New Indies architecture

New Indies Style

New Indies Style in Gedung Sate, showing local indigenous form in modernist building.
Years active	late 19th century–20th century (pre-World War II)
Location	Dutch East Indies
Influences	Rationalism, Art Deco, with an element of Indonesian traditional architecture.

New Indies Style (Dutch: Nieuwe Indische Bouwstijl) is a modern architectural style used in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) between the late 19th century through pre-World War II 20th century. New Indies Style is basically early modern (western) architecture (e.g. Rationalism and Art Deco), which applies local architectural elements such as wide eaves or prominent roof as an attempt to conform with the tropical climate of Indonesia.^[1]

Even though New Indies Style refers specifically to the Dutch Rationalism movement that appeared in 1910s Indonesia, for the purpose of covering the many architectural styles that appeared during the brief early modern period, the term is used as a general term for all the architectural styles that appear between the late 19th-century to pre-World War II 20th-century.

History

The attempt to synthesize

(Indisch Stijl), also Old Indies Style (Oud Indische Stijl) to distinguish it with the newer style.

The birth of the New Indies Style was related with the introduction of new building material, the rise of

Also influencing the New Indies Style were new generation of Dutch architects, trained in the Netherlands, who went to the Indies to introduce

The 1920s and 1930s saw the advent of Modernism in the Dutch East Indies. Typical features included flat roofs and cubic forms, with minimal consideration of the tropics. Art Deco ornamentation was sometimes incorporated into the design. Albert Frederik Aalbers was one of the representatives of the Modern movement in Indonesia before the Second World War. His work is characterized by its clean-cut, functionalist elevations, which often feature curved lines, and the absence of external ornamentation and other purely decorative devices.^[2]

In the same period, Nationalism manifested in the quest for a new style of architecture – one that reflected the cultural identity of the region. Some architects began to temper the Modernist ethos by including indigenous architectural elements, thereby creating a distinctively Indonesian style of modern architecture. Maclaine Pont and Thomas Karsten were the leading exponents here.^[2]

Architecture

The term New Indies Style refers specifically to the type of architecture which appeared in the 1910s Dutch East Indies. During the brief transitional period in early 20th century, the style coexisted with other Modern architectural variants in the Dutch East Indies: Art Deco, Expressionist architecture, Nieuwe Zakelijkheid, etc. The styles represent technological progress during the brief pre-World War II period.

New Indies Style

In Indonesia, the term New Indies Style is an academically-accepted term for

; this is reflected in Indonesia as well.

Characteristically, New Indies Style is similar with Dutch Rationalism with its use of Romanesque-inspired arches while keeping the regularity of traditional Classicist form. The form began to show functional approach; decorations are reduced. Differences with the Western version is that in the Dutch East Indies, buildings are white-washed, contrasting the dominant brickwork of its Dutch counterpart. Other differences is the exaggerated roof eaves which form a significant overhang which protects any opening, a style that did not appear in the Dutch counterpart.

New Indies Style employed the use of the 'double facade' concept which manifested in a covered gallery. The covered gallery is implemented not only in the ground level but also at the second floor. Double facade protects the facade from heavy rainfall and strong sunlight, an important feature of tropical design. Extensive openings in the form of multiple doors or high windows were done to allow cross ventilation to cool the interior.

Several examples of building from this period are Citroen's Lawang Sewu (1907),^{[citation needed]} Moojen's Kunstkring Art Gallery (1913) and Cirebon Kejaksan Station (1912).

• 
  An office building in Semarang.
• 
  Telephone office in Semarang.
• 
  Cirebon Kejaksan Station (1912)
• 
  Kunstkring Art Gallery (1913)
• 
  Moojen's NILLMIJ office (1909), now partly demolished to make way for road construction.

Art Deco and Nieuwe Bouwen

Art Deco in the Dutch East Indies was similarly influenced with Art Deco in the Netherlands. Art Deco evolved from earlier

shows consideration of local architect in the form of its roof.

Other variation in the period is Amsterdam School, a part of the international movement of Expressionism which appears around the 1920s as well. The style popularity is not as widespread as in the Netherlands, but influenced details of buildings in the Dutch East Indies.^[3] A form of Amsterdam School appear in Cirebon City Hall (1926) by J.J. Jiskoot with its expressive distorted form characteristic of Amsterdam School style.^[4] Amsterdam School influence also appear in buildings designed by Schoemaker who often collaborates with sculptors: The expressive relief of Grand Preanger Hotel (1929) and the sculptures of Bandung Jaarbeurs (1920).^[3]

• 
  Semarang Poncol Station during its opening in 1914 shows one of the first form of Art Deco in the Dutch Indies.
• 
  Former KPM headquarter (1917) by Ghijsels
• 
  Athena Discothèque (1927) in Jakarta.
• 
  Cirebon City Hall (1926), an example for Amsterdam School style in the Indies.

Later between 1920 and 1940, Art Deco evolved into a new style known in the Netherlands as Nieuwe Bouwen (Modernism) or Functionalism. The new architectural movement is largely influenced by German's Bauhaus and France's Le Corbusier. Instead of creating style on the facade, the architect creates style in the clear and logical arrangement of space. The preference is to use universal form such as cube or cylinder or curving horizontal lines and nautical motifs that are known as Streamline Moderne in the Anglophone world.

Industrialization and material standardization plays a role.

Other examples of Nieuwe Bouwen in Indonesia are the works of Cosma Citroen, K. Bos, W. Lemei, Liem Bwan Tjie and some buildings of AIA Bureau of Schoemaker, namely Bandung Jaarbeurs, which he designed shortly after his study trip to America, clearly inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright. Also Villa Isola shows strong influence of Nieuwe Bouwen in its steel framing construction, steel windows, and reinforced concrete.^[5]

• 
  Villa Isola, Bandung
• 
  Concordia cinema decorated with the traditional

  kala

  head motif on its facade.
• 
  Savoy Homann Hotel employs Streamline Moderne element in its facade.
• 
  Bank BJB of Bandung shows expressive Nieuwe Bouwen form.

By the end of 1920s,

• 
  Bank Mandiri Museum

  is one of the earliest implementation of Nieuwe Zakelijkheid in the Dutch East Indies.
• 
  Kota Post Office Building.
• 
  Metropole (1939) employed features of Nieuwe Zakelijkheid.
• 
  Groenewegen's Menteng Cinema (1940), now demolished and replaced by Menteng Huis.
• 
  The Unie building in Batavia, now demolished.

Neo vernacular form

In the Netherlands, the modernist and functionalist Nieuwe Bouwen presents a stark contrast with the traditionalist

. Delft School in the Netherlands is expressed as modern architecture with humble simple look inspired by the old houses of Dutch countryside. Delft School does not appear in Indonesia, however it can be defined as a 20th-century architecture style which conforms toward the traditional tropical consideration – Indies architecture (Indische architectuur).

Despite the strong contrast between Nieuwe Bouwen and Indische architectuur, both styles shared the thrust of overcoming the

This new school of thought and design with strongly implement traditional elements using 20th-century technologies and Modernist architectural principles from Europe appeared mainly in the 1920s and 1930s. Indigenous roofs were singled out for particular attention and there were many interesting syntheses of local and European forms and construction techniques. The interest of Modernists in the dynamic interplay of geometrical elements was soon incorporated into the new style and led to bold experiments that combined these structural forms with traditional vernacular ornamentation. Thomas Karsten and Henri Maclaine Pont were among the architects active in developing this movement.

One example is the former offices of the Dutch steamtram company Joana Stoomtram Maatschappij in Semarang by Thomas Karsten (1930).^[8] The ground plan of this single-storeyed building is identical to that of a traditional Javanese Joglo: tall columns support a hipped, two-tiered roof, which facilitates cross ventilation of the roof cavity.

Notable examples of this movement appear in Maclaine Pont's design for the ceremonial halls of the Technische Hoogeschool te Bandung (which became

. The building is a striking example of innovative tropical architecture. With an elongated elevation aligned on an east-west axis, the building is provided with effective natural ventilation. This orientation also minimizes the effect of solar radiation in that the morning and afternoon sun only strikes the narrow end facades of the building. The external galleries of the building create a double facade which shield the interior from direct sunlight, while cooling towers at either end ensure good ventilation.

Other example is the guesthouse of the Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij in

• 
  Surabaya Post Office (1926) by Bolsius^[10]

Native architects during colonial period

During the colonial period, there were already native Indonesian architects. Graduated from the

One of the first design coming from an Indonesian native architect was the house of Dr. Han Tiauw Tjong in Semarang (1932), designed by architect Liem Bwan Tjie. Liem Bwan Tjie came from the Peranakan Chinese family in Semarang. In addition to designing private houses, agency houses and offices, Liem Bwan Tjie also created designs for public facilities e.g. cinemas, swimming pool, hospitals and grave monuments. One of his largest assignment is the hospital complex at Karang Panjang, Ambon City (1963–1964).^[11]

Other Indonesian architects active during the period were Sudarsono, Soehamir and

was chosen.

Post-colonial period

After 1949, few European or European-trained architects and urban planners remained in newly independent Republic of Indonesia. A few remaining architects, such as Blankenberg, Kreisler, Liem and Lüning, designed new town and buildings with their Indonesian colleagues. After the West Irian issue, all Dutch people who had not opted for Indonesian citizenship were repatriated in 1957. Some Dutch architectural firms were closed or nationalized as a result of this policy. One of the few remaining architects who chose Indonesian citizenship was Han Groenewegen, who assisted Silaban in the design of Bank Indonesia in Thamrin Road, Jakarta.^[13]

See also

• Colonial architecture of Indonesia
• List of colonial buildings and structures in Jakarta
• List of colonial buildings in Bandung
• Rumah adat
• Landhuis
• Indies Empire style
• Rumah Melayu
• Sino-Portuguese architecture
• Bahay kubo
• Bahay na bato

References

Cited works

• Abidin Kusno (2010). The Appearances of Memory: Mnemonic Practices of Architecture and Urban Form in Indonesia. London: Duke University Press. pp. 141–142.
  ISBN 9780822392576
  .
• Akihary, Huib (1990). ARCHITECTUUR & STEDEBOUW IN INDONESIË 1870/1970. Zutphen: De Walburg Pers.
  ISBN 9060116976
  .
• Budi A Sukada (1998). Gunawan Tjahjono (ed.). The Emergence of a New Indies Style. Indonesian Heritage - Architecture. Vol. 6. Singapore: Archipelago Press.
  ISBN 981-3018-30-5
  .
• Het Indische bouwen: architectuur en stedebouw in Indonesie : Dutch and Indisch architecture 1800-1950. Helmond: Gemeentemuseum Helmond. 1990. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
• Yulianto Somalyo (1998). Gunawan Tjahjono (ed.). Attempted Synthesis: Dutch Architects in the Indies. Indonesian Heritage - Architecture. Vol. 6. Singapore: Archipelago Press.
  ISBN 981-3018-30-5
  .