AN EXPERIMENTAL SYMPHONY IN BAMBOO

Project: Guha, Jakarta; Architects: RAW Architecture, Jakarta The Guha project in Jakarta developed by RAW Architecture draws on the application of bamboo and inclusion of conventional spaces within a residence

- Nikitha Sunil

Located in the established residential area of Taman Villa Meruya in Indonesia’s Jakarta province, Guha is an integratively designed project that houses a dental clinic, residence, the Omah library and Guha Bambu—the studio of Realrich Sjarief / RAW Architecture. Developed as a new plus renovation project, it positively challenges the typical Indonesian housing concepts with that of a hybrid model, wherein a house could also possibly extend towards including spaces and facilities for micro business programs. While ideating such models, the example of Guha also strives to consciously maintain both privacy as well as access to the public.

The making of Guha is particularized into nine construction materials, namely steel, wood, glass, metal, gypsum, bamboo, plastic, stone and concrete. This is to encapsulate the experimentation of craftsmanship in the Realrich Architecture Workshop.

The architects have deployed an earth-loving prototype through the construction of Guha along with local craftsmen belonging to multiple generations from west Java. They artistically combined the use of bamboo material through the ceremonial fish mouth joint construction, in combination with newer materials like steel and concrete. The construction of Guha enabled its makers to gain knowledge about combined design explorations using natural fiber composite materials with industrial materials. Few spaces even exercise ‘Tumpang Sari’—an indigineous construction method attached to the Javanese community, wherein openings are created near the tip of chimney-like volumes to produce stack effect, thereby easing out the process of hot air removal.