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In the name green sensibility
Sofas with patchwork upholstery in 365 Eco BarIt does not mean that everybody has developed a deep awareness and considers the environment in their daily lives, but the movement has gained recognition, especially among the middle class
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Sofas with patchwork upholstery in 365 Eco Bar
It does not mean that everybody has developed a deep awareness and considers the environment in their daily lives, but the movement has gained recognition, especially among the middle class.
Companies have seen it as a way to lure knowledgeable customers, and hence have made efforts to adapt some of its values. Labels such as “green products” or “eco-friendly” have become a favorite feature in their items.
Some restaurants in the capital highlight green elements in their designs and concepts. One such place is 365 Eco Bar, located in the tony area of Kemang, South Jakarta. The bar, which opened in July 2009, does not look like the other chic and trendy cafés in the area that have luxurious decorations.
At first glance, the building looks like a warehouse. However, unlike ordinary buildings that use brick, the bar uses big blue containers as the main element of its exterior. It is located in the middle of large parking area and is built next to two giant banyan trees. The sofas and wooden tables on the small terrace are the only hints that the building might be a restaurant.
Inside, it offers the usual music, food and drinks. What distinct it from other hip bars in town is its interior and exterior choices.
“We have an eco-friendly concept, so we use recycled materials or those that can be reused,” food and beverage manager Nova Nurdiansyah told The Jakarta Post.
He said the bar owners hired some Indonesian artists to design the exterior and interior of the café based on the recycle-and-reuse concept. They asked the artists to use recycled items or reusable ones instead of purposely using new materials. The covers of their sofas use quilts or a patchwork technique, so every sofa has different motifs.
The lower parts of the small tables use plastic boxes of glasses that are usually used in catering companies. The small seats on the sofas are actually container boxes of soft drink bottles and the cushion covers are made of used jeans that have been washed. Other cushion covers for the small seats used shredded paper that is stuffed in recycled plastic covers made of household products.
“Some tables and seats are new, but we chose teak wood, so if it is broken, people can still use it,” Nova said.
He said the bar tried to minimize its electricity use by using low-watt lamps that are decorated with used liquor bottles as well as using eco-friendly air conditioners. He admits that their eco-friendly action is still limited in the interior and exterior materials as well as omitting the use of plastic foam.
The green program has not touched their kitchen as they still use plastic straws and have not implemented a waste-management program. To date, the bar, he said, only separates its organic and non-organic waste.
“We still talk about the waste management program. It’s in our plan,” he said.
However, the bar allows smoking inside the room which has numerous exhausts in the ceiling. Alas, the terrace also uses plastic plants as a curtain.
“ Green lifestyle” has become a common phrase since the United Nations Conference for Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in December 2007 and the popularity of Al Gore’s documentary, The Inconvenient Truth.
Frequent disasters coupled by competition for energy have brought the awareness to value the environment. In Indonesia, car-free days during the weekends as well as Earth Hour campaign have gained an audience from citizens who voluntarily participate in the movements.
Rana Yusuf Nasir, the Green Building Council Indonesia’s (GBCI) director of ratings and technology, said the interior and exterior concept of 365 Eco Bar included the sustainability concept of reduce, reuse and recycle (3R). He appreciated the action, but reminded us that the green concept is not limited to the 3R.
“The green concept is not only limited to 3R, but also includes the ventilation system, cleanliness and water and energy efficiency,” he said.
Rana said that an open-air design as well as utilizing rooftop gardens are other features of the green design.
Komunitas Salihara (Salihara Community) in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, is an example of a green building complex. The 3,800-square-meter complex that was designed by Adi Purnomo, Andra Matin and Marco Kusumawijaya received a 2009 Green Design Award from Griya Asri magazine.
The first thing we see when entering the complex is Kopi Tiam Oey Salihara café, which has been in the complex for a year. The café highlights an open-air concept that lures visitors to stay for a long time.
“We get much fresh air with this open design, so we don’t need to use an air conditioner or switch on the lamps in the morning and afternoon, except on cloudy days,” café manager Bangun Raharjo said.
He also said numerous trees and plants around the café made a significant contribution to fresh air.
— Photos by Indah Setiawati —
