that enclosed under a giant membrane structure. The Toboggan Slope itself was never found and built before in Indonesia. The Ice Skating Rink is designed for both individual sport activities and sport game event like hockey or gymnastics. In related with these functions there supporting facilities are placed around the perimeter of Ice Skating Rink. Stackable spectator tribune are placed at the opposite side of the Toboggan Slope, meanwhile changing room, shower, lockers, skate rental, toboggan hire and toilet are situated underneath the Toboggan Deck. Of course there was also snow cloth rental, because somebody must wear a snow cloth before sliding in Toboggan slope and playing in Snow Land.

Basically all of the facilities are differed for visitor with and without ticket. Ice Skating Rink and Toboggan Slope are only accessible from a check point for visitor by having ticket. Another facility such as dining area, refreshment bar, game area and viewing gallery could be accessible by visitor without ticket. These facilities are placed at upper floor level underneath the Toboggan Deck.

A garage for Zamboni Car was also provided. This specific vehicle is prepared to maintain the ice surface of skating rink. In engineering point of view, this facility also required specific approaches particularly in Mechanical and electrical designs. An appointed Engineering Consultant have assigned by the Client to do a research in a Snow Land Facility in Japan.

Actually, this project is never built, one year later Indonesia was suffered in a Monetary Crisis. Currently, the site is remaining as car park belong the shopping mall. But, for me this was a unique design experience that I will never gain in other next opportunity.

DESA SIGMA, A traditional village compound landscaping for an office working environment.

2008-09-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

As an Interior Designer for PTI Architect - Jakarta Indonesia, after the completion of Balicamp Project, I have assigned to deliver design consultancy services for their Sigma Group of IT Companies Office at German Center Building. This office building is situated at Serpong West Java, accessible approximately 2 hours form the center of Jakarta.

As usual, project brief is already prepared by the client including number of companies, department s, sub-divisions and persons that should be accommodated in tenancy offices. Total occupied tenancy space is approximately 3000 square meter. 2/3 part of the space is allocated for office space and rest of the area is allocated for Data Center and banking simulation system.

The unique thing was the client used a participative approach that identified each individual need of the user. In their questionnaire summary is noted that there was somebody’s need to bring his pet when he is working or even somebody want to park his bicycle nearby his working desk. Of course not of all these individual requirements could be accommodated, because some specific and technical reasons.

During the initial space planning stage, the client spontaneously declared that he want an office environment just something ‘dropped-down from the sky’. The office must be prepared as fully borderless office space for everybody. Somebody can work in certain place or desk today and then work in different place or desk next day where he like to work in. There will be no certain dedicated place for somebody in the office even he is a Director or just regular staff. Somebody just need to sit and turn-on the computer and then login into the networks. The office then intended to become more egalitarian working-space.

As Interior Designer I finally got the idea that it will be great should the office landscaping is generated simply just like a traditional compound in Indonesia. Usually, traditional compound is consisting of paddy field, cassava plantation, dwelling blocks, small school, mosque, public hall and traditional market that related with branches of village roads and maybe separated with the existence of small river or lake. This idea is accepted by the client!
And then the office layout is developed as metaphor of the traditional village. Paddy field is become metaphor for working cluster of the business unit. Each paddy field or business unit need to be explored as profit center. Corridors are generated just like the shape of road in the village that connecting every paddy fields to other place of activities. Even there are ponds with fish could be found in the office as simple metaphor for river or lake in the village. Before entering the office at the center area there are timber bridges over the ponds. In central meeting room, a bike park facility is also provided to anticipate if somebody will come into the meeting by riding bike from far-end side of the office area.

Every working clusters have their own meeting places that differed from one to another. Since the office environment finally become a large open landscaping office space, this is useful to define a certain place when somebody making an appointment to have a meeting. The meeting room enclosure itself is designed based on the idea of local traditional dwelling unit, made from bamboo weaving wall and combined with timber floor, fabric ceiling and glass.

Lighting Designer actually elaborate the strong vernacular character of the office design with several unique detail treatments for lighting fixtures. Bamboo materials are widely used as casing for hanging fluorescent lamps and as a kind of post for street lamps along certain corridors. There also antique head lamps from colonial bicycle that used for task lighting at brainstorming room.

Whether the project generally was successful to accommodate the unique idea exploration, not all of the idea could be implemented properly, because Interior Designer’s scope of work is limited only in the design development stage. Anyway, it was great working together with client with distinctive and progressive way of thinking, particularly in related with how they determining their approach of corporate working environment in a very specific manners.

BALICAMP, a Software Development Camp in the Heartland of Bali

2008-09-07T03:44:00.000-07:00

As an Interior Designer for PTI Architect - Jakarta Indonesia, in 1998 I was deeply involved in the design development of Balicamp Software development Camp in Bali. There were close relationship in-between Interior Designer, Building Architect and Client to formulate and generate the idea from early conceptual stage.

There were 3 (three) main building blocks consisting of the main building block, working modules and dwelling units. All of these facilities are situated in 2 (two) hectares land in a slope of mountain concealed from the main street in the heart of Bali Island. There is a river and paddy fields at the end mountain slope.

Main building block locates lobby area, coffee shop and function hall at first level where is actually situated sunken underneath main street level. At lower levels accommodate working space, library and small meeting rooms. A pool is situated at the lowest level adjacent to Main Building block including changing rooms, toilet and game room.

Separated from Main Building are working modules and dwelling units in clusters of bungalows that surrounding with paddy field.

Spontaneously, nature became main inspiration to develop basic interior design scheme, beside the nature of the activities itself that basically is a high-end technological-based creativity.

Functionally, Balicamp as they claimed is a facility that offers computer software programmers everything they need to reach for the stars. Working modules at bungalows in the middle of paddy fields are designed to create distinctive definition of work within close teamwork without stress.

Most of working desks in Balicamp are designed as sharing bench configuration that enable flexibility and avoid individualism. Several group of loose lounge and small open meeting are always situated adjacent to the sharing bench that enable a workgroup interfaces and encourage respect among team members. This, as client hope will encourage everybody to cooperate in devising solutions to fit client’s need

Material selection for internal uses is based on nature. Various type of natural stones and natural wood become dominant parts of the interior. Yellow-red marble from East-Java become major hard flooring surfacing, Kempas wood from Kalimantan become spot wood flooring and yellow cobble stone from Lombok become feature wall treatment. Solid Red-Merbau wood log from Papua become main materials to grand stair at lobby, tall coconut posts become main structure of big bird cage in the lobby and rough teak woods become typical materials to the furnitures. ‘Eceng-gondok’ weaving material from Central Java is typical covering for working chairs.

The Building itself provide openings that enable maximum viewing to the surrounding natures and bring it to the internal sides as integrated part. A blend and conversation in-between internal enclosure and surrounding external environment creates physically borderless working environment for the programmers. This, as client hope will inspire everybody work in a hybrid culture of creativity that draw on the latest technological advantages to meet the demands of the new millennium.

As Interior Designer suggested to the Architect at early design stage, all internal spaces at lobby level shall elaborate the shape architectural roof shape. Spacious internal spaces then created and enriched particularly by the using of proper lighting treatments that created by Lighting Designer. Mezzanine deck then could be inserted at the coffee shop area and become transition elements when somebody walking at the parking yard and walking-through porte-cochere to entering the sunken-lobby area. A tall bird cage, strongly fulfill the high lobby space. Consisting of 4 (four) of 6 (six) meter high coconut three columns and chopper dome, this bird cage is really a main point of interest. At the adjacent function hall, hanging wood louvers are fulfilling the high ceiling space which is also useful to place-down the lighting fixtures.

Similar concept was also applied to both working and dwelling bungalows. Interior treatments are simply generated from elaboration of the exposed character of architectural ‘alang-alang’ roof shape.

In working modules, typically there were sunken fixed sofa lounge that situated in the center of bungalows. This become a place for Programmers to interface each other for discussion or having brainstorming sessions. At the perimeter, fixed sharing bench are situated. At this sharing bench, computer equipments could be placed and enable Programmers work while facing to the windows and enjoy the surrounding paddy field. All of computers at working module are connected to Servers that placed in Main Building Block.

Dwelling units, these are typically 2 (two) storey bungalows. Lower level is used for lounge, dining and food preparation with a balcony for viewing a peaceful heartland of Bali. Upper floor is used for bedroom and bathroom.

All design approaches as describe above, basically is a result of collaborative and intensive conversation involving Interior Designer, Architect, Lighting Designer and Engineers that try to capture the client idea that they never imagined before. Maybe, until the Balicamp was completely built and finished, everybody who involved in the project then can have interpretation, what kind of facility is this?

As noted In Balicamp marketing brochure there was an imaginative conversation:
”What is this place?” Our visitor asked. Is it a mountain retreat? Is it an artist’s colony? Is it a think-thank or is it a playground?
We reply:”A corporation on the cutting edge”.