T

ropical architectural design for homes is still a thriving trend in Indonesia after years of its development and application here.

This trend is even predicted to be long-lasting for many years to come, considering Indonesia'€™s tropical climate.

'€œI see the architectural trend here as the modern tropical style and it will be very long term as it is compatible with the country'€™s climate,'€ said Bernadetta Ratna Niken, an architect at Gunho & Niken Architects (GNA), as quoted by kompas.com in Jakarta recently.

Niken explained that the tropical architectural style is favored by many because it can adapt to the rainy and dry seasons occurring here.

Although it has continuously been the reference for building homes in Indonesia, it has not become monotonous at all, as Niken added that architects have to be innovative in adding further elements to enhance it.

'€œSo, solid elements and ornaments can be added at various locations or positions, such as the façade and the entrance,'€ said Niken.

Such elements and ornaments, she said, can be in appreciation of the country'€™s rich art and culture and also comprise these valued aspects. For instance, batik can be a suitable ornament when placed at the correct location.

'€œWe are rich in our own architectural styles, which actually have more variants than those in the Western countries. We just have to be creative and develop them further and we should not adapt foreign culture. We can always expose our own rich culture through the architectural ornaments,'€ she emphasized.

Architecture and national identity

A city design expert from the architectural school of the University of Indonesia, in Jakarta, Gunawan Tjahjono, said that homes and buildings are meant for human activities, which will flow smoothly if the designs fulfill the prerequisites of good health, safety and security.

'€œSo, only experts who are capable of building such homes and buildings in compliance with the said prerequisites should be appointed and they also must have at the forefront of their minds the welfare of those who will use or reside in them. Architects are such professionals with this capability,'€ said Gunawan recently at a seminar entitled '€œArchitecture, City and the Nation'€™s Ideology'€.

The seminar was part of discussions carrying the theme '€œInstitutionalizing the Law on Buildings Toward Properly Developed and Sustainable Cities'€, which were held by the Directorate General of Public Works and People'€™s Residences Ministry in its collaboration with the Indonesia Architects Association (IAI).

Director General Andres Suhono said that the discussions in the seminar were a form of the ministry'€™s support in its role of directing development and policy making for the execution of the law on buildings.

'€œWe must support our own professionals in the construction sector, especially the architects, so that Indonesian professionals become increasingly stronger and are able to develop Indonesia together and match with the country'€™s identity rather than have it continuously eroded by a variety of foreign trends that are not fitting with our identity,'€ explained Andreas.

Meanwhile, the renowned economist, Emil Salim, who was previously state minister for supervision of development and the environment, said that he expected '€œour architects to rise up to show the nation'€™s identity as well as a sense of social justice.'€

'€œSo that, as the land owners of our nation, we also enjoy the benefits of the added values of our development,'€ stressed Emil Salim. (JP)