Tasya Shafira
Jasmine Jemilia Maulidiani
IPMI International Business School
Amelia Naim Indrajaya
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The sustainability of Andra Matin’s architecture comes from his principle of involving and interacting with the environment, and the idea that successful architecture is achieved when one is able to reduce the use of energy in their designs effectively. He believes in the importance of passive architecture or passive design, which is a concept where a structure uses natural energy sources such as sunlight and wind instead of manmade sources like electricity or fuel, consequently reducing energy use by its inhabitants.
The structures he designs are ‘open’, and they do not take up 100% of the site, “If it’s possible to only use 20% of the site, then we’ll use only 20% of it, leaving the rest for lawn or other uses. This is as to not cover the entirety of the land under the building, but rather to give space for water to infiltrate into the soil.” Andra Matin prefers to use local materials and resources that he can find near the building site rather than importing them from abroad, and he had also utilized recycled materials for one his projects: constructing the exterior of a famous beach club in Bali with old wooden window frames. Another project that he had, also in Bali, was a hotel that was constructed from handmade bricks from local Balinese craftspeople. The use of engineered wood in his designs, which is basically boards of wood that are bound or pressed together, can also become and added point in his support of sustainable business and practices. Though it has downsides to it such as higher prices than the usual solid wood, engineered wood can be manufactured from smaller trees that are relatively easier to replant, so it does not require cutting down larger, older trees for production.
In his opinion, Indonesia is immensely blessed with tropical climate that gives us the potential to minimize the use or consumption of energy within our homes, settlements, or buildings, unlike other countries with four seasons where it’s necessary to be ‘protected’ by, essentially, four walls and to use cooling or heating systems. “In Indonesia, honestly, having a roof over your head and posts to support them—and probably some insect repellent—is plenty enough. What we have to do is celebrate our tropicality that God has given us; we don’t live in extremely hot or extremely cold environments, and it allows us to use less energy.” The number of architects will not compensate the number of people that keeps growing, so rather than teaching, Andra Matin wishes that his architecture would educate other architects and the young generations by setting an example through his built projects, much like how he had learned by way of examples from his father, a man he described as modest, disciplined, and had good tastes. The challenges people, businesses, and industries face when opting for sustainable products or materials are generally that they are more costly, and they are, at least as of now, less durable than the usual, non-sustainable products. In Andra Matin’s case, he has faced people reluctant to use sustainable alternatives for those reasons, and found it pretty hard to change or shift their mindset to cooperate, not until those challenges can be overcome.
For him, it’s better to learn and step small day by day rather than go overboard with something, sustainability included. Forcing something and rushing to our goal is not the way to go. “I prefer a more gradual approach; if I do something a certain way, then it will impact my architecture accordingly. I know where I’m headed, but I’m not in a rush to reach it. If possible, I want people especially those around me like my friends, employees, and staffs at the office, to grow together, including the environment too. It should be approached slowly, step by step, and though maybe it could not be reached even until I die, at least the path to accomplishing it is clear. I prefer this to an instant way that might leave us with nothing, or even worse off than before.”
Andra Matin is one of the Indonesian architects who was entrusted to renovate and rebuild the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Central Jakarta for the upcoming Asian Games 2018. He was assigned the aquatic stadium, and while the pool itself is in a poor condition and does not meet Asian Games standards, the building is a heritage from 1962. He chose not to completely demolish it, but rather modifies it in a way that is still true to his architecture principles but also enables the building to adhere to Asian Games standards and requirements, while still creating a pleasant environment for people. He can gain trust from the customer because of his credibility in sustainable building.
As said before, he used local materials which can help flourish the local craftsmen. By using recycled, he already contributes to managing waste in the surrounding area. He also reduces the total of energy consumption by utilizing natural energy.
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Andra Matin, Founder, Principal Architect
Andramatin is known for clean, modern creations that attempt to use space in a way that reflects and is sensitive to its environment. Upon inspection, these simple, straightforward buildings represent the interplay of internal and external boundaries with a certain underlying tension and dynamism. Established in 1998, Andramatin’s works, ranging from residential, hospitality, office, museum, park, commercial and exhibition, have also appeared in international media including in several editions of MARK magazine and Japanese architecture magazine, GA Houses.
cited from www.andramatin.com