For the structure of this community centre - complementing the adjacent mosque also by andramatin - Tubaba’s regent Umar Ahmad chose reinforced concrete due not only to its technical capacities and appearance but also the notion of inner strength combined with outer modesty. The architecture reflects what he considers the six key life values: hard work; perseverance; sincerity; simplicity; equality; and sustainability. Indigenous ironwood - resistant to decay and termites - is used for floors and as brise-soleil facade cladding. The building is a modern interpretation of traditional stilt houses. The main hall on the upper floor, surrounded by semi-outdoor terraces, accommodates up to 600; service spaces are laid out as introverted areas below. The stacked gable roofs signify the forms of the Lampung bridal crown, symbolising the region’s nine familial clans. Visitors arrive via a walkway between reflecting ponds that recall Tubaba’s history as a riverside community as well as engineering the microclimate.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture