A celebration of every person’s unique trait, “Rumah Miring” or “Slanted House” owned by Christiana Gouw located in the Pondok Indah area is an architectural masterpiece that instantly catches your attention. Designed by renowned architect Budi Pradono, Rumah Miring is located on a 8×20 meter land and built on a definition of steel material painted in all white and the external frame structure facing the streets with a slope of 70 °. The many numbers of sides that are filled with glass and plants give off a natural, serene, but also refreshing, impression.
It’s impossible to pass by this house without stopping for a bit in order to try and capture the essence that it offers. Being located in the famous and luxurious Pondok Indah residential area, Rumah Miring is often considered as a form of reaction against the mainstream Mediterranean-style architecture often favoured in luxurious homes in Indonesia – a symbol of success that has long since surpassed the cliche.
For its creator and owner, Rumah Miring is actually not a reactive work. According to Christiana, who is also the CG Artspace gallery owner in Plaza Indonesia, her home incorporates the fundamental idea from the lofts of San Francisco artists she often visited while still a student there.
“I personally am not conveying any message, except that this is strictly personal. I am not the type of person who likes to jump on a bandwagon. It’s just being me, basically,” she says.
“The idea of a slanted house is not reactionary, rather, an anti-thesis that shows that the symbol of success is no longer a matter of style but a celebration of individual freedom.”
Architect Budi Pradon
The industrial concept is represented by the presence of several steel pillars around the house – a special request by Christiana, in order to avoid being trapped into the “typical classical luxurious house filled with rooms,” she says. The idea to make it look slanted came from Budi.
“I think it’s a matter of symbol. Jakarta is the capital city of a big country. There are many people from other cities or regions aiming to make a living here and need a symbol of success. This can be represented through their houses and where they are located. So, don’t be surprised if you see many musicians or politicians who are eager to own a house around the Pondok Indah area, but not necessarily live in it – rather, just to welcome their guests. Eventually, the European-style luxurious homes became a representation of social status,” explains Budi.
Even so, the renowned architect also refrains himself from using the word “reactionary” in regards to Rumah Miring, which for him, is more of a “warning form” letting people know about each person’s unique trait, rather than something that is deliberately created in order to be “different”.
“Actually, the social perception around this project is reasonable data that we need to absorb, as part of the understanding of the context of its urbanity. Architects should then be able to come to a conclusion and submit their ideas. The phenomenon that a Mediterranean-style house should be a symbol of success is then questioned again in this context,” he says, before underlining that, “The idea of a slanted house is not reactionary, rather, an anti-thesis that shows that the symbol of success is no longer a matter of style but a celebration of individual freedom.”
Budi strives to offer a new space quality. Openness on the ground floor area and the continuous air flow is a symbol of tropical haven. Then, if we climb up the stairs… this house offers a different experience in terms of space and sensation, depending on the height.
This is certainly in line with Christiana’s wishes, who puts special focus and pride on the openness that her house offers.
“The open quality and design of this place is similar to villas out of town – as if this is a holiday home, and it does feel like one, it feels like it’s outside of Jakarta, when in fact, you only have to walk 5 minutes and you’re already in the ever-crowded Pondok Indah Mall,” says Christiana.
The unique outdoor concept of Rumah Miring is still complemented by a beautiful and more-than-comfortable interior design. Here, Budi strives to offer a living space where people can actually “live” and not with their eyes locked to their digital gadgets that are always within reach. This, of course, is no easy feat.
“Even though its appearance is slanted, but every inch is covered with plants. The reason why the structure is made of steel is also considered as an effort to make this building become a sort of insertion to its surroundings. Which is why, as you can see, the neighbouring walls were left as it is to become part of the insertion concept as mentioned before.”
Architect Budi Pradono
“The hardest part to do is actually giving a comfortable space inside, which is my attempt to capture the current needs of contemporary society or, shall we say, digital society. The current phenomenon in which people are obsessed with gadgets inspired me to build a home where humans can feel connected to nature once again,” to which he adds, “Even though its appearance is slanted, but every inch is covered with plants. The reason why the structure is made of steel is also considered as an effort to make this building become a sort of insertion to its surroundings. Which is why, as you can see, the neighbouring walls were left as it is to become part of the insertion concept as mentioned before.”
For inspiration, Budi also refers to the traditional Rumah Panggung, where the air can move freely between floors. The selection of white colours is also a way to give a more neutral shade on Jakarta’s tropical climate.
The one thing that makes Budi very proud about Rumah Miring is its unique space quality, where the lowest area has an open-air concept in order to ensure the air can flow freely and evenly. There is also a shift from the conventional architecture programming concepts, for example with the presence of the living room on the third floor, pantry at the front area, master bedroom with a wide terrace and filled with beautiful plants, a semi-swimming pool inside that acts as a natural air-conditioning, and the very spacious bathrooms as representation of the “bathroom is the new living room” concept.
For Christiana herself, the uniqueness and comfort of her home is a blessing.
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