PUBLICATIONS

A wall that sings, dances, and exuberates the meditative mood for the worshippers! Sounds dreamy but this is for real, created and conceptualized by Ar. SAMUEL A. BUDIONO for FAVOUR@CENTRAL, Jakarta.

FAVOUR@CENTRAL is a place of praise and worship for the young generation. Overlooking the greenery of Central Park surrounded by universities, malls and apartments, the design needed to resonate with the purpose to enclose a sense of physical and spiritual retreat from the urban fray.

The concept was to create a modern, progressive, dynamic space that fits with the style of a young generation church and reflects the biblical messages. The interior architecture reflects the statement of spiritual objectives, experiencing the poetry of light and space through exhilarated forms.

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” – John 7:38.
The layout contributes to the fluidity of space flowing like a river as a symbol of living water.

“I am the vine, you are the branches” – John 15:5.
With majority student members and young professionals, the church needs to grow and bear fruit. Wall-to-ceiling metal branches interlocking each other is the metaphor for vine & branches growing from bottom to the top.

“We are the clay, you are the potter.” – Isiah 64:8.
An oval made of a hand-weaved wicker basket in a fluid and plastic form is an expression of clay in the process of a potter’s hand. This transformation metaphor space functions as a chapel.

Likewise, great symbolic importance lies behind the design. The purpose is to bring a good impact to someone’s life through the understanding of the design concept.

Presenting to you a one-to-one with the passionate artist behind FAVOUR@CENTRAL whose musical talents give a lyrical touch to his architecture.

“Composing in architecture is like designing in music” – please elaborate your personal philosophy.

There are close connections between composing in architecture and designing in music. Both share the same philosophy, feelings, and rules in order to produce a good result. The process in designing a new building is very similar to composing a new song and produce new compositions for music albums. My music is jazz and freedom go hand in hand. I see my architecture as jazz music, it is about freedom to explore new ideas. My passion for music and architecture are inseparable. They compliment each other and stimulate me to become creative whether to ‘compose’ architecture or ‘design’ music.

What are the materials used for creating the unique singing & dancing walls of FAVOUR@CENTRAL?

The concept of “Singing & Dancing Wall” in my project FAVOUR@CENTRAL is a dynamic movement as a sequence to emulate a flowing river of life as a source that never dries up.

I want to express the ‘singing architecture’ to convey a message to the audience, just like a song that leaves a lasting impression on the listeners. The use of metal and rattan weaving is used to achieve the fluidity and plasticity feelings as a progressive movement. Coupled with the LED lighting that changes color at an interval, the walls appear to come alive as the light moves and dances following the songs that are performed.

Thus the name “Singing and Dancing Wall” is an architecture that bursts with animation and life, coming together as ‘a silent space for the poetic sense of life’.

What or who was your greatest influences?

In architecture, my greatest influences are Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind, Peter Zumthor, Tom Mayne, and Zaha Hadid. In music, my greatest influences are Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, and Pat Metheny.

Other than music, what motivates you to keep creating soulful designs?

During an advanced studio at the Yale School of Architecture, Frank Gehry said, “For the ones who are trying to create buildings, the hardest thing for them to understand is that if they don’t let their own feelings and expression come out in their work, they’re doing a disservice.” So my message is, “Express yourself!”. Therefore, I will never stop thinking, composing, designing, and always be creative to come out with architecture that have the soul and bring good impacts to the people.