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M Bloc Space: Abandoned building becomes hottest spot for millennials

Step right up: Pedestrians walk past M Bloc Space, located near the Blok M bus station in South Jakarta, on Monday

Nina A. Loasana (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, November 12, 2019

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M Bloc Space: Abandoned building becomes hottest spot for millennials

Step right up: Pedestrians walk past M Bloc Space, located near the Blok M bus station in South Jakarta, on Monday.(JP/Anggie Angela)

It was a cool and cloudy Saturday night in the capital city. But one area in Blok M, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, was abuzz with activity.

The area, which houses vintage-looking stores, cafes and restaurants, was packed with customers enjoying dinner or cups of coffee. Many other people took pictures in front of the 1970s-style red neon signs or in front of murals.

The area is called M Bloc Space.

Since opening in September, M Bloc Space has become a new hangout for youth. Thanks to its unique concept, which combines post-colonial style buildings and modern aesthetics, the creative space has created a buzz on social media and attracted many young people.

Here, visitors can enjoy an array of culinary options, including Javanese food, Padang food, Manadonese food and other popular Western and Asian dishes.

Besides restaurants and cafes, there are also stores selling comic books, vintage items and vinyl records.

Anggi Alfina Agustin and Faradina Santi, both 17-year-old high school students, were among those enjoying the M Bloc Space that night.

“This is our first visit to M Bloc Space. We became interested in coming here after seeing one of our friend's pictures taken in front of the murals and posted on Instagram,” Anggi told The Jakarta Post.

Faradina said she and Anggi had not tried one of the restaurants and cafes nor watched a live music performance as they were there simply to look around and take pictures.

“We took turns to take pictures in front of the murals and other picturesque spots to be uploaded on our Instagram accounts. I think this place is perfectly designed for young people who love posting pictures on social media,” Faradina said, adding that she planned to take more friends to M Bloc Space on her next visit.

Imelda Pratiwi, a 16-year-old high school student from West Jakarta, said she was surprised at how many Instagrammable spots could be found in the area.

“The first time I came to M Bloc Space, I was surprised at how beautiful the place is and by the many Instagrammable spots in the area. I feel like every spot in M Bloc Space is good for photographs. Some of the photo spots are also very well designed, like the half-ruined wall over there that makes your pictures look very artistic. It’s so cool,” she told the Post.

Seventeen-year-old Putra Riski, Imelda’s boyfriend who accompanied her to the area, had similar thoughts.

“I became interested in asking Imelda to come here with me after I saw the many picturesque spots in the creative space on Instagram,” he said.

Before being developed into a lifestyle center, M Bloc Space was an empty old warehouse that belonged to state-owned banknote printing firm Peruri.

The 6,500 square-meter plot of land hosted Peruri's banknote printing building and employee housing. After Peruri relocated to the Karawang Industrial Park in West Java in 1994, the building was left vacant.

However, earlier this year Peruri teamed up with PT Ruang Riang Milenial, a company run by people with creative business backgrounds, to bring the empty building back to life.

“We decided to make it a creative hub, where various creative communities could meet and collaborate as well as revitalize the country’s assets,” Wendi Putranto, cofounder of the M Bloc Space, told the Post on Tuesday.

Wendi explained that renovation of the building took three and a half months, with the building’s original design being preserved to give it a vintage look.

“At the moment, there are 17 tenants in the creative space. They comprise small and medium enterprises that have been specifically curated to match the theme of M Bloc Space,” he explained.

Wendi said 1,000 to 1,500 people of all walks of life visited the creative space every weekend.

“We have a mini amphitheater with a capacity of 50 people that can be used by creative communities for free. Almost every week various communities organize events in the amphitheater, from comic book clubs, architect communities, cycling communities, music communities and movie clubs,” he said.

He also explained that M Bloc Space had been intentionally created without parking space.

“Because it is very close to an MRT station and can be easily accessed by public transportation, we intentionally don’t offer parking facilities. We want people to come by public transportation,” Wendi said.

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