Biophilic Boarding House

[English text below] Keputih merupakan daerah di Surabaya yang 40 persen tempat tinggalnya digunakan sebagai rumah kos. Namun, rumah kos ini cenderung tidak teratur, ramai, dan bahkan menimbulkan kerusakan lingkungan akibat pengolahan limbah yang tidak terkendali. Rumah Kos Biophilic oleh Andyrahman Architect dirancang sebagai bentuk rumah kos baru yang memberikan solusi alternatif melalui arsitektur biophilic: dengan anggaran yang rendah, perawatan rendah, dan sesuai dengan iklim tropis.

Membiarkan dinding bangunan tanpa cat membantu mengurangi biaya perawatan dan pengecatan ulang untuk lebih lanjut mengurangi biaya konstruksi dan sumber daya. Rumah kos menggunakan bahan yang didaur ulang dan lokal, seperti peti kayu yang telah diperbaiki untuk perabotan dan pintu, serta beton dan batu bata untuk dinding. Namun, dengan anggaran yang murah tidak berarti harus mengorbankan estetika dan performa. Pembatas antara tempat parkir sepeda indoor dan jalanan menggunakan material kombinasi logam dan beton berlubang. Dengan penggunaan berbagai bahan dan tekstur, rumah kos ini mampu menonjol dari para tetangganya. Sebagai respons terhadap iklim tropis kota, rumah kos menggunakan arsitektur bioklimatik. Arsitek menggunakan dinding beton berlubang untuk sebagian besar rumah agar sinar matahari dan aliran udara masuk optimal ke dalam bangunan. Dinding berlubang juga berfungsi sebagai pembagi antar ruang. Selain itu, arsitek memindahkan dinding ke dalam sejauh 80 sentimeter dari batas sisi timur sehingga menghasilkan ventilasi silang ke ruangan penghuni.

‘Sumur’ cahaya sebagai jantung rumah kos berfungsi untuk menyalurkan cahaya alami dan ventilasi yang memusat di area komunal di lantai pertama. Sementara itu, area komunal yang berada di lantai saru dan atap menjadi titik temu para penghuni untuk melakukan berbagai kegiatan sosial, seperti belajar, makan, bersantai, dan berinteraksi satu sama lain.

Keputih is an area in Surabaya where 40 percent of the residence area used as boarding houses. However, these boarding houses tend to be disorganized, crowded, and even caused harm to the environment due to uncontrolled waste treatment. The Biophilic Boarding House by Andyrahman Architect is designed as a new form of the boarding house that provides alternative solutions through biophilic architecture: low budget, low maintenance, and appropriate to the tropical climate.

Leaving the wall unpainted helps to reduce expenses of maintenance and repainting, combined with a principle of recycling to further reduce the cost of construction and resources. The boarding house utilizes predominantly recycled and local materials, such as salvaged wooden crates for furniture and doors, as well as concrete and bricks for the wall. However, a low-cost budget doesn’t necessitate sacrificing aesthetics and performance. The barrier between the indoor bicycle park and the street uses a combination of metal and perforated concrete. Through the juxtaposition of different materials and textures, the boarding house is able to stand out from its neighbors. As a response to the city’s tropical climate, the boarding house employs bioclimatic architecture. Using perforated walls also allows for the division of space. Additionally, moving the walls inside as far as 80 centimeters from the east side boundary produced cross-ventilation into the occupant’s room. A light well at the heart of the building funnels natural light and ventilation that culminates at the communal area on the first floor. Meanwhile, the communal areas located on the first floor and rooftop became the rallying point for occupants to perform a range of social activities, such as study, eat, relax, and interact with one another.

*Ps. This content published in “Indonesian Architects: Volume, Mobility, Investment, Interaction, and Environment for the International Union of Architects Congress Seoul 2017” by Imaji Media Pustaka (2017).

About Project

Biophilic Boarding House
Architect: Andyrahman Architect
Project Type: Residential
Location: Surabaya, Indonesia
Site Area: 120 sqm.
Total Building Area: 250 sqm.
Height: 3 stories
Awards: World Architecture Festival 2016 Shortlist, Archdaily Building of The Year 2017 Nomination

Photos courtesy of Mansyur Hasan

About Book

INDONESIAN ARCHITECTS: VOLUME, MOBILITY, INVESTMENT, INTERACTION, AND ENVIRONMENT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ARCHITECTS CONGRESS SEOUL 2017
By Imelda Akmal Architectural Writer Studio

Managing Editor: Imelda Akmal

Book Project Coordinator: Diah Puspita Sari
Text: Diah Puspita Sari, Daniel Jiang, Catharina Kartika Utami, Raudina Rachmi, Anggita Triastari
English Translator: Yosefin R. Anggraeni
English Text Editor: Dinda Mundakir
Book Design: NUSAE
Digital Imaging: Mohamad Aluwi