Guha House, a quiet retreat on a 7.5x26m corner plot in West Jakarta, tests two hypotheses: Can a compact urban house integrate family living, work, and community through bioclimatic design? How can bamboo, concrete, and steel adapt to Jakarta’s climate with flexible circulation? Evolving from earlier experiments like Alfa Omega, it blends home, studio, and OMAH Library into a sustainable urban sanctuary.
The facade, a rhythmic mix of concrete, steel louvers, and bamboo, shields west-side heat while opening north-south for breezes, crafted by local craftmen for durability and warmth. A central open-air corridor, acting as a courtyard-like space, links the library, studio, and family areas, fostering community while ensuring privacy through split public-private entrances. Skylights and high ceilings amplify light and air, reducing cooling needs. The landscape, with a small retention basin and native plants, captures runoff and softens the urban edge, echoing the kampung’s communal spirit.
Using a three-story bamboo structure beneath a steel truss roof, Guha’s flexible layout—rooms with multiple doors—adapts to evolving needs. Showcased for its innovative construction, it proves a small site can weave family, work, and community into a bioclimatic haven with local craft.
May 13, 2025
Realrich Architecture Workshop
Realrich Sjarief
Eric Dinardi
