Rempah House by Paulus Mintarga

From Waste to Be Spice House

A.    Opening

The spice house was constructed from materials that are wasted, which is trivial, and that cannot be arranged. In the language joke ; Rustic-old material. This building look like a pair of twin buildings that resemble the wings of birds.

This house not as a private house but became workshops for a variety of creative activities in the field of arts and cultures, spice which is in Indonesian means Rempah (Remukan Sampah), it is 90% derived from waste material in the warehouse.

Perhaps this could be a new phenomenon that WASTE can be formed to be HOUSE. This story begins when Mr. Paulus Mintarga will create a new warehouse. His warehouse for a long period of his contract runs out and the place is less extensive, so not enough to accommodate the variety of building. Seeing the material used in the warehouse are so many, the idea arose to take advantage of all the things that categorized as trash it becomes useful.

The initial idea was not separated from a Paul Mintarga’s trip at Museum New York a few years ago, when he saw paintings by Japanese artists, inspiration buried long enough has arisen to finally give birth to the Spice House as a place of work was the arena of expression. 

With the establishment of this spice house, it became one of the means in support local arts activities. With the spice house where located in the region Gajahan, Colomadu, Karanganyar, Solo, this could be the new artistic idiom to the local artists without losing traditional identity.

   

B.     Content

This spice house was made to be an amazing house with traditional design and used “go green” concept. It was inserted the tap water at some point the roof as 'artificial rain', the exact same stance on the implementation of Turi hotel and there was the unfinished umbrella to increase the design of the roof.

Also slipped a long pond between two buildings that gave rise to the gurgling sound of water, not only temperature, but also gently soothing mood.

 With Paulus's educational background (civil engineer) and knowledge structures (about architecture) that better prepared, no wonder then he dared to play with the failure. Without desire to make the form, he then followed the will of the stringing material scrap steel rods of various sizes to make the main frame, bamboo as a buffer layer on the base plate roof and floor, instead of reinforcing plate styrofoam floor, bags of cement which is painted asphalt and fibers as an alternative material on the roof. Disused former windows, brick waste, and wood used in a variety of sizes created to be a mosaic on the wall make a little believe that this building is composed of wasted material.

Spice House building concept reflects Mintarga’s concept: use of waste building materials, spatial and very tropical air and also lighting uses energy efficient LED lights. So, we can enjoy the sun lighting in the morning and feel the exotic in the night.

Many steel rods with various dimensions of length used for the main frame of a building without having to change it, without having to cut it. This means that the existing material to form a touch of creativity in harmony. Pieces of woods are sticked as it is to form an artistic wall. While the floor at the top, it used woven bamboo and Styrofoam or polystyrene with cement plaster finishing, a bold move, but with careful calculation, the difference of characters that can be fused with a strong sturdy even accommodate the load of 10 bags of cement.

About exterior, we can see everything is full of art and very artistic. Almost all of roof in this spice house constructed by bamboos and woods. There are in the side appearance, we can see that the windows consist of small bamboo composition with a lot of colours and patterns. That makes this wall look very colourfull with natural colour. To make the good regulation of air, in the same wall, Mr. Mintarga adds some windows with clear and transparence mirror.

Not only that, but also, Mr. Mintarga makes some designs roof in his project. He makes a main roof with a big bamboo and woven wood that is very strong to hold on the building. In other roof, he used palm-fibre to give ethnic effect.

The gate constructed by some abstract shapes that composing very artistic. Just need one colour that is white. It makes the gate more elegant, simple, and extension. And also in the night, with yellow lighting make the gate more glamour and the room inside look like a gold room.

About interior, when we continue our journey in this building into inside room, we will find a lot of furniture with wood materials. Look so traditional and give strong ethnic effect. Some tables and chairs are set with traditional places intentionally. With extension room, just need little furniture, it’s traditional characteristic. Not only that, but also inside the room, there are some unique small furniture like cup, plate, and teapot made from loam.

           

C.    Closing

    

This building is very unique. From architecture side, this spice house can proof that a good building not always need a lot of money, not always look glamour with expensive material and luxury furniture. A good building is built by heart, built with creative idea. Just need waste material or old material that cannot be arranged, to be amazing building with artistic value. From nothing to be something. Spice house more than house to live, but also make everything in this house feel the living.

This house can combine the traditional effect with glamour taste. Without forgetting “go green” concept, Paulus Mintarga is really success to make this building live with around environment. An architect is people that can make other people’s imagination grow up and increase. An architect can make normally people that don’t know about architecture can give positive response and can appreciate the building from outside. They can feel that is a good building, and they feel comfortable.