Ismail Solehudin Architecture has taken what could have been a compilation of apartments that looks just like any other in the built-up area of Bogor in West Java, Indonesia, and instead let it sing loud and proud by cladding it with stacked, rich red corrugated iron.
© mario wibowo photography
Stacked volumes
Rather than a single-family home, the ruby red building contains multiple residential units. These stacked apartments sit above and alongside each other, effectively using the limited space, one of the core considerations of the architects due to the high-density location of the plot.
The core of the building’s design is a communal, central corridor and stairwell, the inclusion of which means that the floor space needed for this element is more than just functional, but also contributes to the habitable area in the apartment complex. These internal spaces provide spaces in which residents can meet, or even enjoy meals or work.
© mario wibowo photography
© mario wibowo photography
© mario wibowo photography
Visual connection
Not only does the choice of cladding the building in corrugated iron cleverly allow for a homogeneous exterior, but it also provides a visual connection from street level. Internally, the architects chose concrete flooring and exposed bricks for the internal walls, picking up subtly on the colour of the exterior while allowing the cladding to remain the most important feature. Due to material choices, the colour of both the exterior and interior all age over time, creating a feeling of life within the building itself.
As the multiple units are arranged around a central suspended staircase, the horizontal planes of the staircase incorporate the same perforated aesthetic built from steel and iron. Cleverly, the suspended nature of the steps themselves allows for natural light to pass from the skylight almost totally uninterrupted through the building’s core.
© mario wibowo photography
© mario wibowo photography
