the little prince likes this feature
With the economy booming, Indonesia’s housing market has also recovered from a slump brought about by excessive real estate investment. Seeing news of the US housing market collapse was a bit like observing the same thing happening in Indonesia a few years previously. There were differences, of course. There weren’t so many loans involved, it was mostly a case of people switching money out of their (once) high yeilding bank accounts into real estate. But the results were similar – thousands of building sites returning to nature.
If this example is anything to go by, a few other things are changing in the current boom. Previously, new houses were built with the sole apparent reason being to impress. They were huge Colonial Dutch Style McMansions like this one under construction:
save money by not using proper scaffolding
Other than having little consideration for the future occupants, these buildings were built with no regard to the climate. They are naturally hot and the interior spaces are too big for air conditioning. Oddly, even the interior design is usually uncomfortable, using synthetic fabrics, thin upholstering and straight-backed chairs and lounges.
If Aboday’s Playhouse is anything to go by, Indonesian architects are at last designing houses for the people who will live in them. What child would not love to use that slide? It’s a feature I haven’t seen before.
Playhouse by Aboday
They have also considered factors such as planting big enough trees to protect the walls from the sun; providing ventilation to allow a natural cooling air flow and also wall cavities to insulate the house and alleviate radiant heat entering the house from the cement exterior.
Some of the design features are not to my taste, but that’s beside the point – it’s not my house. If the occupants like it, then it’s successful. I see it as part of a social change to a higher regard for personal style away from the mercenary considerations of the past 80 years.
(not for me, Ana, the nightlife is dead, most of the shops are closed and the restaurants are quiet – Mister James)
You might have noticed the marked improvement in quality.
Quite Interesting Facts About Indonesia
The Telegraph has an article listing a few interesting ‘facts’ about Indonesia. There were a few things that I didn’t know before, such as where the name came from.
There is one significant non-fact, where the reporters say that Indonesia is a NATO country – except that they probably meant to say it’s an OPEC country – except that it’s not an OPEC country anymore.
And there’s at least one outright lie, where they say Indonesian textile workers have been known to work 36 hour shifts. This is completely absurd. Any factory owner who worked his operators that hard would soon find himself without any workers. Nobody works more than a few hours at a time because they take at least five breaks for prayers.
It’s like saying that household maids work 24 hours every day because they sleep at their employer’s house and prefer to watch tv than go outside.