Why do you want to start something new ?

Anis asked me, “Why do you want to always build something new, maybe people has started their own idea which is similar, and you could collaborate ?” maybe she was surprised when she heard again another of idea to brainstorm, again ? time to time ? , and I came up with such don’t know where, what , why the idea occurred just after I read two books, one is Pasang Surut Arsitektur Indonesia by Josef Prijotomo, and Perjalanan Malam Hari by Yuswadi Saliya. I concluded in those two book the two main points which are important, 1) architecture as profession has to strive as the construction system has been transforming rapidly, but the discourse of architecture as profession is still questionable, are we improving enough ? 2) We need to be careful to state Arsitektur Indonesia when we are designing, do we design based by strong roots or …. ? roots can be said as context, adaptation of building system, in terms of 4 levels of design quality, Function and art, economic and ethics, time and space, or even more, place and events. In fresh Saturday morning, The idea which was come up is about having a huge collection of material library for architect to find the best material, finishes that is suitable in the studio.In Foster and Partners London, when I worked before, the access to the material library is remarkable, we could find new advancement material such as new type of alumunium finishes, brick, plastic, categories which synthetic or original. It’s based on each durability, strength and ease of material. The question is, the access of the material library is limited to the people inside the studio, the question is, if we make is similar, how can we improve the knowledge by sharing it to the others. Why am I not collaborating with others ? I don’t know but, it’s interesting that the access in Jakarta is quite limited, and I have not yet found people that I can talk to other than Anis and people in the studio, I just haven’t found any friend to talk to, I about to take what was suggested by Anis to expand the idea to the others, and here we are. Thank you Anis, I got reminded again time to time. Remember Glenn Murcutt , there is no such something new in the architecture, the word “new” might be process of discovery the act of trying to do good for the others. “All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today.” Pope Paul VI