Bricks and Breezes Keep This Tropical Indonesian Home Cool
A perforated brick brise-soleil fills this lush home with diffuse daylight and cooling breezes.
Located in Cinere, just outside Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta, the two-story Flick House stands out with its contemporary brick facade and its focus on sustainability. Jakarta-based DELUTION designed the residence for a family of six who wanted their home to be "humble and warm" rather than large and ostentatious.
The Flick House’s contemporary brick facade references traditional architecture in the owner’s hometown in Central Java.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
The home’s design revolves around five sustainable building concepts: the use of bricks as thermal insulation; the use of local materials to minimize the home’s carbon footprint; a secondary skin as a light mediator; passive cooling provided via cross ventilation and a water feature; and the use of vegetation as an ecosystem generator.
The brick brise-soleil provides natural ventilation and shields the home from the heat of the sun. It also provides natural light and casts interesting shadows throughout the interiors.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
The architects chose brick for the facade not only to provide natural ventilation and protect the interior from the heat of the tropical sun, but also to give the home a warm, welcoming, earthy quality. As an added benefit, brick is commonly used in the vernacular architecture of the client’s hometown in Central Java—so the material sparks happy childhood memories.
The home features two kitchens, as is common throughout Asia. A "wet kitchen" located in the service area near the household helpers’ rooms is used for all the "serious cooking." There is also a "dry kitchen" (shown above) adjacent to the inner garden and the dining area. The dry kitchen is primarily used to prepare light fare, such as snacks and drinks.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
The architects also wanted to accommodate the clients’ love of gardening by providing four lush green spaces throughout the home: a main garden, a private garden, a floating garden, and an inner court. These green spaces support the open-plan concept and add to the energy efficiency of the spacious, 3,326-square-foot house.
The major rooms open directly to the outdoor gardens, creating indoor/outdoor spaces and enabling airflow. The addition of a fish pond creates a cooling microclimate—fresh air from the gardens flows into the rooms through the sliding doors and windows.
The inner court is located in the center of the public space on the first floor, and it features a skylight overhead.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
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ShopThe living area opens to the main garden and a small outdoor terrace via large sliding glass doors.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
While the main garden is directly adjacent to the open-plan living space on the lower level, the private garden is accessible only from the master bedroom.
"My favorite part of the house is the communal area on the first floor, as it’s designed to be open and connected to both the inside and outside of the building—I love how it represents the character of the owners, who are friendly, humble, and welcoming," shares architect Muhammad Egha.
DELUTION recently received an Architecture Master Prize award for architectural design / green architecture.
A sliding wood door can close off the living area as needed.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
A room located off the living area provides additional storage space.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
The welcoming indoor/outdoor living area was designed for entertaining.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
Cool air from the gardens flows into the rooms through sliding doors and windows.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
A sliding door provides access to the private garden from the master bedroom on the lower level.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
A fish pond creates a microclimate to help naturally cool the 3,326-square-foot house.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
A multifunctional space sits at the top of the staircase.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
The brick brise-soleil provides the interiors with diffuse light.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
Sliding glass doors connect this bedroom to a small outdoor deck.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
The upper-level bathroom has an indoor/outdoor feel. A pull-down shade provides privacy when needed.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
A spacious outdoor area on the upper level.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
The Flick House is located on a corner lot in a suburban subdivision not far from Jakarta.
Photo by Fernando Gomulya
Flick House first-story floor plan
Courtesy of DELUTION
Flick house second-story floor plan
Courtesy of DELUTION
Related Reading:
Indoor Gardens Bring Light and Air Into This Brick Home in Vietnam
Light and Shadow Help Shape This Modern Brick House in Vietnam
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: DELUTION, Muhammad Egha, Hezby Ryandi, Sunjaya Askaria, Fahmy Desrizal
Builder/General Contractor: CRI (Construction Revolution Indonesia)
Design Team: Indira Pramundita Setiadewi S. Ars
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