Based in Bandung in Indonesia, Ismail Solehudin Architecture has a knack for creating unconventional buildings. Their 'messy design' philosophy is what attracted clients of the Distracted House in Jakarta; resulting in a house that boasts an unusual and interesting form. However, the form of the house is a response to its functional requirements and not just a stylistic choice.

The Indonesian architecture firm needed to create a home that could also function as a space for congregational prayer for the large family and their group of friends. It was a requirement born out of an inability to visit the mosque due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The residential architecture also needed to echo the shape and meaning of Joglo—traditional Indonesian houses.

Due to its religious requirements, the studio rotated the main room to face the Qibla direction. This seemingly simple act created a space with varying depths and character. It also organically created pockets of common areas. The house is punctuated with green gardens, dry gardens, and skylights that breathe air and light into it. The walls curve and extend strategically, wrapping spaces at different points to create an extended feel. The spaces experience a sense of gentle movement owing to these curved details that range from the shape of openings to the mirrors in the bathroom. Omnipresent throughout the interior design, these curves can be seen as a recurring motif.

The large volumes on the upper floor are home to multiple mezzanines, that play host to the large family residing within. The sloping roof of the service area at the front hangs over the carport, providing much-needed shade. The bedroom on the mezzanine rests on a coffered wood ceiling over the study. The wooden stairs leading up to the sleeping quarters carry storage underneath and look like they have been extracted out of the ceiling. The blinds are cut to match the unusual shape of the window lending intrigue to an otherwise cosy atmosphere. The most striking feature of the house, coming close only to the form, is the roof. The distracted form of the roof, clad in clay tiles, brings the joglo aesthetic to life. A spiral staircase, cleverly designed to invigorate a narrow space, becomes the focal connection between the two levels. The railing design furthers the messy and distracted identity of the house.

"The traditional joglo house appearance is dominated by the roof with clay tiles, so we also chose the use of clay tile, which is familiar to Indonesian society and especially to the surrounding environment, where it is an old settlement and generally has a roof slanted with clay tile material. That (were) our efforts for this building that (it can) still blend in with the environment but has its own character. (We) Transformed the roof to be more contemporary but still reminiscent of the original form," shares Ismail Solehudin, the principal architect at ISA Studio.

The spatial resolution of the house reflects the importance placed on the religious spaces. The prayer room is directly connected to the communal room which comprises the kitchen, dining room, and family room. Beyond mutual access, this connection facilitates the expansion of the prayer room into the communal area in case of an influx of a larger number of people. This combined with the use of tall volumes and mezzanines is evidence of smart planning that takes a relatively small site and capitalises on the vertical real estate available.

When asked about the challenges of designing and building this residential design that incorporates elements of traditional architecture as well as religious architecture, Solehudin reflects, "We are aware that designing a house with more exploration in form requires more detailed drawing. Understanding and exploring more about material types and technical installation (was) also our concern when designing this house. Moreover, this house was built in a tropical climate where it often rains. When executing it, more intense coordination is needed from architects, contractors, construction workers, and also the client. There (were) many technical details that (were) adjusted during field installation."

Using traditional materials such as brick, stone, wood, and cement, the studio has created a modern and contemporary home that is rooted in context and functional religion. Distracted House not only respects the client brief but celebrates it. It is a classic example of how 'form follows function' can lead to interesting and new aesthetic possibilities while keeping with the functional requirements of the structure.

Project Details

Name: Distracted House
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Area: 420 sqm
Year of completion: 2023
Architect: Ismail Solehudin Architecture
Design team: Radhian Dwiadhyasa
Contractor: Wani Build
Contractor team: Ali Yazid Bustomi, Zainy Tamrin