SUBISÚ

We’ve been living in this house since 2016. Originally a standard typical Indonesian – 2 bedrooms 1 bathroom terrace house layout. Located in the south of Jakarta, where its tropical weather is pretty warm throughout the day.

As the pandemic hit, we considered expanding the existing house. Our biggest inspiration is to provide spaces that enhance our daily life, which is filled with gathering, cooking, playing, & planting something in the garden. The footprint might be small, but we cleverly design the house to accommodate the need to gather with family and friends, and functionality to suit a family of three.

We kept the ground floor to stay faithful to the original footprint, with the addition of a second floor with cantilever at the back and front facade of the building. We also kept the front room in the original building to be a study & guest room. The design further opens and maximizes the kitchen & dining area, which is the heart of the house. The living and the bedrooms have been moved to the second floor. We also added a spacious rooftop as a nice oasis to gather in the morning and evening.

What’s brought this home to life is the styling – a delightful array of colorful items, modern furniture, and pieces by local makers. We also spent significant time reestablishing the garden and improving the feel of the entire property.

Actually, we lived near the equator with a west-facing facade. We also emphasized the importance of developing a sustainable and energy-efficient home to reduce environmental impact, by maximizing air flows, cross ventilation, and natural lights. We also created a thermal & wind chimney that draws cool air from the roof garden into the living area.