”Art Deco”, Memories Savings in Bandung

The large number of art deco buildings in Bandung was also influenced by the plan to move the capital of the Dutch East Indies from Batavia in 1920. This triggered massive infrastructure development in Bandung.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

The condition of the De Eerste Nederlandsch-Indische Spaarkas (DENIS) Building which is currently used as the Main Branch Office of Bank Jabar Banten (BJB) in Bandung City, West Java, Friday (18/9/2021). The building is one of the Art Deco-style buildings in Bandung.

As a city rich in buildings of the “art deco” style, Bandung still keeps a myriad of memories. The memories have been recorded across the ages in hundreds of buildings.

Squeezed among tall buildings on Jalan Ir H Djuanda, Didago Cafe brought Bella, 25, a visitor, down the hall of time, Wednesday (24/3/2021). The coffee shop in an old building invited Bella to stop by for a taste of the old Bandung atmosphere.

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The wall paint in this two-story cafe looked peeling. Water seepage marks were not visible. For Bella, this did not spoil the atmosphere, but instead made an old nuance appear. The curved design on one side of the building and the horizontal window pattern further emphasized the uniqueness of the art deco.

Bandung, which is actively developing, has become one of those expression laboratories.

Art deco is an ornamental style, including architecture, that first appeared in Europe after World War I. The end of the war was thought to have inspired architects to express their joy in design creativity. Bandung, which is actively developing, has become one of those expression laboratories.

“The building is not grand, but the uniqueness of the design brings a luxurious and special impression. It\'s an old building, but it\'s clean,” said Bella.

The short narrative written on a stainless steel plaque affixed to the wall further made Bella fall in love with the place. A piece of the sentence reads, "Didago Cafe now welcomes your arrival, both for relaxing, waiting for friends, to making new memories".

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Braga pedestrian area, Bandung, West Java, Wednesday (26/8/2020). Jalan Braga is one of the roads that has become a cultural heritage point in the city of Bandung.

The building was constructed by Buwana building and design bureau on Feb. 2, 1954 for the Dago Hotel accommodation. Once turned into an office, then it was neglected. This building has been "revived" as a cafe since September 2019. The founder of Didago Cafe, Meilina, said that at first the condition of the building was badly damaged because it had been neglected for 20 years. The walls were mossy, the ceiling leaked, and some of the rafters were porous. It took a year to renovate it.

Renovations were carried out while maintaining its uniqueness. The moss on the walls was removed, sanded, dusted, and cleaned. The walls were not repainted. Wide windows on the front and sides were maintained. The open concept without the partition on the side terraces on the first and second floors had also not been changed.

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"I don\'t want the historical value be lost. By not changing it much from the original form, it makes it more attractive,” said Meilina.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic in March last year, Didago Cafe has adapted. Access to the main room is closed to limit interaction. Visitors are limited to 50 percent of the capacity of 250 people. Health protocols are implemented.

Located about 3 kilometers from Didago Cafe, Magma Cafe has also adapted on Jalan Braga since three years ago. The building was the former Au Bon Marche, a famous clothing store during the Dutch East Indies era. Clothes that were trending in Europe were usually sold there. From there, the nickname Bandung "Parijs van Java" flourished.

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Suasana di Didago Cafe yang memakai bangunan bergaya Art Deco di Jalan Ir H Djuanda, Kota Bandung, Jawa Barat, Rabu (24/3/2021). Semula bangunan itu merupakan Hotel Dago yang dibangun pada 1954.

"Initially the building got no attention. We tried again to make it back to the original design. We were even still looking for documents to see how the original color of the building was,” said the manager of the Magma Cafe, Taufik Anwari, 45.

Much later, the building has adapted. With high ceilings, wide windows and open spaces, this whitewashed building supports the air circulation needed during the pandemic.

Not just a cafe, the building has now become a knot of various creative communities in Bandung, Indonesia, and even the world. A number of forums have their bases there, including the Bandung Creative City Forum (BCCF), the Indonesia Creative Cities Network (ICCN), and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

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During the pandemic, activities have been restricted. To prevent creativity from diminishing, Taufik does not close the cafe. Occasional small discussions have still been carried out within strict health protocols.

“Magma Cafe is a breath connector for creativity. Therefore, it will not be allowed to close," he said.

World recognized

The large number of art deco buildings in Bandung was also influenced by the plan to move the capital of the Dutch East Indies from Batavia (Jakarta) in 1920. This triggered massive infrastructure development in Bandung.

However, they did not imitate it completely, but combined it with local needs, one of which was adapting to the tropical climate

The art deco style that developed in Europe at that time "poisoned" the architects in designing their buildings. However, they did not imitate it completely, but combined it with local needs, one of which was adapting to the tropical climate.

"The difference in culture and climate made the building needs different," said Aji Bimarsono, the chairman of the Bandung Cultural Preservation Association or Bandung Heritage.

Aji said that the art deco buildings in Bandung, for example the Hotel Savoy Homann, had transitional spaces that were originally without dividers. Its function was to facilitate air circulation so that it was not hot.

"So, the art deco buildings were very varied because they were open to changes in response to needs," he said.

Kompas

Front view of Kopi Aroma on Jalan Banceuy 51, Bandung with an Art Deco architectural style

It is not surprising that nowadays many people use them as cafes, campuses and banking offices. One of them is the De Driekleur Building on the corner of Jalan Sultan Agung and Jalan Ir H Djuanda which since 2007 has been used by the National Pension Savings Bank (BTPN). The building, which was created by the Dutch architect, Albert Frederik Aalbers, was built in 1938.

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The four-story building is dominated by white color. The shape is similar to a yacht with a curved design on both sides. In early 2000, BTPN teamed up with an experienced architect, Budi Lim, to lead the restoration of the building that was once the headquarters for the Domei news agency. From here, the text of the proclamation of Indonesian independence on Aug. 17, 1945 was disseminated. As a result of this restoration, BTPN won the 2014 UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in the Honorable Mention category.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Motorcyclists pass in front of Gedung Merdeka on Jalan Asia Afrika, Bandung City, West Java, Friday (18/9/2020). The building is one of the Art Deco-style buildings in Bandung.

More than a century has passed since the end of World War I, which initiated the birth of art deco. However, in Bandung, the creative masterpieces can still be enjoyed in various functions. If in the past the art deco spirit brought an expression of post-war physical happiness, now adaptation to changes is needed to respond to the war against the ferocity of Covid-19. Bandung\'s resilience to change will continue to be tested.

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo).