KIE

Albizzia House in Indonesia by Aaksen Responsible Aarchitecture features a facade of wooden slats.

The Albizzia House in Indonesia is a tropical 4 bedroom home realised from the renovation of an old property.

Designed by Indonesian Architecture Studio, Aaksen Responsible Aarchitecture, the home features prominent wood cladding which lends character to the beveled facade of the building. A central green court was introduced into the design to aid natural ventilation and daylighting. The wood used in roofing the home was retained from the previous property seeing as it had gone through an age long process in the region called timber mummification, which enhances the strength of natural timber.

Project Description

Started from a plan to renovate the Grandma’s house, during the demolition the wooden roof truss structure was discovered in a very good condition.  It turned out that the timber was an extraordinary one, in which it had been preserved in the countryside of Ciamis before delivered to the city of Bandung, a long time ago.

This preservation of the timber is made possible through a process known as timber mummification, a long-established technology by local farmers in Ciamis, West Java, in which they bury the local timber beneath the paddy fields after the harvest season. This compaction increases the wood grade significantly so it can last up to 30-45 years. The process fills up the wood pockets making the timber become much sturdier.

The design process highlights the wooden roof truss in the existing building, by a way of conserving and expanding the truss structurally as well as spatially. A thorough expansion comprises a guided manner, from the old construction towards a new structure. An accent of Albizzia Wood is also placed around the non-structural element such as the ceiling and reading chamber to introduce the local treasure inside of the interior space.

Subscribe
Subscribe to stay updated on featured projects, design news and insights across Africa.

I have read and agree to the privacy policy

THE DESIGN LIST