The Akanaka boarding house is an example of how passive design is executed with simple methods, starting from providing maximum openings for light and air into the building with local material engineering.
“I want a residence that is comfortable, natural, and energy efficient,” said Mr. Yuwono to Realrich Sjarief when he stated the brief of Akanaka. Akanaka is located on 800 sqm of land, and consists of 19 serviced bedrooms, in 2 level building with an open-air corridor. It is in Kemang, South Jakarta, a precinct that is well known as the art district.
From the facade, Akanaka’s 4.5 meters cantilevered canopy blocks the east-west sun while giving a tropical device for heavy rainfall. The ecological approach for the building elaborated from the principle in Bare Minimalist house (the project that is been done before by Realrich Architecture Workshop as project 01). The orangish terracotta facade module 300 mm x 300 mm made by craftsmen at Pamulang gives a private, solid void, an expression which is functional and beautiful. The balustrade is made from steel painted with brownish color with gaps to allow cross air ventilation coming inside the building. The floors are concrete, one outside is grass block and the one inside is 1200 mm x 1200 mm cast concrete with glass grout.
The linear and communal courtyards are introduced at the center of the building as a communal space, a sculpture garden provides an air stacking effect, and natural sunlight comes to the communal space. The size of the rooms varies from 16 sqm, 24 sqm, to 35 sqm which each of the room provide cross air circulation, functional interior design, and dual aspect window providing sunlight to the room.
Inside the building, there is much feeling of wood and concrete. The teak wood was engineered by cut into 3mm thin slices, glued on top of plywood to increase lightness, cost, and availability of teakwood. The engineered teak wood panel in module 200 x 1200 mm is hung by stainless steel pin, this construction technique allows the system to be prefabricated, dismantled, maintained whenever it is necessary. Akanaka is one of the examples of how the passive design executed in simple method opening side for air and sunlight to the building.
