URBAN

INTERVENTION

PRO
MEN
ADE
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

‘REALISM’ & ‘IMAGINATION’

Department of Architecture
Faculty of Architecture
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

INTRODUCTION

City potentialities is a design research

escapade focusing to unveil the oppor-
tunities of contemporary architectural
and urban knowledge of un-explored
Asian Cities. Based on the assertion that
certain urban principles of ‘realism’ and
‘imagination’ can be used to produce
the city, we posit that the benefits of
these principles can transform the urban
physical abd spatial components into
strategic catalytic generators for the city.
Imagine an almost utopian condition,
where Jakarta has become the number
one tourist destination in Asia and at the
same time because of its geographical
location, attracts a large number of for-
eigners and local population and more
to make their place of home, work and
play. By generating ‘realism’ and ‘imagi-
nation’ principles might create new pro-
grams for Sunda Kelapa and Old Bata-
via in Jakarta and manifest themselves
physically through innovative architec-
tural intervention that can re-formulate
the public realms and private domains
of the city.

left image
satellite image of Jakarta and the surrounding area which create metropolitan city
right image
figure ground diagram of Old Batavia
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

METROPOLITAN CITY
OLD BATAVIA
(KOTA TUA)
2
Jakarta Old Town (Kota Tua Jakarta), also (now the area surrounding Merdeka
known as Old Jakarta, and Old Batavia Square). The city later become the ad-
(Oud Batavia), is a small area in Jakarta, ministrative center of colonial Dutch East
Indonesia. This special region spans 1.3 Indies. In 1942 during the Japanese oc-
square kilometres of both North Jakarta cupation, the name of the city changes
and West Jakarta. Dubbed “The Jewel to Jakarta, and now serves as the capital
of Asia” and “Queen of the East” in the city of Indonesia. In 1972, the Governor
16th century by European sailors, Old of Jakarta Ali Sadikin issued a decree 4
Jakarta — or Batavia, as it was named that officially made the Jakarta Kota area
by the Dutch — was once considered a into a heritage site. The governor’s deci-
center of commerce for the whole con- sion was necessary in order to preserve
tinent due to its strategic location and the city’s architectural roots — or at least
fertile resources. what was left of it. Despite the Governor’s
Decree, the vicinity remains neglected,
In 1526, Fatahillah sent by Sultanate of as though the majority was pleased just
Demak, invade Hindu Pajajaran’s port by the issuing of the decree. Not enough
of Sunda Kelapa, then he change the was being done to protect and conserve
name of the port to Jayakarta. This town the legacy from the Dutch colonial era.
is only 15 hectare in size and rendered
in traditional Javanese coastal city. In
1619 VOC destroyed Jayakarta under
the command of Jan Pieterzoon Coen. A 3
year later VOC build a new town named
“Batavia” to honor Batavieren, the Dutch
ancestors. This city centered around
east bank of Ciliwung river, around pres-
ent day Fatahillah Square. The inhabit-
ant of Batavia are called “Batavianen”,
later known as “Betawi” people, the cre-
ole ethnic, the descendants of mixed 1
various ethnicities that has inhabited
Batavia.

In 1635 the city expanded towards west

banks of Ciliwung, on the ruins of for-
mer Jayakarta. The city was designed
in European Dutch style completed with
fortress (Casteel Batavia), city wall, and
canals. The city was arranged in several
blocks separated with canals. The city
of Batavia was completed in 1650. It be-
come the center of VOC in East Indies.
The canals was disbanded due to out-
break of tropical diseases within the city
wall because of sanitation and hygiene
problems. The city began to expand
further south as epidemics in 1835 and
1870 encouraged more people to move
far south of the port, to Weltevreden area right image from top to bottom
close up satellite view of Old Batavia pictures taken from different spot within Old Batavia territory
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

ISSUE : BOUNDARIES WITHIN A

BOUNDARY

A boundary thus may be physical, so-

cial, conceptual and/or symbolic. It may
be permeable and negotiable ; created,
maintained, eloborated and dismantled
; it may be separating and unifying, divi-
sive and inclusive.

- Deborah Pellow (1996) introduction

In-between two layers of small river, there perimeter of the site existing layers historical boundary settlement boundary tourism attention existing core existing blockage
is a story of hidden village which located
at the back of rear facade of flat vertical
building envelope. Inside the square pe-
rimeter, complexity of boundary seems
generates decentralisation of economic (+ve)
and urban activites. Nevertheless, this - pottery traders hub
situation enhance an unstable nature of - self of belonging (among
Kg. Balokan community)
urban and its complexity of territory. (- ve)
- lack of attention and control
- abandoned by the city center
- out-of-scale activities
- outcast zones

settlement boundary

office

5-9 s
historical

residential

3-4 s

1-2 s
?
scale section heights hidden village

INITIAL INTENTION/OBJECTIVE

breaking up the boundary by improving connectivity through unfold and superimposed the hidden bridging the gap of the existing
negotiation approach existing urban structures community/living organism boundaries

right image
view of the real environment at the Kg. Balokan area
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

STRATEGIES WITH STEP BY STEP

Strategies that come out before specific

L HA
LL intervention take action :
STRIA
INDU
ARC
AD E
1. Identification of potential space (ur
Y+
FAC
TOR ban void) - New programs
2. Bringing glocal residents into the city
LAR EMPO
RIUM - New programs
TICU
THE
PAR 3. Rehabilitation of building adaptable
ESPL
AN ADE to new economic uses - New pro
grams
PROM

4. Extending glocal tourist into the city -

RE New programs
ENAD

UA
N SQ
CELE
BR ATIO 5. Rehabilitation of basic infrastructures
E

ION
- New programs
DAT
STRE
ET
ACC
OMO 6. Improved multiethnic relations and re
OR
V END vival of harmonious sociocultural life
TER
OR C
EN through attractive outdoor/indoor and
VISIT
meeting spaces,community facilities,
BAZA
AR URBAN VOID
and community advocacy - New pro
CUM
MUS
EUM grams
ET
7. Maintaining local community inside
STRE the site and prevent them from migra Old Batavia perimeter
DOR DEM
Y
VEN ACA
ART tion - New programs promenade
festive Batavia outlet

PRO
FEST

vendor street

MEN
IVE B

leisure carpet

DEA
ATA

esplanade
LEISU

A GE
VILL
VIA O

emporium
T TIVE
PROM

RPE CREA
E CA
RE C

R celebration square
LEISU
UTLE
ENAD

museum cum bazaar

ARPE
T

factory + arcade
E

sk urban void
b ooth,kio
stall art academy
food
food stall + kiosk

transportation

housing
industrail hall
accomodation
visitor center
creative village

HOUSIN
G
T ION
RTA
N SPO
TRA

left image
diagrammatic mapping of new program for Old Batavia
AGE top image
ERIT
LD H multi-layer of programmes diagram
WOR
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

CONCEPTUAL IDEA : TETRISITY

Lack and minimum of open spaces in or-

der to produce new developments within
site perimeter is a key challenge for our
proposed buildings. Despite new pro- existing architecture horizon

grammes onjection may well propose

but still need to brings new breath of
an architectural elements as well to col-
laborate the old and new. Stacking up is
a best keyword to represent this type of
approach for our urban design concept.
Derived from the principle of ‘Tetris’ as
generator to drive the crucial interven-
tions, it will become a draft in mind how
the development will come out and ap- propose new horizon
pearances.

An existing horizon at the site determined

as ground plate while new horizon or
socalled ‘reverse plate’ is an approach
similar to the Tetris principle will be po-
sitioned on top of the choosen existing
generate new architecture skyline
structure.

left image
conceptual visual sketch of design intervention ; fragmentation re-
connection
right image
superimposed overall satellite image of new proposed masterplan
intervention for Old Batavia
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

VISUAL SCHEME 1 :
FESTIVE CULTURE

Existing open square encouraged us to

propose something by providing some-
thing new intervention at vicinity of the
area. Injection of new programmes and
also new buildings helps in creating
more diversity of activities rather than
just an appearance of new building ty-
pologies. Existing building such as post
office need some architectural refresh-
ing. By stacking up new block on top of
the existing building, the collaboration of
old and new architectural element will be existing situation potential space fit in new programmes built form respond to
existing building
carving out solid form apply skin to building connect to context new responsive environment
formed.

post office - 100% new building stack
occupation up on top of exist-
ing structure
collision of old ‘screenwall’ as at- linked bridge con- carved out middle
and new structure tractor for the pub- nect to the next cube as to bring
refresh building ty- lic entertainmen at building as to gen- natural light into the
pologies open square erate movement post office and new
variety building

CAFE SCREENING

OFFICE
STUDIO
HOUSE OF MUSIC
FACTORY OUTLET

house of music esplanade emporium

existing situation new development making connection public entertainment

right image
after-effects visual imagination images of open square at Old Batavia
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

VISUAL SCHEME 2 :
EDUCATION CENTER

Art academy is one of our building in-

tervention within a perimeter given. As
its main function known as education
center, other relevant point that we want
to highlight is enhancing the art of pot-
tery crafting. This reason respond to the
potential skills that Kampong Balokan
villagers have. With establishing new
building with land dedicated for educa- existing situation setup new square establish setback extrude urban block deform the block connect to public adding box plate rotate to suit additive and subtractive
tion purpose, government can do some
of new programs such by inviting Ba-
lokan’s villagers as to contributes their
knowledges to other people. Later, the
art of pottery may evolve from by doing
in traditional way then to hybridisation of
computer technology. This art acad-
emy can become as center for people
to learn more specifically about pottery
and also other things.

existing situation potential urban void connecting open square erecting new building respond to the village area

right image
new architecture style take place at urban void with new image of educa-
tion center for art academy
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’
this page
perspective view looking towards the new art academy from main
road
right image
facade view, sectional programmes & interior looking

CLASSROOM
LIBRARY
LABORATORY
ADMINISTRATION
GALLERY / OBSERVATION DECK
AUDITORIUM

COMMERCIAL

facade treatment for art academy sectional programmes

 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

VISUAL SCHEME 3 :
MUSEUM CUM BAZAAR

art gallery & artist studio, roof top decking, culture bridge

Revitalising the old is hard especially

for building which gazetted as heritage.
considering the old vacant and long city
block of old batavia had influenced us to
intervene the functions within form. the bazaar & arcade

configuration of museum, hotel and of-

fice could somehow bring opportunities
to create livable communal park. And
through the formulation of intergrating
hidden green and vacant inner space street vending canopy
would hopefully diversify the monoten-
ous grid form to give permeabilty.

viewing deck
public green
jakarta
history
museum artist loft + restaurant + bazaar bridge

leisure office
pottery arcade+bar+textile boutique pocket textile art gallery
street bazaar + bistro carpet shop

this page
exploded diagram of museum cum bazaar programmes
right image
visual imagination on the museum cum bazaar intervention
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

VISUAL SCHEME 4 :
RIVER CORRIDOR

Revitalising the old is hard especially

for building which gazetted as heritage.
considering the old vacant and long city
block of old batavia had influenced us to
intervene the functions within form. the
configuration of museum, hotel and of-
fice could somehow bring opportunities
to create livable communal park. And
through the formulation of intergrating
hidden green and vacant inner space
would hopefully diversify the monoten-
ous grid form to give permeabilty.

on left (from top to bottom)

new plan for river corridor upgrading scheme,
river corridor section and
Kg. Balokan boardwalk connected to the river corridor
right image
new scheme take place on the dirty existing river while converting
the unwanted images to the fresh once
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

VISUAL SCHEME 5 :
PLUG-IN-FIELD

cuisine+artists studio+roof garden

Through plug-in-field prgramme, we had textile gallery+bistro & bar
identified the specific area for interven- pottery boutique+courtyard+pocket shops
tion through preliminary building stocks
study. The intervention include the aban-
doned and vacant spaces, inner green
area, alleys and also the additional space
on top of the existing structure. The pro-
gramme ranging from formal to informal,
stack-up and interlinked one to another
in order to bring new architectural expe-
rience as well as to project image to the
existing building surrounding.
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

VISUAL SCHEME 6 :
REHABILITATION OF TOWN IN A
CITY ; KAMPONG BALOKAN

Under the community development pro-

gramme, the kampong balokan will be
the subject for intervention, since our tension approach :
early intention is to let the kampong runs surrender the required spaces to allow new projection of pro-
gramme
and evolves organically, the spatial so-
lution chosen in improving the kampong
will consider two circumstances, the
current and future prospects. Minimalist
intervention approach will transform the
kampong’s circulation layout, waterfront possible development growth possible intervention of housing module establishment of road/alleys
side, building façade and other relevant
negotiation approach :
amenities. The only existing entrance relocation of existing space to another place
to the village will be widen and linked
across the kampong straight to the river.
Some houses will be re-located under
negotiation approach but still in the pe-
rimeter area of the kampong.

intervention approach :
establishment of new programme through injection of proposed
modules into the specific/targeted location.

roads & alleys dwellings amenities/waterfront retails

existing dwellings
public facilities
path
recreational area (water boardwalk + culture walk)
green park
new module structure core
waterfront
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

HOUSING TYPOLOGIES :
MODULAR FRAME DWELLINGS

single unit dwelling

1-2 persons
unit size : 7m x 4m x 3m
h : 3m 28 sqm / 301 sqf

h : 3m

h : 3m

balcony corridor new interior existing

double unit dwelling

2-4 persons
unit size : 7m x 8m x3m
56 sqm / 603 sqf

triple unit dwelling

4-6 persons
unit size : 7m x 12m x 3m
84 sqm / 904 sqf
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’
this page
future prediction on the constant organic development for Kg. Balo-
kan and their architecture style and image
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’
this page
final vision for the interconnection between the open Fatahillah
square with the Kg. Balokan in conceptual context as to relate back
with the theme of [‘realism’ & ‘imagination’]

Kg. Balokan’s layout networking system housing distribution

 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

‘REALISM’ & ‘IMAGINATION’

Department of Architecture
Faculty of Architecture
 ‘realism’ & ‘imagination’

SOURCES

1. Patrick Healy, Gerhard Bruyns (2006), De-/signing the

Urban.Techno-genesis and the urban image.Rotter
dam : 010 Publishers
2. Paola Gregory (2003), NEW SCAPES Territories of
Complexity. Basel : BIRKHAUSER
3. Future ARQUITECTURAS . (2009) - Double issues 8 &
9. Madrid, Spain
4. Mark Angelil, Dirk Hebel (2008). Deviations, Designing
Architecture Manual > A Manual, Swiss Federal Insti
ute of Technology (ETH) Zurich. Germany : BIRKHAUS
ER
5. www.archdaily.com/15271/learning from-the-slums-12
literature-and-urbanrenewal/
6. www.urbanunlimited.nl
7. www.thejakartapost.com
8. www.reurba.org/

this page
final model designed with built-in the briefcase box design by s + ah