#Industry News
budipradono architects builds shelter for cyclists in indonesia
the tour de ijen is a bike race championship held annually in the regency of banyuwangi by the union cycliste internationale.
banyuwangi, which means fragrant water, is located in the center of the east coast of java in indonesia, with the backdrop of the ijen plateau to the west, and with fine views across the bali strait to the island of bali lying to the east. this year, the tour will be held once again in may 2016 and budipradono architects was appointed to design a shelter in one of the most challenging stages of the race. the designed structure is 30 m2 and provides a resting area for the racers to get their drinks, which are given by the committee since neither electricity nor water is available at the spot.
the architectural concept aimed for the shelter to make its location more meaningful, rather than just being a simple canopy. to do so, the method followed was that of highlighting the specificity of the place, in this case, the mountains around. by mapping the height of these natural formations which are then fragmented by several incisions, vertical and horizontal lines will finally result in the ‘i-shelter’. its structure is made out entirely of petung bamboo which can be found around the area. this material is preserved traditionally by soaking it in the river for 8 months. the five-centimeter-wide bamboo laths are structured horizontally and vertically and are also stacked into several layers to create the 3D mountains and crater shape.
the shelter functions as the fatigue point for the bikers or as the resting area for the pedestrians, hikers, as well as for car and motorbike stop. the supporting structure of the shelter is made of five angle steel bars which are structured randomly and covered by bamboo laths. the columns and peaks are positioned according to the analysis of the mountain range points in east java and banyuwangi. then, a transparent material (polycarbonate) which is thin and light is slipped into the center of the bamboo rooftops, creating the canopy. the project elevates local preservation methods which have been forgotten while creating a unique and specific site.
