Jakarta’s high land costs have pushed younger generations to the suburbs, with commutes affecting quality of life and creating traffic jams. A model for addressing that problem, this house, built on a 3.5-by-17-metre brownfield site in a dense neighbourhood, employs a sustainable, cost-efficient construction system and ingenious space-saving design to offer an affordable, compact dwelling with rich experiences. Integration between furniture modules and functions such as stairs and activities creates a clutter-free interior, with innovative plugin systems installed. The ground floor accommodates the master bedroom, the first floor a living-dining-kitchen and laundry, the second the architect-owner’s son’s bedroom/play/study space. A roof terrace offers views. The sloping west-facing facade made of perforated steel and polycarbonate filters sunlight, and skylights create dramatic daylight effects across all floors. Structurally insulated prefabricated superfoam panels for walls reduce heat and noise. The family can now access all their activities within 5 kilometres or 15 minutes.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture