A & M House Kemang, Jakarta

Although many examples of contemporary architecture have sprouted up all over Jakarta, the appearance of a stark gray box in the middle of a modest upper middle-class neighborhood at the periphery of the élite residential district of Kemang, South Jakarta, continues to bewilder neighbors and passers-by.While the spareness of its form startles viewers, it is the scale and proportion that mostly baffle them.

Designer Ted Sulistoted Sulisto Design Associates

The living and dining areas on the first (ground) floor overlook a picturesque swimming pool lined in multicolored mosaic tiles. A steel-framed canopy protects the water-resistant hardwood planks on the deck. A tall, slate-covered wall at the end of the pool blocks views from neighboring houses.

In this sleek architectural composition, modern materials— glass, aluminum, and polished steel—become elements of embel- lishment in themselves. The en- trance is raised on a striking gray granite podium topped with thin glass railings and steel handrails.A porthole set into the granite wall allows views into a small room in the basement.

The severe gray box, formed of solid planes of concrete pierced by a full-height entrance and long, narrow windows, its starkness relieved to some extent by an aluminum and glass overhang, appears small. It is, infact, a two-level structure poised above a third level: a basement partially submerged on the left beneath the slop- ing site but at full-story height on the right. A swimming pool runs along the whole left side of the house at the level of the first (ground) floor, while a skylit staircase located in the center of the house and a further lightwell in the far right corner open up this modernist “container.”

A warm, sunny palette infuses the interior of the house. Here, in the entrance, visitors are greeted by an earth-toned upholstered bench, a brilliantly hued abstract painting, and wood paneling and flooring. The frosted glass screen masks the staircase behind it.

In the gray-walled audio-visual corner of the open- plan living room, located between the black-walled study at the front of the house and a small garden at the rear, a large white sofa and two Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs covered in ochre-colored leather face the large flat-screen television and audio equipment. Another sitting area faces the swimming pool.

Translucent glass, stain- less steel finishes for door and window frames and furniture, black leather upholstery, painted plaster walls, a white ceiling, and parquet flooring contribute to a Zen mood in the living/dining area. The graceful curve of a standing lamp offsets the strong lines.

Visitors enter the house via a set of stairs ascending a massive, granite-clad projection bordered by a clear glass railing and topped by a canopy.The porthole-type window in one end of the projection allows views inro a small room in the basement.

Beyond the small foyer at the entrance and the stair- case leading to the upper level of the house is a large, open, L-shaped space housing, first, the living room which runs across the width of the ground floor and, beyond it, on the long end of the “L,” the dining area and adjoining kitchen demarcated by a breakfast bar. One side of the living area and the dining area face the swimming pool through full-length stainless steel-framed glass doors.A steel and glass canopy shields the inside from rain.

Lit from below, the translucent glow of the laminated frosted glass floor leading from the foyer to the living/dining room forms a brilliant contrast to the opacity of the wood floor in the living area, the dark wood veneer on the staircase, and the black furnishings. The frosted glass walls of the foyer curtain off the pool and living spaces, yet allow ample light to enter.

The music room in the base-ment is a cozy private lounge with a large, comfortable, off-white sofa, where the owners of the house can enjoy listening to music, watching movies, or simply relax- ing. The interior of the swimming pool can be viewed through three circular portholes cut into the wall behind the sofa.

Wood flooring, unusual in a bathroom, contrasts beauti- fully with the marble, glass, and stainless steel in the master bath- room. A pair of glass bowl wash- basins mounted on a marble-top wood cabinet are flanked by a long bath on one side and glass- encased toilet and shower cubicles on the other.

A wood-planked deck surrounds the pool, which is also shielded from view by a block wall clad in slate and a frosted glass partition above. A matching wall at the end of the pool hides the wet kitchen extension and blocks views of the site behind. On the right front of the house,a study leads off the living area. In the far right corner, a planted lightwell fills the house with color, air, and light.

Bomba bar stools meet brushed steel in this high-tech kitchen located at the end of the dining area. An island indented with a sink and cooker, under a supend- ed hood, becomes a table for in- formal dining. The cabinets and appliances built into the far wall add to the uncluttered look.

the second-floor plan showing the three smaller bedrooms wrap- ped around the master suite.

The front elevation of the stark gray box.

The skylit staircase in the middle of the first floor not only demarcates the division between public and private spaces but also leads to the second floor where all the bed-rooms are located.The master bedroom, together with its bathroom and walk-in closet, is arranged longitudinally above the living and dining areas and kitchen on the first floor.Two of the children’s bedrooms face the front of the house, above the entrance, while a third bedroom faces the lightwell in the far right corner.The first bedroom has an adjoining bathroom while the other two share one.

The focal point of the bedroom is the large liquid crystal display screen televi- sion mounted on a black cabinet. Recessed ceiling lighting adds a soft glow to the room. A spacious dressing room separates the bedroom and bathroom, its tall frosted-glass door cabinets pro- viding plenty of storage. A large divan fills the middle of the space. Continuous parquet flooring uni- fies the bedroom suite.

The service areas of the house—the staff quarters, including a kitchen, the laundry, and storage—are placed in the basement level, along with a multi-car garage run- ning from the front of the house to the skywell at the back. A music room is sandwiched in the middle, adjoin-ing the garage. From this room, the inside of the swim- ming pool can be seen through porthole-type openings.

Steel- framed glass forms a striking modernist canopy at the entrance to the house. Horizontal wood slats on the façade above provide a contrast in color and texture.A steel-framed skylight hovers over the staircase in the center of the house, bringing in light and breaking up the spaces.In the guest bathroom on the ground floor, a glass bowl wash- basin and mirror-covered cabinet are mounted on the wall, freeing the small area from the need for a counter.

In contrast to the modernist exterior of the house, the gleaming interiors are imbued with a feeling of light- ness and openness, the result of a combination of a simple open-floor arrangement, expansive picture windows that open to the pool, and the judicious use of skylights.The décor—colorful and eclectic—is infused with the many creative ideas of designer Ted Sulisto. Only the best avail- able products and materials have been used.The rather simple structural “enclosure” is thus a perfect showcase for the spaces it contains.

Another view of the swimming pool showing the living room to the left. Frosted-glass panels are mounted above the simple brick wall clad with slate, further mask- ing views into the pool area.

 By night, the artfully lit façade of the house plays a differ- ent tune. Lighting set into the granite podium and spotlights highlighting the walls and canopy produce a theatrical effect.

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