Renovated Jakarta home fights sultry summers with ventilation, green space and shade

Wahana Architects renovated this two-story house in Jakarta, Indonesia, by preserving the existing concrete structure and reusing some of the original materials. Despite a tight budget, the renovation resulted in a beautiful family house featuring a variety of spaces and connections between the interior and the garden - not to mention several strategies that beat the summer heat.

Located in a surprisingly quiet neighborhood in midtown Jakarta, the existing L-shaped building presented a great starting point for creating an airy courtyard residence. The architects designed a transparent living room, dining area and kitchen on the first floor which offer views of the outdoor garden and the existing trees. The second floor houses a semi-public office space accessible via an outdoor spiral staircase. Built with reused materials, a see-through wooden surface is installed diagonally to create shade and accentuate the form of the house.

In order to respond to the tropical weather conditions, the house features cross-ventilation and a large number of windows and doors that stay open throughout the day, while a vertical garden and wooden shade structure regulate thermal gain.