Bittersweet Memories in Design Experience | 05. Andra Matin

“Everything that live is changing, where the only thing that keeps unchanging is the change itself.”

On 26th February, Andra Matin came to OMAH Library to share his Final Project’s story and his thoughts about Indonesian Architecture. Andra Matin’s final project from Parahyangan University in 1988 is an archive building for architectural documentation and centre of apprenticeship workshop. This project’s main feature is axial formation and flowing metaphor of water. Located next to Fakultas Teknik UI, the entrance of building is a rotunda which connects hall and gallery, following classes and library. Due to its unprecedented work, his final projects session were concentrated on technical questions instead of conceptual and design intention. This design is a form of expression about his dream for ideal architectural documentation, also his personal interest on traditionalism.

He believes that Indonesian architecture must keep their authenticity and have natural ability to express its character, regardless of each architect’s style. He states that the example of this phenomenon could be seen in Japanese architecture, which dominated by (material-wise) wood, and playful inside-outside transition. This unifying awareness, can be achieved by good architectural record for public accessibility.

On Indonesian architecture Andra Matin remarks that his project most inspired by various form of Indonesian roof. He states that our foremost trail of form making were indicated by our climate-related roof. About 70% of Venice Biennale exhibition in 2014 were concentrated on Indonesian roof. That, he said, is a single prove of how rich our culture already. This also his basic approach on design, not necessarily started from the roof, but attention to climate challenge itself. He added that there should always be added value to each work we made, don’t just recycling and made-new of any historical work.

On growing as architect, Andra Matin believes in importance of apprenticeship for architectural carrier. For him, design articulation mostly gained from years of training. He encourage young graduates to practice for at least 5 years in a firm to strengthen their knowledge on related field through distinct projects. The architectural knowledge, he also said, consist of various interdependent skill, such as realistic design solving, material expertise, structural responsibility, and on-site management. These ability isn’t gained on university alone. On work ethic, he believes that we must be willing to invest our time in a place where we can grow, with totality and patience to learn.