Ferrel S. Cakranata on Philosophy, Life and Architecture

12/22/2016

For Ferrel S. Cakranata, an architect should possess a good understanding of the subject and have knowledge of the philosophy of architecture to guide their designs. Like one of the individuals who inspired the Surabaya-based Ferrel, Richard Neutra once said, “The architect who really designs for a human being has to know a great deal more than just the Five Canons of Vitruvius.”

Photo by Bagus Tri Laksono & Ferrel S. Cakranata Doc.

How did you become interested in architecture?

I was fortunate to have a sister and a cousin who studied architecture. I observed how their mentors gave them advices and assistance. As I was especially close to my sister, I was frequently asked to help with her schoolwork. As a result, my views on architecture started back then through pictures and paragraphs that I came across while helping her. Luckily, our generation was trained to find information by reading, because books were the only sources of information back then. Reading those books, I discovered that the true mentor of Indonesian architecture was Professor van Romondt.

Who were your initial influences?

Alexander Hartanto and Han Awal. I used to work as personal assistant to Alexander Hartanto and I also interned for a while in the office of Han Awal. The lessons I learned from working with them were really impressive and indispensable.

What books have influenced your style?

I discovered design philosophy from John Ormsbee Simonds’ Landscape Architecture. It is one of my main handbooks. I understood that when we create a design, we should really be aware of our environment. In the end we must know the essence of architecture. We should know when to apply a certain style and what it will be used for. I also learned about Japanese architecture from Katsura: Tradition and Creation in Japanese Architecture. Japanese architecture relies heavily in order so I, too, begin my designs with order.

What was your first professional project?

I got my first job in Surabaya in 1973. I was still living in Bandung and was in my final semester of university. I had to design a big house on a 1,700 square meters of land. In between my studies, I stole some time to go to Singapore to seek building materials. When I graduated, the Indonesian economy was in a crisis due to the Pertamina debacle in 1974. At that time it was really hard to find work and I was very fortunate to have had my first project, even before I graduated from university.

What’s your most memorable project?

In 1975 I designed and built my own house entirely from scratch on Jl. Sukajadi, Bandung. It had sirap [ironwood shingles] roof, which was the trend at the time. What made this project special is that the site allowed me to explore without restraint. There was around four metres difference of ground elevation at the front and the back part of the site. This project granted me the opportunity to learn to design and build as a whole.

Why choose Surabaya?

I worked for 10 years in Bandung after I graduated, hanging around to find [design] work. At that time, architects couldn’t just work as designers; we had to double as building contractors as well. After a while, I managed to gain noteworthy clients, but doubling as a contractor was not easy for me. I gave my all, and I never felt sorry for doing so because I had learned a great deal from the experience.

In 1986, the toll road in Surabaya was completed, and it gave better access to Tretes. People from Surabaya were rushing to build villas, which meant more work available for architects. My former client from Surabaya - whom I had worked for before graduated, also acquired a large piece of land in the area to build a villa, but wasn’t pleased with the designs of others. So he invited me to do the project. As soon as I saw the place, I immediately knew it was going to be a dream project because of the vast beautiful view, where we could see as far as the city of Surabaya and designs of others.

So he invited me to do the project. As soon as I saw the place, I immediately knew it was going to be a dream project because of the vast beautiful view, where we could see as far as the city of Surabaya and Probolinggo, from the Madura strait to Mount Bromo. I felt challenged to make the most of that very special place.

I ended up designing and building the whole property, which took three years to complete with full support from my client, while my wife designed and created the landscape. With only a piece of A4 paper bearing sketches of an unfinished design, I got the opportunity to work on the major project. I honestly felt that this project was truly my starting point.

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Anton Adianto
Author
Anton Adianto graduated from Parahyangan Catholic University majoring in architecture. His passion for writing, watching movies, listening to music, uncovering design, exploring the culinary world, traveling, delving into the philosophy of life, meeting people and disclosing all matters related to technology feeds his curiosity. Currently he resides in both Jakarta and Bandung.