Love It or Hate It? Breeze-Blocks

Zhenru consulted with lecturer Andi Putranto from the Department of University Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, who specializes in collecting and restoring teak doors and windows from dilapidated houses around Java. The front door and window set was salvaged from a 1950s-built house.

A new semi-outdoor space is created by enclosing the former house’s foyer with a skylight and concrete breeze-block screen. It functions excellently as a wet kitchen, with cooking smells filtering through the screen.

The open-plan kitchen and dining area features polished concrete flooring.

A triangular courtyard marks the exterior of the home.

A Nathan Grey painting carries the dark motif of the kitchen into the dining space.

A window breaks up the street-facing facade composed of perforated cement blocks.

The open observatory.

A wall of breeze-block open to the elements and sun from a skylight create a sort of outdoor shower inside the bathroom off the main bedroom.

The simple palette of the house of recycled bricks, terrazzo floors, timber floors. white painted walls and concrete breeze-blocks are put together in a thoughtful manner.

A screen made from concrete breeze-blocks allows breeze and filtered light into the stairwell.

The award for best New House under 200 m2 went to Naranga Avenue House by James Russel Architect

From the dining and kitchen space, concrete stairs lead up to the upper level.