Natural materials make up this energy-saving Jakarta home

Architecture firm Atelier Riri has reaped the energy-saving benefits of Indonesia’s tropical climate in their design of the House at Serpong, a climate-responsive suburban house in Jakarta. After conducting solar studies and site analyses, the architects crafted the four-story home with strategically placed voids, windows, elevated gardens and solar shading devices to reduce unwanted solar gain and take advantage of natural cooling. The home was built primarily of natural materials that give the building a warm and tactile feel.

Completed last year, the House at Serpong directly faces a public park on the west side, while its side facade faces the south. To minimize unwanted solar gain, large facade elements were installed on the west and deep overhangs placed along the south. The architects further reduced the energy footprint of the building by setting the structure back from the north and east property lines to ensure that every room would receive indirect sunlight. A central courtyard and a series of open voids also help funnel light indoors and create a stack effect for natural cooling. Additionally, the home is equipped with an energy-saving air conditioning system, solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems on the roof. 

The home comprises four levels, each designed for a different function. The ground floor includes the garage and service areas. Communal areas, such as the open-plan dining area, living room and kitchen are located on the second floor, as are a guest bedroom, office space and a courtyard with a reflecting pool. The master bedroom with ensuite bath, two additional bedrooms and a media room are on the third floor. The fourth and final floor includes a spacious living area with a kitchen that opens up to an L-shaped rooftop deck and garden through folding doors. 

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“This house aimed to redefine the modern community of people in Indonesia with a strong composition form using dominant and contextual natural materials,” explained the architects in a project statement. “Each stone, wood, rattan and metal provides unique textural identities in a dynamic line and form.”

+ Atelier Riri

Images by Daniel Jiang