Otten Coffee Experience, a 600 sqm renovation in Kaliki, Bandung, tests two hypotheses: Can a preserved urban structure enhance guest experience through bioclimatic design and local materials? How can a timber-brick facade and arches create a sustainable, artistic space? Redefining a two-story building, it weaves Bandung’s locality into a Gesamtkunstwerk—a total artwork—through craft and spatial flow.
The facade, layered with timber slats and brick walls, buffers sunlight and rain while adding texture to the concrete base, crafted by local artisans to invite curiosity. Three brick arches under a cantilevered canopy frame the interior, drawing guests inward, while north-south openings ensure ventilation. A double-volume lobby with a tilted wall opens to a 36 sqm digital-themed tavern—an open, courtyard-like space for gatherings—fostering community. The landscape, with minimal native plants along the perimeter, softens the urban edge, complementing the building’s warmth.
Using six materials—brick, bamboo, gypsum, stone, concrete, and steel—the design balances durability and artistry, with natural lighting and passive cooling reducing energy needs. Completed in 2021, this renovation humbly proves a coffee shop can blend heritage, craft, and comfort into a tropical, communal haven.
Photography by Ernest Theofilus, Muhammad Farhan Nashrullah
April 9, 2025
Realrich Architecture Workshop
Realrich Sjarief
