Sunday 29 January 2017

5 Unusual Architecture in Indonesia

How does it feel to sleep in the bottle house or in a dome-shaped house? Or praying in a temple-shaped mosque or in a mosque that resembled a famous cathedral in Russia?
Followings are five unique architectures in Indonesia that will amaze or perhaps even inspire you.
1. Gunongan in Aceh
Gunongan is a unique mountain-shaped building constructed by Sultan Iskandar Muda in the early 17th century. Rumor has it that gunongan was constructed to cure the longing of the sultan’s wife, Princess Phang, to her hometown in Pahang, Malaysia, which was surrounded by hills. The height of the building which is located in Teuku Umar street is around 9.5 meters and is consisted of three floors.
2. Dome-shaped Houses in Yogyakarta
You may still remember the great earthquake that struck Yogyakarta and surrounding areas in 2006. The earthquake not only claimed thousand lives but also destroyed thousand buildings and houses. In order to prevent similar disaster in the future, a foreign NGO designed an earthquake proof house. The interesting part is that the architecture of this building is very unique, with its dome structure that resembles an eskimo or Teletubbies house!
The construction of these earthquake-proof houses has changed the landscape of the village which makes it different from other nearby villages. Interested to see the houses yourself? Go to Ngelepen Sub-Village, Sumberharjo Village, Prambanan, Yogyakarta.
3. The Bottle House in Bandung
Energy drink is not only useful for improving the body stamina but can also be used to strengthen a house. The Bandung Mayor’s residence in Cigadung street, Bandung, is the perfect example for this.
It use energy drink bottles for the building construction. The use of these bottles were not only function to support the building but also enable the sunlight burst through them. Therefore, you will not need to turn on the lights during the day.
The unique architecture was awarded Green Design Award by BCI (Building Construction Information) Asia in 2009. In addition to helping reduce the amount of waste, it can also reduce the use of air conditioners because the hot air will be trapped inside the bottle. This will eventually reduce electricity consumption and save cost.
4. “Temple” Mosque in Surabaya
Muhammad Cheng Hoo Mosque in Surabaya is located in Gading street Surabaya. This mosque has an unusual shape due to its resemblance to a Chinese temple. The mosque was established by Chinese Muslim community of Surabaya and was completed in 2002. The Chinese architectural style dominates this mosque, from the doorway that resembles a Chinese pagoda to the presence of dragon relief and lion statues.
The name of Cheng Ho is derived from the name of an admiral of Ming Dynasty, China, who led an expedition to Indonesia in early 15th century. The building itself was inspired by Niu Jie Mosque in Beijing and also influenced by Middle Eastern and Javanese architectural styles.
5. “Kremlin” Mosque in Jogja
If you travel from Jogja to Solo, don’t forget to visit “Kremlin” or “Lollipop” Mosque in Solo street, Candisari,  Kalasan, Sleman. This mosque is unique because the dome resembles the St. Basil’s Cathedral dome in Red Square, Moscow, Russia. Many people mistakenly believe that the building is a game centre or a souvenir shop due to the unique and colourful architecture that looks like a candy or fairy castle. The exterior was Russian-inspired. However, it turned out that the pulpit and the interior of An-Nurumi Mosque features a Javanese architectural style.
Curious to witness with your own eyes?

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