RECALLING THE CHINATOWN’S SPIRIT: CREATIVE CONVERSION APPROACH IN REVITALIZATION OF HISTORIC CHINATOWN AREA IN BANDUNG

• Main Author: Aulia Putri Bharata, Amira
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/73199
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Production of spaces in Chinatown of Java's major cities,, showcased distinctive expressions of Southern Chinese culture blending with local traditions and Dutch influence. Thus, Java's major cities, particularly Bandung, once had Chinatown, which was distinctive and showcased the unique expression of authentic Chinese Indonesians that could not be found elsewhere. Unfortunately, the richness of authentic overseas Chinese architecture that defines the space in Bandung's Chinatown almost ceased to exist as the deterioration of buildings due to neglect has significantly faded the neighborhood’s identity. One by one, objects that define the characteristics of Overseas Chinese vanished to some extent. It is hard to distinguish the neighborhood as a Chinatown by looking at physical features (tangible). Despite the historical and psychological the neighborhood remains a Chinatown. The revitalization of Pasar Baru area was carried out using a creative conversion approach. This approach was chosen because it follows the design of historic buildings that can answer current and future needs. The hope is that this project can open up new perspectives on building in historical areas with relatively dense mass layouts. This approach reduces design issues to three main points: designs in existing buildings, designs that can integrate the functions of old and new buildings, and designs that can revive the area. In implementing this final project, the creative conversion strategy includes maintaining old buildings, changing new functions, and physical changes. This project will stand on the hook of Jl. Otto Iskandar Dinata and Jl. Kebon Jati with a land area of 10,204 m2. The design has two main masses, namely the maintained old building and the new building, by also considering the injection of modernity into the old building. The space configuration in the new building adapts to the needs of the old building as well as characterizes the typical Chinatown building. The design will also be based on the Fengshui concept of the building envelope, landscape, spatial configuration of residential units, and the shape of the masses as the beliefs of the local community.