A R U M

Property in cluster area is always number one choice as a living space. So many types offered by developers with variative prices. The crowdedness of Jakarta is one of the reasons why houses in cluster area sold so well, especially in suburb of Jakarta. Another reason is how consumptive Indonesian people are because, to have a house in young age is the symbol of self-success.

For me, as one of young people under 30, have a fixed house is one of my dream. But I never think to have a house in suburb Jakarta. Other than traffic matters, most of choices that developers offer is not compatible with me or my husband living flow.

Sadly, there’s something that irritates me with these types of house. Well, the house design looks okay, but the kitchen really bothering me a lot. The kitchen design is so patched up. Which is:

Too small

This the problem in almost of new houses I’ve ever found. The kitchen is very small and not comfortable to use. A teeny tiny counter for potable stove and a single sink are what usually there.

Forgotten

The kitchen is small, in the corner, and outside, sometimes without proper roof.

Not functional

Size and dimension are not in a correct way. The counter is often too short both in length and height. No counter for chopping and sometimes a place to put gas canister (12kg) is not fit in height. And the worst of all, no proper ventilation.

Kitchen is so used to become the dirtiest room in the house. Before, kitchen was placed in like ‘unseen’ places. It was placed in outside, basement, and far away from nice things. More importantly, don’t let guests see the kitchen, kind of thing.

If we compare it with living room, kitchen is like the unwanted child. The stinky, smoky, and dirty child versus nice, clean, and fragrant child. Yes, it’s because living room is like the representation of a house. It should be nice and clean, it’s where people gather. The other hand, because kitchen is so dirty, people sees it like, sorry, ‘the servant’ room.

But less appealing doesn’t mean kitchen is not important. Kitchen is like the heart of a house. Thanks to technology, kitchen these days in not only a place to cook a meal. This is why we need more appreciation to kitchen.

Essential

Kitchen, other than bathroom, is the only room that have fixed purposes. The entire family use it day to day as it’s the centre of activities that happen in the house. People start their day with morning coffee or make a breakfast in the kitchen and end the day with washing the dishes.

Evolving

Kitchen’s purposes now have increase. Not only a place to prepare and cook a meal, it’s a new gathering place, the second living room. People these days enjoy chatting and socialize in the kitchen, especially when this pandemic happen. People try to cook more often and try new recipes.

Influence

A good kitchen influence people’s lifestyle. A clean kitchen makes healthier meal, healthier meal makes healthier family. Having a beautiful kitchen increase happiness and warmth in the family.

Kitchen is the most important room in the house. It’s not just a place to cook, it’s a place that bond family together. A place that make a house, a home.

So, if you’re an architect, please design the kitchen with more heart, especially with starter home *ehm* houses in cluster area *ehm*. Well, I know why developers make that kind of kitchen is to save budget, but functional kitchen is the root of healthier family, means healthier people for society. It's okay if the kitchen is small, at least, sell the house with kitchen counter, not concrete counter that too small to use.

Well, thank you, bye~

I want to talk about my biggest concern about living in Indonesia, mostly because I’ve been in Jakarta for almost three years. Well, I’m not living in downtown Jakarta though, but, I can’t stop thinking about this. 

So, as you may now, Jakarta is a big city, like really big. And it’s crowded … and hot, dry, and full of pollution. I’m sorry, it’s a fact. Jakarta itself is the heart of urbanization. Yea, a lot of people come to Jakarta every year to live, to work, and to grow themselves. Like myself. Like my husband.

And, the ratio between people and the area of Jakarta isn’t balance. People can work but people can’t live. Jakarta is run out of space to build houses, so suburbs of Jakarta become option to build houses. Landed house to be exact. Developers basically expand their housing complex to hill and mountain. Yes, hill and mountain. Now, you know why Jakarta have flood every year. 

The other option is to build apartments in downtown area. They build a lot of it in the last decade and it’s still growing. But, actually, if you ever ask people in Jakarta “do you want to live in apartment?” most of them will probably said no.

Why????? 

As an Indonesian itself I will tell you my thought about why Indonesian don’t want to live in apartment. I’m going to separate this into two posts. In this one, I’m going to talk in people’s perspective and the other post is about the design, yeah, because I’m an architecture graduate, why not talk about it?

So, let’s dig it …

(PS: this going to be a long post, so bear with me alright)

Apartment doesn’t feel like home

Landed house have been there for eternity. Indonesian think that home is when a family is living under one roof, one building, and in one area. Apartment, basically is a building with multiple unit that different people live there which is the opposite of what people think. It feels like, apartment is not exclusive to their self even with high-end apartment that growing in Indonesia.

Indonesian apartment isn’t compatible for families

Most people in Indonesia buy or rent a place for living is to start a family. If they’re single, they just going to rent a room called ‘kost’ which is cheaper and more practical. But, when people start a family, a ‘kost’ is too small and not enough privacy, so they will seek another option to live. This should be a great market, right?

Sadly, most common in apartment marketing is studio or one-bedroom apartment, which is not suitable for a family. Family is always growing, landed house can grow, but apartment? Can you ever imagine grow a family in studio or one-bedroom apartment?

Just get two bedrooms apartment if you think apartment is too small, said some random person in the corner.

As if … 

The two bedrooms apartment, that some developers offer is somehow small. Like two studio apartments combine and in couples of apartment building, the other bedroom doesn’t have window. That just … not … human …

The cost of apartment is not rational for starter home

Like I write in point b, most people buy or rent a place is to start a family. But, again, it’s so sad that knowing that apartment in general is more expensive than landed house. Let alone buying, the rent is far more expensive. It has additional cost, too. Like parking, security, janitor, laundry, and of course building maintenance. For a newlywed, that cost way too much and they’re just starting their lives. And most of apartment units are bought by people as their second home or investment so they can rent it to other people, like Airbnb or something.

Socialization in Indonesia is kind of unique

Neighbouring system in Indonesia is quite high. Not all of them are positive but it’s still okay. Indonesian have activities to strong their bond as neighbour. I’m going to list it, not all, but what I remember.

- Arisan : a gathering for women especially mothers in housing complex. Usually happen once a month

- Ronda malam : is duty for men (the father, the head of family) to secure the housing complex. They have shift rolling and happen every night

- Kerja bakti : is an event to clean the housing complex like road, park (it they have), and sewers. Usually happen in August before Indonesian Independence Day and they usually decorate their complex with red and white paper flags.

Aside from that above, Indonesian somehow have a thing called, sudden socialization(?) I don’t know how to call it, but it’s just happened. Like somehow, two people just happen to rake the road, and then they be like chatting kind of like that. Even when they just passed by their neighbor house, they’re be like chat a little. Yeah, you know … 

In apartment, probably, they will not be going to do that. Apartment kind of makes people individualist. When people met at the lift or lobby or something. Arisan will be with their office’s friends, there’s no more ronda malam and kerja bakti as it changes into security and janitor. Kind of sad, huh?

So, finally, this is the end of the long great post. I’m going to make part two of this with architecture glasses. Urbanization really changes everything in downtown area, huh? 

Hehh … bye … write to you in the next post~