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PROFICIENT IN THE ARTS OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE SOULFUL MELODY OF JAZZ, SAMUEL A. BUDIONO INCORPORATED THOSE MAIN FACTORS TO HIS MANY AWARD-WINNING DESIGNS

With a heart made of music and the brain of an architectural surgeon, the young gun of Indonesian’s architectural landscape, Samuel A. Budiono has always brought soul into his every creation, no matter if it’s a jazz record or any design to his many avant-garde buildings, Budiono always put melodious harmony on the table.

This accomplished jazz musician and an award-winning architect started embarking on his architectural journey when he attended the University of Wisconsin and rigorous training via the Europe Study Program in Paris and Berlin has made Samuel a worthy architect. Upon returning to his native Indonesia in 1992, he brought SAMUEL A. BUDIONO & ASSOCIATES from Shorewood, Wisconsin to Surabaya and it has been going strong to this day in its second office in Jakarta, established in 2007 to coincide with the firm’s flourishing projects and demands.

The integrated synergy between architecture and jazz that produces one unified and scrumptious result can be found in every of his designs. Whether it’s his jazz record that has this constructive feel that will make any emotion tumble and fall as much as rise to its grand feeling or his architecture that mimics that of an improvisation of soulful blues and jazz, every building has this fluidity of design and space much like any free-flowing songs one can find in his jazz albums.

Some of his incredible projects are The Range & Golf Shelter, a colorful and contemporary golf course, the quirky yet lovely Agropark and the recent award-winning FAVOUR@CENTRAL. This arsenal of unrivaled concepts and buildings has launched the superstardom of Samuel A. Budiono to the highest level. It is a fact that he is the one and only Indonesian architect to receive a world accolade in the form of the People Choice Award.

Samuel with his “partner in crime,” Yatty L. Budiono have made the firm to be one of the most sought-after architecture firms in Indonesia with projects, awards and acclaims. Sam also has the profession of a speaker to some prestigious architecture and art events, why, this May for instance, he will be one of the speakers and a performer in Indonesia Contemporary Art & Design, held in Grand Kemang Hotel on May 16th to June 13th of 2012.

We spent some time picking the brain of the talented Samuel, here’s some of the result:

What are SAMUEL A. BUDIONO & ASSOCIATES’ latest projects?
My ongoing projects which currently are under construction are Stairway to Heaven, MSCS, and IMI. The first one is a 12,000m2 multi-purpose facility including church and chapel, the second and third are a private school facility and a music school facility including an auditorium and library. Other notable projects still in the designing process are the United Nation’s iconic project, a Corporate Office located in the Central Business District, and a high-class Apartment + Hotel in a gated community.

Do you remember your first-ever design job?
My memorable first project was North Terrace Avenue Residence located in Historic Preservation District in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was special because I met the client through my love of jazz music. The client was a good friend of jazz pianists, Ramsey Lewis and Ahmad Jamal who are my favorite jazz pianists too. The project itself was very interesting since it is located next to Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan’s design house. After two years of intensive court appearances and public hearings, my design was finally built, successfully. It makes me proud because my name was written as the house designer for the Historic Preservation City Tour introduction.

Who do you consider as your mentor/role model? Why?
My role model is Frank Gehry, I value his innovative and energetic contributions to the architectural world very highly. His spirit never dried out even at the age of almost 84. It is a challenge for me to follow his path and always be productive for my own entire life. I love his quote: “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 expressions come out in the work, they’re doing a disservice.” So, the message from me: “Express yourself!”

You are both an architect and a jazz musician, how do you find time for both?
My passion for music and architecture are inseparable, they fill each other in a perfect harmony! In other words, composing architecture is very much like designing music. I will always find time for both since each discipline functions as a recharge for the other. To borrow the lyrics from Whitney Houston’s hit song: “I Will Always Love Music and Architecture.”

Does the music influence your designing process or does the architecture determine your music?
To me, music and architecture influence each other to make both disciplines unique. Just like jazz legend, Thelonious Monk said: “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” A great concert would never be just about the notes any more than a great film is about frames and pixels. It’s about feeling and feeling is what we devote our lives to, chasing and making it possible.

FAVOUR@CENTRAL won the World Architecture People‘s Choice Award in 2011, what makes it so special?
FAVOUR@CENTRAL is about the expression of singing and dancing in 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 achieved the fluidity and plasticity feeling as a progressive movement, coupled with LED lighting that change colors at interval time, the walls come to life as the lights move and dance following the songs that are performed on the stage. It is an architecture that bursts with animation and life, coming together as ‘a silent space for the poetic sense of life.’

In coming up with designing ideas, do you have a certain ritual? Or is it more in the improvisation region?
There is a close connection between composing architecture and designing music. Both share the same philosophy, feelings, and rules in order to produce a good result. The process of designing a new building is very similar to composing a new song and producing new compositions for music albums. My music is jazz, since jazz and freedom go hand in hand. I enjoy designing dynamic and visually stimulating buildings as much as I enjoy improvising on my music. I see my architecture as jazz music, the freedom to explore new ideas is what it’s all about.

Can you tell us the most frustrating design experience that you’ve ever encountered? And the most fun experience?
The most frustrating designing experience is when ‘political’ issues take part in the designing process. Suddenly, the action and reasoning become non-technical. It is a sad fact that some people try to turn me down for some stupid reasons based on ‘political’ interests that have nothing to do with designing at all. On the opposite side, the most fun experience is when people can see and appreciate my vision and my concept. To my surprise, the most understanding people are from simple backgrounds but have “big” hearts to learn something new.

If you can build a home with absolutely no limitations, what
What would the house be like?
An architectural house is the opportunity to experiment and create, with the blessing of an open-minded client, it can be a chance to run riot with ideas and make concrete previously unrealized design dreams, but a one-of-a-kind architecture has to have this virtual feeling that has been experienced in some shape or form. The house is the connection between the architect and the general public, it has meaning within all of our lives. It should be an inspiring design that has the ‘soul’ but still carries that warm quality. Again it is about feeling that overpowers the materials.

In your own words, who is Samuel A. Budiono?
Samuel A. Budiono is an award-winning architect with the heart for music. He is also an accomplished jazz pianist/composer who has produced record albums. His musical talents give a lyrical touch to his architecture. Melodious forms, harmonizing with nature and soulful rhythmic patterns are the characteristics of his creative process.

Do you have any advice for the many aspiring architects out there?
Express yourself!