A House of Perfection

12/28/2016

A house is a home when the comfort of its occupants is a priority. That philosophy is evident in this heritage home, which dates back more than 80 years, and has undergone conservation that has led to minor changes, none of which have made the house any less unique or appealing. The residence, located in the city centre of Malang, East Java, has been redesigned by Hidajat Endramukti with some brilliant touches and without too much alteration of its original physical condition.

Photo by Bagus Tri Laksono

Located in one of the prestigious areas in Malang, this house was built in 1934 and features an Art Deco style. Compared to other nearby buildings, the house displays a completely different shape for its mass, making it an iconic structure. The facade is decorated with squares and curves by its entrance, doors and windows. There is also an accent in the form of a flagpole on the front wall.

This residence was conserved by renowned designer Hidajat Endramukti, who made sure that its heritage elements were left intact. The changes he made did not have any significant impact on the original design, except for the extension of the family room, which used the space of the side garden in the old layout. The room was designed in an elongated fashion that maintains a continuous link to the existing shapes and architectural style of the whole building. Another example of this can be seen in the colour of the walls, as well as the door and window frames. The swimming pool in the backyard is a new addition that was not present in the original design.

The interior has also seen some changes in layout, especially in the bedrooms. The former layout, which placed three bedrooms in a line, was altered by using only two of the bedrooms and adding a bathroom in between. Hidajat placed the bathroom inside the building, in contrast to the old layout, where the bathroom was pushed way back outside and among other service areas—a typical trait of old Dutch colonial residences. The addition of a pantry was done to evoke a modern and practical ambience without changing the shapes and heritage influences of the old structure.

Every element of detail has been maintained, including the doors, windows and several other profiles throughout the building. This adds to the authenticity and unique quality of the small house that still maintains the white-and-green colour scheme of the old structure for the doors and windows in the exterior. The change in floor materials was deemed necessary, since the 20x20 cm terrazzo tiles had been damaged and it was hard to find similar ones. As a result, most of the floors throughout the house have been lined with marble, including the main rooms, while timber has been used in the main bedroom and children’s bedrooms.

Renovating an old structure always poses challenges, especially if the building is a dwelling with a long history. The technical difficulties faced by Hidajat in the renewal of the house included a change in the roof material from corrugated steel. In order to preserve the aesthetics of the building and to apply an element of durability, a concrete roof was selected. But that solution created another problem, in which columns had to be constructed behind thick walls to support the new roof construction. Precise handling and calculations were required to ensure a strong construction without sacrificing any aesthetic elements.

Altering an old construction while still maintaining the principles of its heritage is no easy task, but it is also not impossible to realise. Some adjustments in the functions that are no longer suitable for the lives of the modern people have to be done, as evident in this residential design, considering that a building is a space that will be used by humans. Hidajat brilliantly accommodated these requirements by applying new functions and spaces so that the occupants could feel comfortable and enveloped in the perfection of their home.

Project Data

Project Name
Rinjani House
Location
Jl. Rinjani, Malang

Land Area
596 sqm

Gross Floor Area
200 sqm

Architecture, Interior Design & Lighting Consultant
Endramukti Design

Principal Designer Hidajat Endramukti

Main Contractor
Harijadi

Started & Completed
2010

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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.