AP House: Hovering Above Nature

9/4/2017

Bandung has a wonderful climate; the best is at its northern part due to the the lavish Ir. Djuanda Forest Park and the rolling hills that add a charm to the surroundings. There stands a small house designed by senior architect Tan Tjiang Ay that respond to the scenery and climate while accommodating the wishes of the clients.

AP House

Photo by BagusTrilaksono

A sizeable piece of property was
 acquired some time ago by the clients – an elderly gentleman and his wife. Unfortunately, only a small part is reasonably buildable, due to the sloping site. The architect set upon himself to adhere to his usual credo, in spite of the site constraints.

All functional spaces in the house are directly connected to the outdoors at least on two sides. Due to the limited buildable area, this can only
 be obtained by having a U-shaped plan. The cavity of the U can result in positive spaces for the house. Not withstanding the U-shape of the plan, a very simple plane for the roof is used, resulting a common shed-roof.

The land was lightly touched as it re- introduced the common traditional Sundanese pilotis-house construction. Also the high humidity of the area requires this particular feature. The outer wing of the house faces the hills while the inner wing is facing the surrounding forest.

The living room and the master bedroom are located at the outer portion. The living room has big 
open areas on three sides that are overlooking the green sloping hills. Here the guests also can enjoy the beautiful lush view and the interior feels connected with surrounding nature besides providing a great view. Besides, a cantilevered balcony for entertaining is possible, getting the feeling of being in a hovercraft floating above the landscape.

There is a corridor that connects the two wings of the house, the architect has cleverly used the space here and built a dining room. Because of its location, the dining room becomes the heart of the house as the family can gather for lunch and dinner.


The efficient spacing program 
is complimented with strategically placed furniture and neat decorations. The living room uses light furniture with hint of red that contrasts the greenery outside the window. The kitchen and dining room have 
the warm tones of wood finish. 
The bathroom looks clean with
 white ceramic tiles. The bedrooms feel serene with a combination of white and brown. The house layout takes advantage of the surrounding makes it an idyllic residence. Living 
inside this house is akin to living in harmony with nature.

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Barbara Hahijary
Author
Barbara earned her bachelor's degree in architecture from the Interior Architecture Program of the University of Indonesia in 2013. Historical or heritage buildings, as well as utilitarian design, fascinates her as it is the interaction between people and architecture that remains her favourite topic to explore. Besides architecture, her interests include design, handcrafts, literature and social issues.