The Architecture of the EquatorThe

Colonialism created this fantasy around teak as exotic and precious material. In the 1600s, the Dutch started planting the trees in the hope for it to be another resources could benefit the people, at the same time created a new ecosystem that overtime could be a threat for the species to lose its value.As demand increases, technology comes in to grow the tree much faster while still producing a good quality hardwood, leaving them with a regular and banal material to work with.

How to position this valuable hardwood in a context where it’s value is seen differently then what it has known for?

Contents

Abstract

The Architecture of the Equator

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

Investigation: Detail

Investigation: Site

The Architecture of the Golden Green

The Details of the Golden Green

Visual Glossary/Reference

Bibliography

Day 0 (26.08)

Singapore - Jakarta - Semarang

12.50 Arrival in Jakarta (Lion Air JT163)

23.55 Depart to Blora (Train)

Day 1 (27.08)

Semarang - Blora

08.46 Arrival in Cepu, Blora (Train)

11.00 Check in at Hotel Same (Car)

13.00 Blora to Desa Klopoduwur (Car)

15.00 VisitWorkshop 1

16.30 VisitTPK

Accomodation: Same Hotel

Day 2 (28.08)

Blora - Jepara

09.00 Survey Kota Blora (Car)

13.00 VisitWorkshop 2 (Car)

18.00 Arrival in Jepara (Car)

Accomodation: Nusantara Hotel

Day 3 (29.08)

Jepara

09.00 Survey Kota Jepara (Car)

13.00 VisitWorkshop (Car)

Accomodation: Nusantara Hotel

Day 4 (30.08)

Semarang - Jakarta

09.00 Arrival in Semarang (Car) 10.00 Visit Perhutani Semarang (Car) 23.00 Arrival in Jakarta (Train)

Day 4 (31.08)

Jakarta - Singapore

12.00 Arrival in Singapore (Lion Air)

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

Deep-rootedThe Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

Despite the extensive plantation area, production rates are still insufficient to meet the high demand of teak timber in Java Island (Iskak 2005). In order to meet that demand, there needs to be improvement in agricultural techniques to make production more efficient to produce best quality of timber.A study is conducted within 1 ha area to see how many trees could be planted to produce the most amount of timber.

Spacing: 2.5 m

Trees: 1,515 (15 years)

Diameter: 0.25 m

Height: 13 m

Volume: 0.64 m3 x 1,515 = 969.6 m3

There is only one typology of house in Blora that populates the city, generally following the traditional Javanese Joglo house.The trace of colonization is hardly seen in these houses, one can say it is very close to primitive house, varied in shape and dimension but made with one material, except for the roof tiles. One house of the size of 56 m2 would cater one family of four people.The construction needs 3.67m3 of timber, approximately 6 trees with 25cm diameter and 15m height. From the calculation, it is speculated that one person would consume 1.5 trees.

Deep-rootedThe Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

In other parts of the world, Teak is used in architecture only as accent, mainly for its durability and its beauty, considering the import forTeak wood has been limited.

Trenton Bath House, Louis Kahn, 1955

Deep-rootedThe Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

Salk Institute of Biological Studies, Louis Kahn, 1955

The main research area is in Blora, where 49% of its area is covered with teak plantation.There are changing of scenery as we drive across the region.The central, where all the governance happens, mostly covered with one to three storeys building, some are built during Dutch colonization era where the trace of teak can still be seen. Moving towards the east is a stretch of small business ventures and houses, the typology of building starts to get smaller. Here, we can already see some teak plantation. Further away from the city, the forest became thicker, is where all the hidden small villages are.The houses are very close to primitive hut and people lives in the heart of nature.

Blora city has faced a major developmental pressure ever since the independence of Indonesia. Previously, the city was occupied by Kadipaten Jipang Kingdom in the 16th century, then Mataram Kingdom. Blora became one of the most important cities for the running of the kingdom because of its teak forests. During Dutch colonization in the 1800s, the city planning started to be more organized until today where the influence of technology could be clearly seen in the city center.

Just like almost all cities in Java, Blora was centered in the alun-alun, a square known for public use in the middle of the city. Surrounding the alun-alun are the more important buildings, including the governor’s office, the mosque and a bank.The site is an empty land on the North-west side of the alun-alun, adjacent to the governor’s building.The area is filled with majority of painted brick buildings, generally one to three storeys high.

The design started by looking at the hierarchy of Javanese house, where building is mainly divided into three parts, the front, middle and back.The house always started with a low gate surrounding the site to protect from unwanted invaders. On the entrance, there is a patio and a big yard for families to gather and receive guests. Moving towards the main building in the middle, people would go through the main entrance.This is where all the more private rooms are located and where all the residents reside.The back of the house is considered to be the least appealing and is used for services and utilities.

The roof is the most important part of Javanese building.Generally,Indonesian traditional architecture is famous for the variety of roof shapes depending on its specific needs in each region. Behind each design is a deep philosophical reason, in Java case, is to mimic the shape of mountains, as mountains are considered a very sacred place. The chosen size and material for it is clearly responding to the tropical climate and availability of the material.

Deep-rootedThe Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

Abstract

The Architecture of the Equator

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

Investigation: Detail

Investigation: Site

The Architecture of the Golden Green

The Details of the Golden Green

Visual Glossary/Reference

Bibliography

The reality in Blora has changed and there is a new challenge to deal with this‘new gold’to offer people construction material as a good investment to achieve a building that is more sustainable and carries a deep historical value.The cycle of material does not stop after they are used in a building.

The proposal of the thesis is to unfold the reality of teak that carry a deep historical value of a building in an ever-changing political climate and to positionTeak as a new regular material and to see its potential in different scenarios, from the way it is treated by people as valuable timber that shows wealth through small infills and building ornaments, until it’s banal used as building structure, originating in unconscious needs and desire of the old Javanese tribe.

The method is to start the design from the smallest matter and focus on detail as theoretical concern of architecture which are fundamental in giving life and personality to space.Teak tree gives a relatively limited standard of sizes for its timber that triggers an exploration in designing a small house as a vehicle, in particular, the elements of its construction.There are various treatments that can be done for the material, each serves different functions and produces different aesthetics, which then produces different architecture.

The journey has brought a new perspective in changing scenarios of Blora city, from the urbanisation happening in the center to the deep forest where the peasant lives.The interest lies in looking into how different methods and treatment ofTeak is used in the existing architecture towards the changing context, from the most man-made, to the most machine-made, which results in a different relationship of teak with interface with other material and creating a different story of construction.

In the past, craftsmen were expected to give a very great deal in the detail of construction, and as the number is becoming very limited, it takes extra effort to design a building that pays care to simple details.Time and cost become constraints, leaving most buildings built up with lack of life and soul.The ambition of the thesis is to break through the standard construction and to emphasize on the role of an architect to pay extra attention to details, as it is the smallest form of architecture and the collective would create a whole different architecture.

In Blora,Teak is classified into different grades according to its strength and aesthetic.

GradeA -The heartwood is the strongest part with minimum harvesting time of 40 years.The grain is more subtle with gold color.This part of the wood takes up only 25% of the whole tree trunk.

Grade B -This part of the wood is the outmost layer of the hartwood, constitutes 25-30% of the whole tree trunk. The color is lighter with a more irregular grain.This timber works best with furniture making, where additional finishes is desirable.

Grade C - The sapwood is still weather and termites resistant, but not as durable as Grade A and B. It is the outermost layer of the tree where usually being used also for furniture making.

Most of the architecture in Blora city is made up of several layers of material as well as layers of craftsmanship. The structure would use construction grade material which has an advantage of a quick and cheap construction, then would be layered to finish grade which usually takes more time and effort by craftsmanship.The role ofTeak in this scenario is to show its decorative potential to enhance the life of the building.The construction material is left to the easiest and the cheapest available on site, thenTeak would come to cover and finish it all up using high quality craftsmanship.

Abstract

The Architecture of the Equator

The Journey on the Land of the Deep-rooted

Investigation: Detail

Investigation: Site

The Architecture of the Golden Green

The Details of the Golden Green

Visual Glossary/Reference

Bibliography