Blog : rad+ar

Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar: A Restaurant and Bar That Cares about the Environment
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Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar: A Restaurant and Bar That Cares about the Environment

/ Jakarta, Indonesia /

/ Story: Kanamon Najaroen / English version: Bob Pitakowng /

/ Photographs: Mario Wibowo /

As its name suggests, Stalk Jakarta, affectionately known as the Tree-Hugger Bar, has environment protection as its front-and-center concerns. It’s a design that integrates the relationships between all things as the primary framework before additional tasks can be taken. The result is an enchanting restaurant and bar amid an oasis of lush greenery in a busy area of the city.

The building is roofed over with a tensile fabric cover supported by membrane structures resembling the coming together of five huge bell marquees. There are openings at the apexes to let tall trees grow through reaching up some 30 meters into the sky.

Stitched together so that they become a whole, the five bell tents work in tandem to protect the place of business underneath from severe weather. At the same time, tree crowns and overhanging branches cast shadows on the fabric cover, creating visual interest with contrast in design.

From a distance, a combination of huge bell marquees rises among the treetops creating a visual blend with the natural surroundings and buildings in the background.

The completely tented restaurant space may seem incompatible with other buildings in the neighborhood. But from the parametric design perspective, it’s a sustainable architectural approach that makes sense in every possible way.

In essence, it’s about trying to minimize any negative impact on the environment. And in this particular case, saving all the existing trees on the premises is of the utmost importance. It’s a noble thing to do to leave the trees where they have always been and let them thrive.

From the look of things, it’s thoughful and unique design that puts Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar, in a class of its own. It’s the product of step-by-step planning that results in a situation, in which each side benefits in some way.

The restaurateurs get the perfect space they need to do business, while the trees get a new lease on life. On the whole, completely tented design provides a commercial space that’s eye-catching, while shady tree canopy ideas make customers feel calm and peaceful away from noise and distractions outside.

Stitched togethered so that they become a whole, bell-shaped tensile fabric tents have openings at the apex to let trees grow through the roof keeping the restaurant space in shade.

In the big picture, it reflects the design team’s vision of creating a piece of architecture that’s inextricably linked with the environment and the circumstances that form the setting of a place. Especially for Stalk Jakarta, it’s the team’s intention to try out new design possibilities to ensure the viability of the project.

They also plan to share their experience with business property developers with a way to reduce negative effects on the environment and, at the same time, maintain the existing state of affairs and physical features of the land. In this way, property value in the central business area will not be negatively impacted.

A drawing of the first-floor layout shows the welcome area leading to clearly defined VIP rooms and semi-outdoor dining rooms embraced by lush greenery. / Courtesy of RAD+ar
The open concept second floor holds a restaurant and bar in nature’s peaceful embrace. / Courtesy of RAD+ar

 

A side elevation drawing shows spatial relationships between shade trees, tensile membrane structures, and restaurant spaces. / Courtesy of RAD+ar

Stalk Jakarta, the Tree-Hugger Bar, consists of two floors. The first floor holds a number of drinking and dining rooms for private parties, aka VIP rooms. To get conversation going upon arrival, there’s a spacious welcome area decorated with plants with an inverted bell-shaped canvas roof serving as the focal point in the room.

From here, the dining hall on the second floor can be accessed via a ramp that winds around the upside-down bell curve at the center.

A ramp winding around the inverted bell-shaped fabric roof cover provides access to the upstairs dining hall.

The second floor contains a restaurant and bar, 750 square meters in extent. It’s roofed over with a combination of huge tensile fabric tents with openings at the apexes to allow shady trees to literally go through the roof reaching up for the sky above.

The thick fabric cover and the canopy of the tall trees protect the restaurant interior from heat during the daytime. In a way that arouses interest, overhanging brances cast shadows of the fabric cover creating a light and shadow play that changes in length and direction over the course of a day.

After sunset, beautiful chandeliers turn the dining hall into a well-lighted place with easy listening music provided by a live band.

An intriguing combination of color and texture makes the VIP room feel warm and welcoming.

Return to the first floor, and you find several VIP rooms clearly defined and separated from one another for privacy. Metal wall panels hammered to look like water surfaces and sandy soil add visual interest to the rooms.

At a glance, it’s a sight that evokes pleasant memories of a journey deep into the forest where the sun shines dimly and slightly, thanks to strategically placed lights in the interior.

An intriguing combination of color and texture makes the VIP room feel warm and welcoming.

All things considered, the high tension membrane roof cover comes in handy for the team of architects at RAD+ar to create an outstanding piece of parametric architecture. It looks the epitome of elegant design and an interesting amalgam of the built environment and the lush green surroundings.

What makes it the perfect rendezvous is the open concept layout that provides good natural ventilation, keeping the interior cool and calm with the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

Without unsightly solid walls, the restaurant and bar space feels bright and breezy, thanks in part to the tensile membrane structure that performs two functions simultaneously, as fabric roof covering and semi-outdoor enclosure.

In the fewest possible words, it’s the best example of design that’s good for people living in the big city, and good for the environment, too.

Architect: RAD+ar (Research Artistic Design + architecture) (radarchitecture.net)

Lead Architects: Antonius Richard Rusli

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Antonius Richard Rusli, RAD+ar: Integrating Nature with Design from the Perspective of Tropical Architecture
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Antonius Richard Rusli, RAD+ar: Integrating Nature with Design from the Perspective of Tropical Architecture

/ Jakarta, Indonesia /

/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Courtesy of RAD+ar /

For Antonius Richard Rusli, founder of the Jakarta-based designer group RAD+ar (Research Artistic Design + architecture), the totality of the circumstances and the Tropical climate characteristic of the Indonesian archipelago present both opportunities and challenges that test the abilities of architects, designers and thinkers. The group’s outstanding achievements, both completed and experimental, encompass a wide range of property developments design, from residential real estate, to offices, to café and restaurants, even mosques to name but a few. Interestingly, they share a set of common attributes that speak volumes for a determination to reconnect with the surroundings and harness the healing power of nature.

Hence, it’s no surprise that nature permeates through their design, forming in a distinctive element in everything they have accomplished. Yet, it’s incorporated precisely and delicately.

In a rich and subtle way, it reflects a belief that well-thought-out design is a must-have strategy needed to overcome the challenges. Plus, it comes from a vision that looks deep into nature for a possible course of action that bodes well for a sustainable future.

Here’s a glimpse into his biophilic design reconnecting people with the environment and nature through architecture. Antonius Richard Rusli is one of the distinguished guest speakers at the annual room x Living Asean Design Talk 2023.

This year’s conversation event is on the theme of “URBAN FUSION / RURAL FLOURISH: Interweaving Urban and Rural Designs.” It’s taking place at the room Showcase zone inside Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2023 on Sunday August 6 at BITEC Bang Na, Bangkok, Thailand.

Antonius Richard

Q: First of all, how would you describe your work style compared to others in your professional circle?

A: Strictly speaking, I call our approach the Decentralization of Sustainable Architecture.

In this particular case, it’s about creating property planning well suited to the Tropical Developing Economy of Indonesia. It involves identifying potential in outlying areas that can be developed and blend harmoniously with the natural surroundings.

By devising a plan that’s fit for the context of a place and the ways of life of people in a community, we stand a good chance of making it a success.

Take for example small business enterprises, such as café and restaurants. To assess whether a design will perform as intended in real life, we start out with a prototype of the small business, much like those sustainable housing designs that can be built over and over by the private sector. That’s the way I see it.

Antonius Richard
Refraction House / Photographs: William Sutanto

Q: What’s your perspective on Tropical Architecture? Any thoughts on that?

A: To answer, let me call your attention to two premises set out to describe our approach to Tropical Architecture.

First, to some extent, it’s easy or perhaps the easiest to bring about sustainable living in the Tropical Belt environment.

For the most part, the Region only consists of a rainy season and a dry season. The differences in temperature extremes in the Tropics are not great, although water scarcity issues can happen from time to time.

We receive plenty of sunlight to illuminate the home during the daytime plus heat that comes with solar radiation. You put plants in the ground and they grow very well, thanks to the consistency in natural light and thermal energy that’s a gift from nature.

That being said, sustainable living in the Tropics can be achieved simply by creating well-thought-out design that’s fit for the context or the setting of a place.

Refraction House / Living spaces seeking reconnections with nature represent both the objective and design principles of the atelier RAD+ar of Indonesia. / Photographs: William Sutanto

Secondly, the Tropics and Subtropics are home to more than one-third of the world’s population. As to be expected, increases in the population have become a factor that impacts our ecosystems, not to mention the extraction of resources from the environment at a fast pace to the extent that it undermines the Earth’s ability to replenish.

Besides promoting sustainable living among the population, everyone can contribute his share of a joint effort at preventing environmental degradation.

Ironically, it’s easy to make sustainable living by being more sensitive to the environment. It’s also easy to choose not to do it. For us architects, it’s an opportunity to focus on carefully thought-out design that’s suitable for the circumstances.

The key to success lies in research to identify architectural design strategies that work in the context of a location. At RAD+ar, we do our part by building a prototype of the project and putting it to the test in real-life situations. In the end, a design that’s right for a place will give us the inspiration we need going forward.

Antonius Richard
Bioclimatic Community Mosque of Pamulang / Photographs: William Sutanto

Q: As an architect, what are the things you want to do to bring about positive change in urban and rural developments.

A: In the short term, we will focus on furthering the progress of the Decentralization of Sustainable Architecture to ensure it fits in with the context of both urban and rural developments at least for the next five years. Our priorities include:

1. The integration of passive cooling technologies as key elements in Tropical vernacular design. This is particularly true with respect to commercial spaces.

2. A strict adherence to our Nature First policy, under which the preservation of the world’s natural resources takes precedence before others.

3. Creating prototypes of sustainable housing design that’s easy to follow for both new and renovated home projects.

4. Staying focused on mosque architecture with a view to incorporate sustainable features in the design. This is particularly important because it’s the style of building design and construction that speaks to the hearts and minds of the followers of Islam across Indonesian society.

Bioclimatic Community Mosque of Pamulang / Carefully thought-out materials paired with the right form, color and texture result in an appearance that blends perfectly with the cultural context of a landscape. / Photographs: William Sutanto

Q: Give me a few examples that speak volumes for RAD+ar thoughts, identity and experience.

A: Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop. It’s a carefully planned design experiment aimed at evaluating the performance of a commercial space in real-life situations.

In this particular design, a small restaurant serving coffee and light meals in the garden is enclosed inside a building envelope made of glass blocks for maximum daylighting. The small café per se hides in plain sight, beautifully ensconced by a grassy knoll that’s the centerpiece of the interior landscape.

The atmosphere is made attractive by split-level outdoor rooms that connect to every sequential space and function in the design. The result is a playful yet relaxed rendezvous for socializing with friends and loved ones.

We want it to be a refreshing, dynamic civic space, one that’s positive in attitude and full of energy. Designed with nature in mind, it’s a sustainable commercial space that fulfills people’s needs in Jakarta, where occasionally government-built public spaces may not be consistently good.

An exciting new alternative, Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop is just one of many design experiments being undertaken by RAD+ar.

Antonius Richard
Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop / Photographs: KIE, Mario Wibowo
Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop / For the architects, designers and thinkers at RAD+ar, natural features are as important as the design of a place, perhaps even more. Their notions about the role of nature are clearly manifested in this project named, “Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop,” situated in Jakarta, Indonesia. / Photographs: KIE, Mario Wibowo

Discover new ideas in design, architecture and useful pieces of advice similar to the above-mentioned projects at the upcoming room X Living Asean Design Talk 2023. It’s an opportunity to meet up with Antonius Richard, architect and founder of the design atelier RAD+ar of Indonesia, along with a panel of experts from three ASEAN countries.

This year’s conversation event is on the theme of “URBAN FUSION / RURAL FLOURISH: Interweaving Urban and Rural Designs.” The Talk is scheduled for Sunday August 6 at the room Showcase zone inside BaanLaeSuan Fair Midyear 2023. Admission is free. Just a friendly reminder, seats are limited. Hope to see you there!

For more details: https://livingasean.com/special-scoop/room-x-living-asean-design-talk-2023-urban-fusion-rural-flourish-interweaving-urban-and-rural-designs/

Register to attend at: https://amarinfair.com/booking/room-x-living-asean-design-talk

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Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop: A Design Experiment on the Interaction between Commercial Space and Nature

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Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop: A Design Experiment on the Interaction between Commercial Space and Nature
livingasean

Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop: A Design Experiment on the Interaction between Commercial Space and Nature

/ Jakarta, Indonesia /

/ Story: Baralee / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: KIE, Mario Wibowo /

Introducing a prototype of the small café well thought out as place for a rendezvous. Aptly named Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop, it’s a work of outstanding artistry integrating restaurant space planning with nature to form a cohesive oasis of calm. The key elements of design include a sloping garden beautifully ensconced in a stadium-like enclosure. There’s a circular path at the top of the stairs for a leisurely stroll. At intervals, the paved path is marked with outdoor tarp canopies for protection from the sun. It sends out one important message — time well spent is time spent in the great outdoors.

Tanatap Ring Garden

The theme of an enchanted garden cafe is derived from a simple question. “What is it like if a piece of architecture behaves like it’s non-existent?” In this particular case, the centerpiece of the project is a lush tropical garden enclosed by a circular glass-block building envelope.

It’s home to a café space that lies hidden in plain sight, concealed by a grassy knoll that blends perfectly into the surrounding landscape. It’s a meeting place where people mix socially and interact with one another bringing youthful exuberance to this part of the city of Jakarta.

Tanatap Ring Garden

With respect to construction, Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop is the result of three design strategies combined.

First of all, it’s well planned to blend with the healthy foliage of a tropical forest setting. This is evident in the preservation of all the existing trees on the property.

Secondly, the circular building envelope is designed to encompass all positive aspects of ornamental grounds where plants grow luxuriantly. Located at the center of the floor plan, the café covered by a grassy knoll affords a large room where people meet plus plenty of ample spaces for relaxation. A few steps away, remarkable garden design offers sensory pleasure and the opportunity of reconnecting with nature.

Lastly, it’s about enhancing customer experience by merging indoor and outdoor spaces bringing them together into a cohesive whole.

Tanatap Ring Garden

Tanatap Ring Garden

The overall effect is impressive. It’s a layout that strikes the right balance between the relative size of the project, the building materials used, and the impact of color, texture and natural light in the design process.

To reduce the harshness of the built environment, the building envelope is made of glass blocks that allow maximum daylight between spaces. They add aesthetic appeal to the place and blend well with the existing trees.

Tanatap Ring Garden

Tanatap Ring Garden

As regards functional design, walk into the café and you come to a counter bar occupying a central position. Carefully thought out design promotes ease of movement in every part allowing people to traverse through and around unhindered.

The circular glass-block wall that separates the interior from the garden is decorated with lush leafy plants. It’s marked at intervals with plain-looking sets of tables and chairs for customers. Nearby, a corridor creates smooth transition between spaces giving access to the yard on the outside.

Tanatap Ring Garden

The nature-loving café project is built amphitheater style. Like so, the commercial space is positioned at the center of landscape design. It’s a beautiful greenery-covered building adorned with tiers of outdoor seating set at intervals.

Meanwhile, the boundary along the outer circumference is filled with café seating situated directly below the concrete rooftop corridor made for a leisurely stroll. From here, a vista of high-rise buildings in Jakarta’s CBD can be seen in full view from afar. All things considered, it’s a piece of architecture devised from experience in tropical garden landscaping.

Tanatap Ring Garden

Tanatap Ring Garden

Tanatap Ring Garden

By design, Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop is an experimental project involving new and innovative ideas for commercial space planning. In this particular case, it provides the opportunity of observing how users react to a less familiar environment. It’s implemented with a view to identify the furniture choice, seating arrangement and features in hardscape architecture that are right for business.

It’s a design that blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. The color green that fills the landscape has strong associations with nature, hence comfortable furniture and a conducive semi-outdoor environment make perfect sense.

Plus, it’s interesting to discover how well-planned open design can facilitate social interactions in everyday life.

Conceptual Diagram Courtesy of RAD+ar
Ground Floor Plan Courtesy of RAD+ar
Roof Floor Plan Courtesy of RAD+ar
Section Drawing Courtesy of RAD+ar

 

Tanatap Ring Garden

Tanatap Ring Garden

Aside from that, the recent outbreak of Covid-19 was also a factor that compelled the architect to undertake this experiment to determine how a commercial space with plenty of outdoor landscaping ideas performs in the ensuing days.

It’s exciting to see how new ideas in outdoor environment design play a role in enticing people to spend more time outdoors and live a lifestyle more closely connected with nature, one of many actions people can take to support sustainable living.

Architect: RAD+ar (www.radarchitecture.net)

More about nature-inspired designs similar to the above-mentioned are waiting to be discovered. It’s a chance to meet up with Antonius Richard, architect and founder of the architectural practice RAD+ar of Indonesia during the upcoming conversation event titled, “URABN FUSION / RURAL FLOURISH: Interweaving Urban and Rural Designs”.

It’s a part of the annual “room Books X Living ASEAN Design Talk.” This year’s panel of experts is made up of four distinguished architects from three countries. The Design Talk is scheduled for Sunday August 6 at the room Showcase zone inside BaanLaeSuan Fair Midyear 2023, BITEC Bang Na, Bangkok. It’s an opportunity not to be missed. Mark your calendar!

For more details: https://livingasean.com/special-scoop/room-x-living-asean-design-talk-2023-urban-fusion-rural-flourish-interweaving-urban-and-rural-designs/

Register to attend at: https://amarinfair.com/booking/room-x-living-asean-design-talk

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room x Living Asean Design Talk 2023: Urban Fusion / Rural Flourish: Interweaving Urban and Rural Designs
livingasean

room x Living Asean Design Talk 2023: Urban Fusion / Rural Flourish: Interweaving Urban and Rural Designs

/ Bangkok, Thailand /

 / Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

room Books and Living Asean, media arms of the Amarin Corporations Public Company Limited specialized in home decorating, design and living a happy life, invite you to a conversation event titled, “room x Living Asean Design Talk 2023: Urban Fusion / Rural Flourish: Interweaving Urban and Rural Designs.”

room x living asean design talk

room x living asean design talk

The focus of attention is on urban development, the betterment of society and the safeguarding of the environment through well-thought-out design and the interaction of ideas between urban and rural communities. I

t’s aimed primarily at creating public awareness of the importance of design and its contributions toward housing developments ideally suited to the Southeast Asian Region.

room x Living Asean Design Talk 2023 is scheduled for Sunday August 6 at BITEC Bang Na, Bangkok, Thailand. It’s one of the main events at the 2023 edition of Baan Lae Suan (Home and Garden) Fair midyear. Admission is free!

At this time, room Books and Living Asean has assembled a panel of experts comprising four distinguished architects from three countries. They will touch upon several aspects of the fusion of ideas and the interaction of different designs between urban and rural areas.

Precisely, the topics of discussion include the following:

  • Design that creates a healing environment for people in developing urban areas.
  • Design that connects people to people and links urban with rural developments.
  • Design of the environment considering the dynamism of urban experiences in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the rise of problems in the surroundings and the ensuing conflict.

This year’s Design Talk panel is made up of four distinguished architects from three countries.

M.L. Varudh Varavarn, of Vin Varavarn Architects, Thailand, will touch upon the topic of “Public architecture and solutions to the problems brought on by the gap between people in society.”

room x living asean design talk

The panelist has an excellent track record of creating architectural designs aimed at solving problems facing a sizeable proportion of the population – challenges brought on by the gap between urban and rural communities in the provinces. Nonetheless, they affect not only people in the remote corners of the country, but also their counterparts in the Metropolis.

His works of outstanding creativity included the “Low-cost Micro Dwelling for Klong-Toey Community” in Bangkok, Thailand, under which nine prototype homes were conceived and developed visualizing housing that’s sustainable.

They were further improved from the existing design at the time using materials that met quality standards. The focus of attention was on safety, durability, and strategies for accelerating project construction.

 

Shunri Nishizawa, of Nishizawa Architects, Vietnam, will discuss the topic of “Residential design in response to the prevailing climate and limitations in urban development.”

room x living asean design talk

Mr. Nishizawa has won acclaim for his commitment to residential design that’s right for the existing weather conditions, taking into account the limitations and development site suitability.

His masterpieces included a project named the “House in Chau Doc,” a city in the Mekong River Delta region of Vietnam. In this particular case, the house was ingeniously devised to protect it from being inundated in a region prone to constant flooding.

The result is a timber-frame house with a building envelope made entirely of galvanized iron sheeting. It’s well-lit and well-ventilated thanks to open floor plan design that’s well-suited to the natural features of the land.

 

Supawut Boonmahathanakorn, of Jai Baan Studio, Thailand, will speak on the topic of “Rewilding the built environment: Interweaving urban and rural designs through non-human life.”

room x living asean design talk

The panelist is an architect who works in and with the community. He is widely known for his role in connecting with people in rural areas and helping them gain access to design innovations and new ideas in vernacular architecture.

His outstanding works of creative skill included “Suan Kaew Khum Oey” (สวนแก้วคำเอ้ย), a project that sought reconnections between people and nature.

Located in Chiang Mai, Thailand, it’s a public park developed according to the “park in 15 minutes” concept which, as the name implies, is aimed at making relaxing green spaces accessible in a flash and it’s open to anyone in the neighborhood.

 

Antonius Richard, of RAD+ar, Indonesia, will speak on the topic of “Different aspects of design in response to the environment and surrounding circumstances.”

room x living asean design talk

Mr. Richard is an accomplished architect with multiple environmental designs to his credit. They included residential, office, commercial and public space designs skillfully developed to suit different environments – a strong track record of achievements using the right design tools and strategies needed to achieve results.

His outstanding works included “Tanatap Ring Garden Coffee Shop,” an experimental café project designed to perfectly merge into the natural landscape.

It’s carefully thought out to bring into focus a sense of youthful exuberance and arouse interest in reconnections between nature and the people of Jakarta.

 

Schedule of Events

13.00 – 13.30        Guest Registration

13.30 – 13.40        Moderator delivers a welcome speech and opening remarks.

13.40 – 14.00        Panelist 1: M.L. Varudh Varavarn, of Vin Varavarn Architects, Thailand

Topic: “Public architecture and challenges brought on by the gap between people in society”

14.00 – 14.20        Panelist 2: Shunri Nishizawa, of Nishizawa Architects, Vietnam

Topic: “Residential design in response to the prevailing climate and limitations in urban development”

14.20 – 14.40        Break

14.40 – 15.00        Panelist 3: Supawut Boonmahathanakorn, of Jai Baan Studio, Thailand

Topic: “Rewilding the built environment: Interweaving urban and rural designs through non-human life”

15.00 – 15.20        Panelist 4: Antonius Richard, of RAD+ar, Indonesia

Topic: “Different aspects of design in response to the environment and surrounding circumstances”

15.20 – 15.40        Q/A session. Moderator wrap-up remarks. End of event.

room x living asean design talk

The conversation will be in English. Seats are limited. Admission is free!

Those interested in attending should register online here. https://amarinfair.com/booking/room-x-living-asean-design-talk

A part of Baan Lae Suan Fair Midyear 2023, the Design Talk by room X Living Asean is scheduled for August 6, 2023 from 1300 to 1600 hours at BITEC Bang Na, Bangkok. Mark your calendar!

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