Convolution Dwelling, Industri DalamScheme Design Report

Convolution Dwelling, Industri DalamScheme Design Report

PrefaceThis report describes the Scheme Design proposals for the housing development of Industri Dalam, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

It covers the building design and details the conceptual and performance criteria that have been used to develop the project to the Scheme Design stage.

This report covers the urban design, architectural and landscape design proposal that made up the whole design scheme of the Convolution Dwelling for Industri Dalam.

Development Team

Architectural DesignHafiz AmirrolChichi Asda

Urban DesignChairul Maulidi

Landscape DesignReagen Mulia

Tutors and CritiquesDr. Baskoro TedjoIr. Achmad TardiyanaRidwan KamilDr. Woerjantari KartidjoDr. Widjaja MartokusumoDr. Budi Faisal

Contents

1.0 Site and Context

2.0 Design Concept

3.0 Architectural Design Strategies

4.0 Urban Design Strategies

5.0 Landscape Design Strategies

6.0 Design Summary

Site and Context

1

Design Issues

2

Design Issues

Design Issues

Design Issues

Indonesia is a unique mix of contradictory conditions. From its difficult politics to economic situations, to its complex social and cultural compositions, and to its rich and vast geographical conditions, Indonesia provides us – architects and designers, with opportunities to understand and response to these complex paradigms in its real contextual condition. The questions of housing and urbanization in Indonesia is more than simply a matter of providing shelter for households, but should also aim in creating environments that corresponds to the need for human dignity and that facilitates and enriches the daily practices of human life.

Slums, random expansion, inefficiency and uncontrollable high-density sprawl presently characterize many Indonesian cities. This had caused segregated zones, which relate to the problems of poor socio-economic and living conditions, especially for the marginalized urban poor. Hyper densification on urban areas, conditions of sprawl, rapid urbanization and transmigration process pose significant challenges to urban design and housing practices. In our proposal for this new housing design, we try to approach these conditions beyond formal, quick fix solution and emerged into a practice where housing, urbanism and landscape designs are treated as a model of connective, scalar and temporal operations through which the urban condition is conceived and engaged as a complex and processual ecology.

Most housing policies in Indonesian cities attempted to address the proper and legal housing shortage, particularly for the low-income population, but did not succeed as they were being addressed through an escapist, non-holistic and almost naïve point of view. The principle ruling of the housing policy was to serve the people. Its general objective was to take care of the low-income families by providing sufficient numbers and living environment for them to live in. High-density urban housing is being defined as flats, or locally known as rumah susun (stacked housing), and is generally classified into two types; fully owned flats (rusunami) and rented flats (rusunawa). These housing types were defined as dwelling systems, which include residential buildings and its neighbourhood as well as its public areas, infrastructure services, public facilities and amenities, and also the articulation of that neighbourhood in their urban settings.

These policies seem to be comprehensive enough in providing solutions to the current housing problems in Indonesia. However, in reality, due to lack of wise design application, the policies failed to be applied in real contextualized situation, thus leaving the housing problems to be unresolved, at least at the most minimum standard. What are being offered today are duplication of generic housing models that are not only failed to provide conducive living environment, but sometime are creating more problems, especially social, cultural and psychological problems.

Housing Dilemma in Indonesia

This design proposal is trying to respond to the current and future need of the site, situated in one of the most highly populated area in the world, which is Bandung in the province of West Java, Indonesia. The site is made up of unique, complex and often contradictory compositions of generic flats, squatter housings, old factories, cremation building, urban infrastructures and a railway in the slum area of Industri Dalam, Bandung. The mostly ‘spontaneous’ structures found around the site are always being seen as ‘illegal’ and unfit for the rapid urban development for the city of Bandung, which is worryingly being controlled by the capitalistic policy of the city. This policy had caused many poor people in the urban area not being able to afford the housing provided by the formal land and housing market, thus creating ‘alternative’ dwelling types which are slums and squatter settlements. To many policy makers, slums should be demolished because they are believed to embody many negative influences such as diseases, crime, political unrest and other social problems.

However, studies has shown that slums are in fact often highly organized both spatially and socially, that their dwellers often participate in the urban economy, that they are culturally diverse and dynamic, and that their residents are always highly motivated to improve their living quality. Complex and contradictory conditions, impermanency and transitions are opportunities for architecture and urbanism. The area of Industri Dalam is the perfect site in examining these generative housing issues in urban areas. Its instability and dynamism offer opportunities for architects, urban designers and landscape architects to look beyond products and venture into a more sophisticated process that hopefully will reveal the hidden potentialities of housing settlements of the urban poor. Through the manifold identification of various paradigms in daily life, generating alternative design solutions would offer a sustainable and fair living condition for this marginalized society.

Architectural Design Strategies

3

In seeing urban housing issues, particularly in Indonesia, we cannot avoid from being bombarded with various questions regarding multiple social-economy-cultural paradigm. These paradigms often come together with the complex problems in housing condition, especially when it involves the marginalized urban poor.

The Convoluting Dwelling System is an experiment in responding to the site which is made up of a unique, complex and often contradictory compositions of generic flats, squatter housings, old factories, cremation building, urban infrastructures and a railway of the area of Industri Dalam, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

Context and Design Approaches

Architectural Design Strategies

In searching for innovative solutions in revealing and exploiting the potential of these issues, housing design must be seen as a process, rather than creating formal assumption based on previous rules of thumb or general theories. Probably the problems of dwelling in this area are supposed to be treated equally with the problem of those previously mentioned problems of socio-economic paradigms. Not only the physical condition of this housing area shall be explored, but also certainly, the most important point of view is to understand the psychological and thinking behaviour of the society that has made up the area as what it is today.

In creating a robust neighbourhood, both empirical and parametric based behavioural analyses were conducted to improve the connectivity, networks and configurations of built forms of the proposal. By introducing strong paths as the primary circulation route, connecting dwelling clusters, nodes and public spaces within the site have proved to increase the quality of the site’s value of integration and connectivity.

Infrastructure = Community NeedsExisting infrastructural nodes such as water sources, washing facilities and garbage disposal facilities have played important roles in the community’s daily activities. These important dwelling elements were selected, improved and upgraded as important nodes in the revitalization processes as they had already created important sense of place for the area in terms of practice of everyday life, as well as generator for the place. The marked nodes will be the early point of reference in determining the whole planning configurations.

Alun-alun as Place Making StrategyAlun-alun is one of the most strategic public spaces to encourage social interaction. Currently, there are eight active spots on the site where social activities happen almost on a daily basis. These spots are empty spaces, yards, or extended spaces that belong to some of the most influential figures of the village (the community leader, the youth leader, a businessman, and the woman who make the best coffee and porridge in the village). These informal gathering spaces are potential nodes for the revitalization development, where these nodes will be retained and upgraded into lively communal spaces. Memory plays an important role in our decision to adapt this strategy, as we believe that the sense of place or genius loci of the site is all about the sense of belonging by the current dwellers. The memory of being together and building the village 20 years ago will always be something that cannot be erased even with a total make over of the area.

Phasing PlansThe existing flats will be retained and upgraded in terms of its interior units sizes, circulation, openings and shadings, public utilities and appearance. This decision is due to the fact that the flats’ structural conditions are still good. The new houses will be developed in stages, allowing temporary resettlement for the residence during construction phase. The existing empty factory nearby was chosen for this relocation purpose, and will soon be turned into more dwelling units during phase two of the revitalization process. The current spot where small groceries shops area will be developed into a community shops, where residents will not only be able to get their daily needs, but also as an area where they socially blend while doing their routine activities.

The whole new master plan is designed to create permeability for the site. This is again a design strategy to encourage social interaction and networking in creating a dwelling system that care about each other and towards their surrounding environment. The interconnected housing units, infrastructural nodes, communal spaces and access points are also strategies to allow flexible mode of use in anticipating future density growth, economic status and also act as important mitigation plan during the event of disaster. These consolidated urban and housing components are hoped to provide a better living system for the users.

We are seeing the design of this housing proposal as an ongoing process, not as a finite product designed by the architects. To implement the idea of this ongoing process of development and flexibility of change, the non-structural building skins (exterior and interior) can be easily change by later intervention by the users themselves. Infill panels such as window frames, wall panels, ventilation panels, etc. were designed as modular units, thus allowing them to be altered based on future needs. However, these changes are being limited only within a controlled and allowable perimeter, pre-determined and planned by the architects. This is to control and prevent unwanted growth of the units that may results to structural problems as well as other planning problems such as layout configurations, uniformity and ventilation flow.

The idea of the massing layout and clusters configurations is to create a spatial quality where high-density dwelling can still be appreciated with a decent quality of open and green space. Each layer of the higher units will have access as if they are still at the ground level. This will allow people to meander around the neighbourhood without having to feel that they are being separated by the multi-layered building structure, and will also allow a more permeable collective dwelling system.

Simultaneity, continuity and ephemerally characterize the flowing public spaces, therefore is an assemblage of the different dwelling clusters. This strategy is hoped to preserve the spirit of communality, or better known as ‘guyub’, which have existed in the current collective dwelling lifestyle of the society, even their dwelling units will be transformed almost vertically.

Spirit of Communality as Spatial Assemblage in Configuring Planning Decisions

Built Forms Morphology and Unit Typology

Facade Modules, Frames and Materiality as Unique Design Aspirations

BASIC HOUSING UNITS AND ADDITION MODULES

Structural frames will be provided to allow controlled future expansion within the designed framework of the housing units.

Communal open space as a dual function design strategy; (1) to encourage social interaction and public use, and (2) allowance for future expansion within a controlled radius.

Space for future addition can be used as gardening area, play area or drying yard. This space can be easily converted into additional unit by introducing new panels and infills.

Exposed corridor for better natural lighting and ventilation as well as

providing visual connectivity between units and neighborhood clusters.

Dwelling Components and Plan Configurations

Dwelling Components and Sections

HOUSING UNITS, DENSITY GROWTH AND SIZE VARIATIONS

24 m236 m242 m256 m264 m2

THE 1:3:6 RATIO DISTRIBUTION

60 - Housing for the Middle-High Income

180 - Housing for the Middle-Low Income

360 - Housing for the Low Income

60180360

(2010)

90265530

(2015)

117351702

(2020)

} Module Grid: 4m x 4mUnit Height: 2.8mMax. Building Height: 20mMin. Unit/Cluster: 50 familiesMax. Unit/Cluster: 70 families

Convolution Dwelling: Overall View

Convolution Dwelling: Overall View

Urban Design Strategies

4

Space Syntax Analysis

Modification Approach;

1. Improving accessibility (Mean Value of Integration)2. Retaining low accessibility at selected areas to encourage spontaneous interaction and surprises3. Restructuring the hierarchy of road and connectivity networks that are visible to optimize the value of the site4. Improving accessibility between proposed site and its surrounding

Test 1

Test 2

Space Syntax Analysis

Test #1Test Results from Empirical Behavioural Analysis

Parametric Analysis;Evaluating Site Concepts through Empirical Values

Test Results;Mean Value of Integration = 1.52Mean Value of Connectivity = 3.50

Summary;In general, the site still lack in hierachy structure of connectivity systems that are visible, thus affecting the site’s efficiency and utilization of its strength

Test #2Test Results from Parametric-Based Behavioural Analysis

Parametric Analysis;Evaluating Site Concepts through Parametric Values through Design Modification

Test Results;Mean Value of Integration = 1.55Mean Value of Connectivity = 4.00

Summary;Introducing strong paths as the primary circulation route, connecting dwelling clusters, nodes and public spaces within the site have proved to increase the quality of the site’s value of integration and connectivity

The modified connectivity route allows for the implementation of our concept in integrating modern yet regionalist dwelling system that will encourage and allow the spirit of communality.

A clear direction in structuring the connectivity of the area helps in creating a self-sustaining compact neighbourhood, and this design approach is a response from both, empirical and parametrical evaluation of the site’s physical and behavioural condition

Area Development Diagrams

Industri Dalam as a Transit Oriented Development

The central activity area of Ciroyom is a strategic point for commercial activities and transportation node that has the potential to be developed within the concept of Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

The housing area of Industri Dalam is located within a walkable radius of 400 meters from the central TOD Point of Ciroyom and this area is a very strong node in responding to the needs of the community; transportation, groceries and other domestic needs. This strong relationship between Industri Dalam and Ciroyom has created an important orientation, especially towards the wet market, Ciroyom Terminal and Ciroyom Station.

This matter implies the need to have a good pedestrianized corridor which is user-friendly and walkable to connect the proposed revitalized area of Industri Dalam with the Central TOD Point of Ciroyom.

Area Development Concept

Site Usage and Guidelines

Landscape Design Strategies

5

Landscape Design

Landscape Design to Encourage the Culture of ‘Guyub’

From the survey that has been conducted for the site of Industri Dalam, it was proven that the daily activity of social gathering is one of the most important social practices for the community. Therefore, the concept of preserving and enhancing this spirit of ‘guyub’ shall be the main driving force and is hoped to be look at in an attempt to design a locally and uniquely inspired landscape design. The theme that shall be the main driving concept is to encourage communal gathering. From this concept, the main riparian area for the site was designed in such a way that it would be generated as a communal gathering space for the society by retaining the existing nodes surrounding the site. One example of this approach is by designing nodes that would become public spaces for recreational and educational activities along the river.

Besides the concept of ‘guyub’, tectonic values of the site is also being accentuated by utilizing ‘volcanic’ rocks and other local materials so that the landscape could be an evolving one; a landscape that could be easily constructed, applied, changed or maintained by the local community themselves. Similar to the concept of the main node, several smaller nodes were being provided. These nodes were configured to get direct access towards the inner part of the site, and they would function as street ends for every street directing to the riparian. At each of these nodes, material templates made of stones were being provided so that the users can have direct access by looking at and even touch the river. However, during high tide of the river, these materials would be filled with water and function as mitigation element to prevent flood.

Sustainability Recycling Diagrams

Design Summary

6

Convolution Dwelling as a Holistic Design Process in Promoting Social Cohesion

In responding to the needs of the community, as well as to participate them in the study, design and implementation process of this revitalization initiative for the Convolution

Dwelling proposal, we believe that easy to understand designs and processes are the most efficient strategies in promoting social cohesion within the structure of the community. We believe that designs should be easy - does not require high and sophisticated tools

and technology, simple and user-friendly. A ‘home-made’ house is the ideal design solution for the community to appreciate and understand their living environment. This concept is part of our effort in holistically tackle the issues in housing problems when it involves the

urban poor community, thus celebrating their rights for them to know what their future house will look like. We also believe that they should be given the right to choose their own

preferences, within a design driven controlled condition.

Scheme Design Report Published by Hafiz Amirrol, Chichi Asda, Reagen Mulia and Chairul Maulidi for

School of Architecture , Planning and Policy Development

Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB)

Labtek IXA Building, 2nd Floor

P: (022) 2504625

F: (022) 2504625 ext. 102

E: dekan@sappk.itb.ac.id

W:http://www.sappk.itb.ac.id

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