'The Twins' situated in the Cipulir province of South Jakarta becomes an interesting demonstration of residential design and construction on minimal land, utilising limited resources and budgets. Designed by DELUTION, a young Jakartan architecture and interiors consultancy, 'The Twins' is built on 70 sqm of land amid a densely packed residential area. That its primary access street can only be accessed by motorcycles and two wheelers is a testament to that density and the largely unplanned neighbourhood that this concrete oasis finds itself in the midst of. 

Built in response to the meticulous design brief of a sibling pair, the project developed on the idea of a ‘growing house’, constructed in a phased manner, with distinctly planned ‘levels’ of construction. The residence was constructed in three-phases with a strong emphasis on budget-friendliness. The 85 sqm built-up area includes two masses of similar yet distinct sizes and proportions, designed for two families comprising five members. The larger, taller volume includes two bedrooms along with a bathroom, kitchen, and a dining room for a family of four, while the second house, designed for a specially-abled woman includes a single bedroom with bathroom, and family room. "We tried to maximise the function of furniture and space with a design that is adjusted to the user needs, so the room is not excessive and convenience with the function needs," commented Hezby Ryandi, Chief Design Officer at DELUTION, on the spatial layout of the two volumes.

Setting a home in a narrow plot area with the client’s recommendation for open spaces with minimal maintenance proved to be challenging while completing the house in three phases with varied budgets. The initial spend was amounting to about 150 million rupiah wherein the second phase, which involved the roof construction, raised the costs slightly to 200 million rupiahs and finally the third phase leading to the completion of 'The Twins' totally cost 450 million rupiah (approximately USD 32000) to be built completely.

United by a coherence in form and spotless, unclad, unadorned aesthetic, the two volumes are connected by glass doors that can be opened at any time to create a wider, multipurpose room. Another unique feature is the incorporation of dry gardens within the house, owing to the lack of space for a formal garden or yard. The tall trees springing from these cornered, triangular planters jut out of the tapered volumes of the two houses, as if the two masses were extending their limbs to ‘meet’, away from the ground. These pockets serve not only as catchment areas, but also help in bringing natural light into the interior spaces, and promote natural ventilation augmenting indoor air quality. Besides affordability, 'The Twins' as a pair of residences is also rooted and responsive about the concept of a "healthy home" for its inhabitants.

Operating with a vision of being a major pioneer of Indonesia's progress through the fields of architectural and design for a better civilisation, DELUTION believes that architectural intervention is not only about aesthetics, but all encompassing. The practice considers good architecture to be the right of all, and works toward bringing it closer to all society without exception.

Project Details

Name: The Twins
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Architect: DELUTION
Site Area: 70 sqm
Building Area: 85 sqm
Design Architect: Muhammad Egha, Hezby Ryandi, Fahmy Desrizal
Engineer: Muhammad Egha
Contractor: DELUTION Build (Ex CRI)

(Text by Nikitha Sunil, intern at STIRworld.com)