D-minution House / SUB. Studio for visionary design

Architect: SUB. Studio for visionary design
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Constructed Area: 98 sqm
Project Directors: Wiyoga Nurdiansyah
Design team: Muhammad Sagitha, Dickie Padmawijaya, Alex Gandung
Text: Tan Szue Hann
Photographs: Dean Martin, Muhtar Holil

This project shows Indonesian house in SUB. Studio vision. it calls “D-minution House”. Intended to reach affordable house.

Defining space by creating areas of grey (concrete) and green, to reflect the built and unbuilt spaces blending together, the house demonstrates a gestalt effect of the architecture being greater than the sum of its humble parts. This occurs on a small site of 93 square metres.

As a space-economising strategy, we defined a zoning scheme where the circulation hierarchies that one would assume get upended. As such, the maid and pantry areas line up near the front entrance. This allows for a larger space for the living room and dining areas, which blend in with the terraces, thereby creating a multifunction area. This is enhanced by a large window opening up to the main green area.

On the second floor, a window is created at a low level, to create views towards the garden on the first floor.

As a means of climatic response, having a big window creates for better air circulation, and allows light into the house. The second floor window has a 30cm gap, thus creating a ventilation gap in between. When it rains, a cool breeze enters the house, without it getting wet.

A raw material without finishes was chosen, to express the architecture as it is – honest. Local brick, local roofing material reminiscent of traditional Indonesian typologies and cement board are used, whilst solid wood is used for doors and window frames. Angled steel is used for the windows for opening and closing, and paint is only applied to the ceiling and nowhere else, so as to create reflection for bounced light.

The reductivist concept applies to the entire functioning of the house and not just the design. With a very modest budget of US$17 500, and a design that capitalises on getting the most out of – and at the same time mediating – the tropical climate, the house becomes an example of sustainable living.