My Mayonaisse Jar

Greetings, Long life-learner. I hope you are doing fabulous today. When 24 hours in a day is not enough, let’s remember this tale about the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.” And this reflection started My Mayonnaise Jar. When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, tis is a way to gathering my life. It’s a way to remind ourselves that we can face the problem by telling ourselves everything will be ok, start controlling and leave the things we can’t control.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (on going)
• Research
• Best office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Hi All,

Here is our space where I put all of the hard work of RAW Architecture studio. I write and curate the information so that it’s easy to understand, that the studio tries to experiment to bring innovation and more understanding to the projects.

I credit the teamwork, noting that several beautiful people who are critical and creative craftsmen, designers, supervisors, and clients have contributed to the body of work. My grandfather and father started the builder’s ecosystem before, and I extended it and focused on architecture. Please have a look at the name and studio contributors below, and I appreciate the effort collaboratively. I am updating this story quite often, so please have a visit.

I established RAW Architecture | Realrich Architecture Workshop in 2011. We are actively designing a specific approach building interested in locality and craftmanship to define an architecture that is simple, humble, has no pretension, and has the quality of transcendence.

Our projects strive for the uniqueness and humble character of local material. The studio’s vision is about making basic architecture, and we call it raw in its look, the process to make artisanal quality. It’s the belief that experimentation of design methods developed wholeheartedly will create such a timeless, surreal, and mastering-grade in its simplest form, most straightforward approach.

We re-established the long history of craftsmanship in my builder’s family, lasting for three generations, 60 years of practice since Indonesia’s Independence. At that time, the practice has no name. The relationship between the supervisors and artisans was intimate and personal to the service ecosystem. It’s the phase in a noname, more common sense, and massive trust by clients and collaborators. It’s the world of colonials and post colonials culture.

The practice is well known for trust, quality, and its authentic and basic design innovation in the mastery of building construction. Our approach revived the harmonic relationship between the craftsman, designer, people, and buildings as a whole. The works have become the manifestation of this belief. Please have a look, and enjoy the process described below.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (on going)
• Research
• Best office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Featured Works | Karya

Phase 0 | 2000 – 2010 : The Fool’s Progress

This is the moment where I learn by doing, and get inspired by many people. I scribble and wonders about myself, Trying to find love in architecture. I got my passion in this process and learning that architecture has two ways, for yourself and for others. Many of projects in this phase is the result of my foolish take on the process of my training becoming architect.

Phase 1 | 2010 – 2020 : Fire Sparks The Passion

We designed so many projects with my team as a way to explore, and sharpen the technique. This is the first phase or architecture has a strong layers of technique such as programs, context, and ideas. Many of projects in this phase is the first 20 years of my practice. It closed with Covid as pivotal moment.

Phase 2 | 2020 – next 2030 : Magic Alchemy

It is the phase that we are in now that we tried to bring ourself deeper to architectonic way which I define RAW Architecture culture after Covid – 19. It is a way to understand others through architecture. This phase is the phase of building alchemy or “magical relationship and responsibility” with others.

Collective Cave

This type consists of projects that has relations to certain brand identity which relate to collective effort in society.

Bioclimatic House

The second type is Bioclimatic Home that consists of personal space, a home that have high performance on sustainable design, the efficiency of energy and water

Exhibition | Pameran

Press | Publikasi

Design method is a process to think and do the design. We started the design by listen to the client, nature, site. It’s a reflective and collaborative process. We asked so many questions just to formulate ideas. Then test it on the design attempts. When the mind wonders, and the hand sketches the ideas. Designing is truly magical process which starts by training yourself even years before the design starts. I call this process like dealing in the kitchen, the formulation of the recipe’s process. It’s the fundamental steps which is important. At the end, all of these is technical skills that is transformed all the way in designer’s life.

Bioclimatic Design
The most critical part in the design process is on forming the design that seamlessly harmony with nature. This evolution process is about integrating passive sustainable and technology to optimalise usage of energy and water through architecture technique.

Philosophical Thinking
Then the design is tested for forms iterations. We love to build combination of platonic and curvilinear form. Because somehow it has dialogue with some primitive form that color the history. I fond of circle, the moon gate in Hangzhou, even some of the opening of the cave. This form actually is a manifestation of mind, the allegory of the Plato’s cave. This process is whole preparation stage in architect’s mind before designing.

Functional Space Design
The next stage is starting to understand the context, it’s a process to listen to others. This is the step to formulate space program by asking questions and propose many hypothesis to the project. Then this space program is adapted to space planning by integrating the program to decent layout with flow of people, furniture, and how people are going to use the space

Tectonic Design
This is the process where we have dialogue with craftsmen before deciding. Ussualy we have contacted very specific craftsmen to discuss the execution of details. I love to explore as a way to enrich my heritage and simplify the solutions. This is the process of dialogue between material to one another. This is the process when an intensive design and build process occurs. My parent has ecosystem that is been iterated since Indonesia’s Independence.

Hi Restless Spirits, Hope you are doing great,

Research is essential as a design prefix with a conscious process (mudheng), critical, reviewing data, understanding the problem, and then iteration (implementation and experimentation).

For practitioners, research is helpful as a barrier and opens up boundaries so that these boundaries are easily understood and then adapted into new design realities. So that further discussions can be carried out contextually, critically, and creatively. Both are understood as a way to open the barriers of thought, thus bringing innovation and improving the quality of architectural processes and products in our practice and our contribution to architecture in Indonesia.

Contributors listed below collaboratively created and prepared This research. Omah Library prepared distance discourse, and RAW Architecture designed tactical and practical studies (direct discourse). We did with inspiration from so many intellectuals who contributed their thoughts on Omah Library and RAW Architecture directly and indirectly. Over a long time, they are our clients, teachers, writers, colleagues, brothers, sisters, parents, and friends.

These two poles become the poles of the brain balancing right and left brain. We are all still in the process of transforming and interpreting life as a temporary thing. Every point and second of meeting ignites the embers for process and progress.

Therefore, happy reading and transforming together. Come on!

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

1. Research #1 Pandemic in Architecture
2. Research #2 Sustainable Architecture
3. Book order
4. Catalogue

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Research

Tulisan | Refleksi Harian

Tulisan wacana ini saya tulis sebagai refleksi saya terhadap arsitektur dan kehidupan. Beberapa tulisan saya buat begitu bertemu dengan orang – orang / kejadian yang memantik rasa penasaran saya, sehingga saya perlu merenungkan apa sih sebenarnya yang terjadi. Terkadang hal tersebut bersifat reflektif, tempat saya bercermin untuk menghargai apa yang ada di sekitar saya.

Principal Architect | Founder

Realrich Sjarief

Advisors

Ir. Singgih Suryanto, Sudjatmiko

Head of Administration, HRD, and Finance

Drg. Laurensia Yudith, Caroline Moeljono

Craftmanship Leader

Aep Saepulloh, Bonari, Dede Saputra, Edy Bahtiar, Endang Syamsudin, Iswanto, Muhammad Enoh, Nari, Nur Hidayat, Pidin Saepudin, Rudiyanto, Rudi Setiawan, Saepudin, Sakum, Saliman, Saniin Aindani, Sirin, Solehudin, Sukma Adi Prayitno, Tata Pirmansyah, Tohirin, Ujang Hamdani, Wisnu Wibowo

Founding Fathers

Asnawi Sjarief | Candra Tobeng

Design Architecture Team – Associate Designers

Agustin, Alvyan Adi Saputra, Andriyansyah Muhammad Ramadhan, Aqidon Noor Khafid, Aqmarina Badzlin, Alim Hanafi , Avinsa Haykal, Kirana Nandang Sadhani Bantilan, Melisa Akma Sari, Pandu Nazarrusadi, Prasetyo Adi Nugroho, Putra Khairus Sidqi, Rico Yohanes, Sharfina Nur Dini, Sofiana Estiningtyas, Timbul Arianto Simanjorang,

Omah Library – Associate Librarians + Researchers

Hanifah Sausan Nurfinaputri, Luluil Manun, Nirma Ayuni Setiasih

Administration, HRD, and Finance

Kiswanto, Nurul Septiawati, Novita Gunawan, Refi Nur Kusuma, Pepen Effendi, Yuliana Putri

Archiving + Visual Art

Muhammad Farhan Nasrullah

Officer

Badriyono (Executive Officer), Aldian Dwi Putra, Rodi, Redi

Past Projects Team (2010) 2011 – 2021

Anastasia Widyaningsih, Alhamdamar Mudafiq, Alifian Kharisma Es, Andhang Trihamdhani, Apriani Kurnia Sarashayu, Amirul Farras, Arlene Dupe, Bambang Priyono, Bayu Prayudhi, Christiandy Pradangga, Cintya Meidina Lubis, Claudia Cynthia Javanny Jo, David Sampurna, Dicke Nazzary Akbar Lubis, Dini Aghnia Lukman, Donald Aditya Epiphanius, Erick Fei, Ellena Monica, Fakhriyyah Khairunnida, Fatima Chitra Setiawan, Fernando Cardoso Gomes, Fachrizal R. Pamungkas, Fadiah Nurannisa, Fiona Elochita, Galuh Pramesti, Hardiyanto Agung Nugroho, Hawandi Wijaya, Hendrick Tanuwidjaja, Horas Napitupulu, Indra Dwinugraha, Imam Setiawan, Iqbal Zuhri, Jovita Lisyani Halim, Larasati Ramadhina, Lia Kurniadewi Hariadi, Kafi Pangestu, Kanigara Ubaszti Putra, Kirana Nandang SB, Maria Vania Pardede, Morian Saspriatnadi, Mukhammad Ilham, Miftahuddin Nurdayat, Michael Chen, Primaldi Perdana, Putut Trianggana, Randy Abimanyu, Refano Citra Puspita, Regi Kusnadi, Reinard Christiansen, Rifandi S. Nugroho, Rimba Harendana, Rofianisa Nurdin, Rudianto, Sapta Putra, Satria Triwardana, Scott Valentine, Septrio Effendi, Silvanus Prima, Soraya Khaerunissa, Suryanaga Tantora, Tatyana Kusumo, Tirta Budiman, Thomas Santoso, Tony Hartanto, Vivi Yani Santosa, Yusni Aziz, Yuliana K. Widjaja

Book Writing Team 2016 – 2021

Anas Hidayat, Amelia Widjaja, Bangkit Mandela, Dimas Dwimukti, Johannes Adiyanto, Jolanda Atmadja, Kirana Ardya Garini, Kumbang Bernaung, Regina Firda Amalia, Satria Agung Permana.

Past Craftsmen 2016 – 2021

Ari Komari (RIP), Jasno, Moel Soemadi, Yudi Atang, Saepudin

Past Book keeper 2016 – 2021

Asep (RIP)

Internship | Kerja Praktek

2022 – Andriano G. S. Rumbajan, Renadi Mohammad Rediansyah, Manuel Hendru, Devi Angraini, Irviananda Adenia, Damas Dwinito Pradipta, Muhammad Akmal, Muhammad Zyadi, Ryan Dwi Priyambodo,

2021 – Evanjelicel Tamio Dimpudus, Angel Gabriella Kusuma, Maria Angela Rowa, Aulia Gema Alfaatihah, Gabriela Marcelina, Lu’luil Ma’nun, Joscelind Vallen Kawengian, Eubisius Vercelli Ocvanto Kuncoro, Nielsen Huang, Dheavindra Fara Ayesha, Joshi Situmeang, Panji Ugra. 2019 – Miftahurrahma Ridwan, Christine Gunawan, Rucha Vivek Jaykhedkar, Kristoforus Kevin. 2018 – Sanjida Amir Trina, Yoseph Duna, Gregorius Jasson, Bobby Naiggolan,
Irfan Hidayat, Nardi Kurniawan. 2017 – Aprilea S. Ariadi, Kurniawan Bayu Aji, Riza Larenahadi, Beatricia Bea, Yuki Fadilah, Humam Abdulloh, Lady Viona Yacup, Amelia Aussie, Dody Tansil, Ahmad Zabel Fachreza, Fahry Triza Nugraha, Aurelius Aaron, Ivan Fadhilah, Neysa Difi, Annisa Zakira Fillah, Natalia, Sigit Prayogo, Regina Chandra, Linton Sianturi, Ishani Dayal. 2016 – Yuramia Oksilasari, Dimas Hedito Rahardian, Veronika Selly, Clara Priskila Pranata, David Kharisma, Dio Asmandaru, Michael Funnggretio, Elisabeth Kathryn, Hendra Agustin Sugiarto, Novitasari Leonard Tanaya, Mohammad Irfan Andhikaputra, Ahndya Chita Sekar Anggriti, Devyna Pricilla, Sherika Permana, RR Anissa Larasati, Agnia Gama Priviyanti, Farah Andani. 2015 – Margaret Pranoto, Melina Santoso, Bernadette Hesty Prameswari, Edelyn Elpetina Ibrahim, Novia Oliviani Salim, Hansdika Agustinus, Harzha Syafarian Surya, Arabela Grania, Dwi Cahyo Husodo, Ruth Liana Fransisca, Pandu Tedja, Alya Yasmin, Nik Hazreen Nik Fauzi, Hendy Wu, Yono Ngalimin.

Realrich Architecture Workshop | RAW Architecture revived the idea of harmonic relationship between the craftsman, designer, people, and buildings as a whole. The projects and the studio culture has become the manifestation of this belief. I put my heart into critical and creative thinking, trying to reflect what’s the best possible way to optimize the world of design.

I like to write several books with my friends, co-author, and Omah Library team. I found Omah Library as a part of the studio to bring discourse of theory and case study in public discussions and give discourse for Indonesian Architecture. There are some of publications that I put below, please have a look at it.

The studio is active in designing specific approach building that is interested in locality and craftmanship to define an architecture that is simple, humble, no pretension, and has a simple quality of transcendence. The design approach is that every building developed wholeheartedly will create a timeless, surreal, and mastery quality in its simplest form, most straightforward process with multiple perspectives.  

The achievement that I got was the collective effort from people around me. There are awards, publications, and lectures below that become our legacy that I am proud of and grateful for our current state.

In 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, Dezeen nominated Realrich Architecture Workshop as the world emerging architect in Long listed Dezeen award and won high commendation on the Alfa Omega project.

In 2018 and 2019 Recently Alfa Omega was nominated for two prestigious awards, World Architecture Festival in Amsterdam and Fibre Award led by Laetitia Fontaine and Dominique Gauzin-Muller. In 2021, Terra Fibre Award and architizer + Award also sets the Piyandeling Artisan workshop as one of its finalists.

INDE Asia pacific design award also nominated the Guha project in its influence in 2020 and the studio as its finalist category in 2021 and 2020. In 2012, RAW Architecture’s work, Bare Minimalist, was nominated for the Indonesian Institute of Architects Jakarta Award. In 2015, the Indonesian Institute of Architects Jakarta set for the first time, National Gallery of Indonesia for the Recognition Award category. Indonesian Institute of Architects Jakarta nominated Akanaka as a finalist in IAI Jakarta Award 2017, and Omah Library won the Indonesian Institute of Architects Jakarta Award 2017. Recently The studio won IAI Jakarta Award 2020 for the Alfa Omega school.

I also taught at several universities as adjunct professors or guest lecturers and did sharings or lectures on several occasions. I learn that to learn is to teach. To be a long-life learner is what makes me happy. Below is the picture of me and my team, I wish you happy life and can enjoy beautiful architecture around you.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Basically there are two ways of contacting me, and the first one is to contact by :

email: contact@raw.co.id

tel | wa : +62 816 164 4022.

The second one is meeting me in one of my talks. We will discuss in three ways, me-you-and objects. I talked about nature, art, and more architectonic theme in the talk. I interest not only in how the form looks but what the forces behind forms. The forms made the conceptual and produces patterns. Those are the traces of what’s inside the talks.

You can look at few links published below in title Talks | Seminar, and also connect to the the platform that initiated the discussions, I will see you there.

Talks | Seminar

You can look at few links published below in title Talks | Seminar, and also connect to the the platform that initiated the discussions, I will see you there.

Internship Reflection Letter

Restless spirits that has been trained, and bringing sweet memories

Hi Restless Spirits, Hope you are doing great,

Hello there, I am Realrich Sjarief. I am an architect, writer, and teacher who lives in Guha with my beautiful wife and kids. I am the principal of the Realrich Architecture Workshop, an ordinary long-life learner.

Life is just so beautiful and so unique, if you imagine. The breath that we have, the magic of the moments, look up the bluish sky is so blue, trees are so green, the power of compassion as human show the incredible of what God has given to us. I love my family, family is the small universe that I cherish, and I love architecture so profoundly, and I can not stop thinking about it for even one day.

I, Realrich, was born on 16 January 1982, and my wife, Laurensia, was born on 22 May 1982. we have been together in our marriage since 2011.

At that time, we are the same age who are in our 30’s. Some people said, Life is just begun at 30, that’s like what I thought. Probably it’s just a coincidence, miracle, or incredible gift that Laurensia and I could be together. We believe it’s destiny. It’s the one that everybody will walk. Everybody has their future, so do you, and so do us. Here is our destiny to walk our life together. It’s not such a fairy tale that we live on but such an ordinary life with love. I learn to be a child again because of my family for unpretentiousness, curiosity and showing kindness to people around us.

I spent my time experimenting with new ways of doing architecture. I experiment with artisans in the studio’s Guild of artisans that focused on joinery details. We challenged the details to get higher performance, durability, buildability and economically feasible beyond aesthetics by using available material using field tactics and subtle strategy using common sense.

Then the nature will call of reciprocal rules, that every kind people deserve to be successful, effort should be noted, and thanked for. It will be appreciated. That is the beautiful side of monumental architecture, creating memories for all of the people.

When I was a volunteer in humanity and an activist in a student organization, I spent much time doing something without expecting anything in return. It is the moment of being grateful that I have hands, head, feet, and heart to help people, to carry a mission that I am here to give myself for people around me. Omah Library is the manifestation of that mission, the home for restless spirits, and the mission is to help students, young practitioners to get transfer knowledge by profound fellow intellectual, academic, and practitioners. They are willing to teach and learn from The restless spirit.

It’s the September that we try to remember, when life was so slow and so mellow, the grass was green and grain was yellow. It’s one magical song that I do love most. So this is the story not about me, but also my dearest wife, family, and friends around the world of architecture, and maybe it’s about you as a learner. Somehow we are connected.

Just like one cab driver said to me, “hey Realrich, do you know that good people meet good people, so don’t worry about life. Just do your best.” I sincerely look forward to seeing you, hear your story, know you, and wish you great happiness in life like what I always pray for you,

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Greetings, Dear Readers

Young architect and Restless Spirits,

I have been writing and designing since 2005. I started in this blog to share my journey as a freshman and continued even after I become Architect. Since then, I got inspired by some stories from books, short articles, video clips, or even just a simple note from serendipity. I reshare some of the stories hoping that those stories can help you walk your life as they do to me. The tales start with a professor who taught their students about priorities in life. It begins from My Mayonaisse Jar. This writing is a way to contemplate, a way to respect, and a way to transform. I learn about the priority of life in his story. Family, Friends, Work.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, this space is a way to gathering my spirit. And when 24 hours in a day is not enough, I always remember this story about the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.” It’s a way for me to remind myself that I can encounter the problem by telling myself everything will be ok, start control and leave the things I can’t control. And this thinking made me start My Mayonaisse Jar.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

I divided the story into several chapters. The first chapter is my formation year. I came from a builder’s family, born in Surabaya. I spent some of my childhood in Bedugul, Bali accompanying my father that worked in the construction of Bali Handara project. I was astonished to see the culture of Bali, the island of God. When I was ten years old, I moved to Jakarta. Jakarta is a mixture of colonial, traditional, and ultra-modern cities. This juxtaposition shows the true potential of Indonesia, and this potential has its weakness in its infrastructure and integrative planning.

Since working in the architecture field, I was curious about what’s the limit of architecture. I was hungry for learning, and the first step is to get to know myself better. I moved to Bandung to study architecture in ITB. I worked in Ridwan Kamil + Partners’s studio, Urbane, for a year before working in Singapore in DP Architect, and finally accepted to work in Foster and Partners London. I put some understanding that The studio selected me, not me choose them. I did send many applications, and many got rejected. Few were accepted.

The second step was understanding that the studio has goals, and I do have plans. How to put both goals in harmony is the key. I need to care about the studio’s goals. By doing that, I have responsibility for the studio. The story then continued when I studied again in Sydney, continuing my master’s degree in Urban Design and Development under Jon Lang and James Weirick. Then, I started my firm, Realrich Architecture Workshop. This chapter is the formation year, year before I met Laurensia.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Formative Year

The few years when I was a student in ITB, I was a more socially active person, I was in student organization then I become secretary-general and some of the technical coordinator, and planning team who were in discussion about the central theme, vision, and executing the plan into the schedule. I was involved in training new organization members for one year and two years below. The training is ongoing for one year per batch led by the leader of the student organization. The training is about personal and communal on getting to know yourself and how to be collaborative such as knowing your responsibility and practicing leadership.

My role was at backstage; we learn, prepare, and evaluate the implementation of the training. I knew that we are never alone in performing the ideas, and understanding that the picture needs to be pushed, pushing myself to be active unpretentiously while not expecting anything in return is profound to my attitude towards making an effort from concept to execution. I met with many inspiring people during my formative years, few notable one is Ridwan Kamil, Baskoro Tedjo, the Hermit of Atelier 6 Architects, and Eko Purwono and all of the fellow lecturers.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Inspiring People

Greetings, Dear Readers

Young architect and Restless Spirits,

Her name is Laurensia, She has the same age of me. She went to the same elementary school with me, the same senior high school with me, but we went to different university. She went to university in Jakarta while I went for my bachelor degree in Bandung. Bandung and Jakarta is 2 different cities, has different life style, different climate, but same solstice as the location approximately in same latitude. I had not much time to know her, since that time.  8 years after that, she is a Dentist and I am an Architect.

My life was so fast at that time, “a lonely ranger”, I would say. After I graduated, I worked in Bandung, Singapore, London, while sometime fly to Banjarmasin to help my brother’s business. It had been a wicked time for work alcoholic time with almost 40 design competitions and design built works across South East Asia, Middle East and China. I spent a year in one place and another year in another place.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Every time I went home from Overseas, I always send a text to Laurensia, called her. I did that because I like to share things with her. She was an indifferent world to me, and I had been friends since I was ten years old. We were friends because I knew that she had a boyfriend. But in London, I was single, and I did not care about relations, one thing that I am sure that I am pretty lonely. One time I got the reply email from Laurensia that I sent years before.

We conversed by email, and I knew that she was single, she broke up with her boyfriend. We shared life around us, and I knew that she worked so hard. She went to the rural areas in the mountain to practice, serving the government every day. In Indonesia, to obtain a license, a young dentist needs to fulfill the service to the government. It took three years for her to do things like that. It took hours to travel, and the need to change transport several times, from cars, mini can, and motorcycles. Her life was tough, and she was consistent in fulfilling her service to the government.

We conversed by emails and texts several times, noting that when I went back to Jakarta, I wanted to ask her for dinner. I wanted to see her in person. My curiosity grew because She lived in two routines, in the morning, she did service to the government in the rural area, and in the evening, she worked in her dental clinic. She worked so hard, and I can see that I am in love with her hard work. I did my hard work as well as an architect, working overtime and living morning and evening work. I saw her hard work as reflection of my life, how we are different but her story fill my heart.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Moments | with Laurensia before Marriage

Greetings, Dear Readers

Young architect and Restless Spirits,

On 25 September 2011, we were married. Our marriage is the marriage between families, so we leave the preparation to our parents. They like to be responsible for food tasting, choosing the place for receptions. What we focused on concerning us, Laurensia picked her gown and asked me about her opinion. She liked the simple one, and it was a perfect fit for her. We took a picture on our pre-wedding day in place of our daily activities, her dental clinic, the garage office, and the street, including empty land near my parent’s house. Our preparation was straightforward and modest. I love the moment that captured our life because it shows the real us in daily routines.

She cared about the studio; because that was the thing that I loved. We took the pictures in our architecture studio, showing time-lapse that doing architecture is a marathon, and she is waiting for all of the time bu patience and love. In the dental clinic, I let her take care of my teeth, and it’s an act of me accepting her condition gratefully.

We spent the evening playing with balloons and folded bicycle from my mother. The setting was to catch the dream and to give harmony, she will take me to the ground, and I drive the bike together, only both of us; it’s our world.

We set the picnic at the treetop in front of the studio; it was a lovely and timeless moment. We have beautiful pictures; what made it enjoyable was the moment captured in our parents, including her very close dog. One is a heartwarming experience. We want to experience it repeatedly, and it feels like I know her from the past life.

We had the Holy Matrimony and reception in one day. Our big family, my grand
Mother, fellow friends, my students, and some long friend from Malaysia, UK, universities, brothers from architecture studios, high school friends, relatives, clients came to greet us. We feel grateful for their prayer.

That day was unimaginable, like a dream come true. And we have planned to Visit London for our honeymoon. We went to York, Edinburgh, Paris, Italia – 3 cities: Venice, Verona, Treviso, Spain-3 cities: Barcelona, Bilbao, and Seville, then returned to Paris and traveled home. I studied Jean Nouvel, Carlo Scarpa’s works, Gaudi’s Works, visiting Frank Gehry’s exhibition at Pompidou Centre, revisited Foster and Partner’s studio, including meeting old friends and looked at Metropole Parasol by Jurgen Mayer. It’s one of the pilgrimage trips that I started to understand the world of tectonics, the alchemy of materials, the critical of the guild, and the sublimation of poetic objects. I will share the pilgrimage trip below.

Laurensia accompanies me on the trip while I was learning at architecture. I always wait for her comments. I feel grateful to have her supporting the journey, and we can have fun while learning a new universe of architecture. I, as Narayana finally found my Radha.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Preparing the Marriage | Together with Laurensia

I learned on critical and creative thinking that both of the worlds need iterations of things. That’s architecture. Its fluid, it’s complex, and full of surprises. If you learn one brilliant architect’s journey, you will get amazed. I understand that my dad and granddad, they are a builder. It makes a massive leap as my understanding that architecture can use what available material around us. It forms a positive attitude, to absorb that is profound to open unlimited learning from context.

I traveled quite often after I had a marriage with Laurensia. We do learn from pilgrimage with her to explore new ways of looking at things. We went to places around Indonesia and London to retracing some exciting works by Norman Foster or even by Enric Miralles, and many great architects or even architecture without architects.

In this trip, the journey is varied from learning from many great – great architects. There are few names such as Y.B. Mangun Wijaya, Le Corbusier, Laurie Baker, Carlo Scarpa, Maclaine Pont, Antonin Raymond, Alvar Aalto, and others still living. All of those architects fight their vision and do their mission by what they have done. I am inspired by them, and I read autobiographies about their work every time I make the pilgrimage. I can cry and touch their effort to push their limit of humanity. They are complex. Their archetypes bring complexity to the current world.

Correa wrote that there two way of learning, direct and indirect learning. I think both of them actually needs a compass of retrospective, way to know that we are part of bigger picture. Actually this journey is about to understand our own shadows, personas, animas, animus, heroes, and so many archetypes that defines us. Jung probably right that there must me something magical that becoming background of the human’s mind and I think this is about transformation, and understanding that Architecture is so damn powerful.

You can read the firm’s ecosystem, the collaborative team in the section of project stories, design method, and research in the link below about the section frontstage :

• Project Stories
• Design Method (under constructed)
• Research
• Best Office in the World

In the story section backstage, you can find a more detailed story about the initiation of the studio and all of its transformative years. It’s about the process and the lovely people behind the works.

• Starting Journey
• Formative Years
• Loving Years
• Family Years

Greetings,

Realrich Sjarief

Moments | Pilgrimage

Moments | Family