Sustainable Tropical Architecture: The Tanatap Frame Garden by RAD+ar

In the heart of Jakarta, Indonesia, a new beacon of sustainable tropical architecture shines brightly through the Tanatap Frame Garden. This innovative project, designed by RAD+ar (Research Artistic Design + architecture), stands as a testament to the integration of green spaces within urban environments, promoting sustainability and community engagement in developing countries.

The Concept Behind Tanatap Frame Garden

A Seamless Integration with Nature

Tanatap Frame Garden emerges as a prototype for multi-leveled green spaces, where dynamic platforms create a walkable roofscape. This design offers the public an elevated perspective to appreciate the surrounding parklands, embodying a façade-less architecture where the blend of community activities, art exhibitions, and garden spaces form a functional façade.

Design Philosophy

The garden is a playful juxtaposition of various frame types—stainless, artwork, GRC, glass—enhancing perspective effects. This design choice allows visitors and the park itself to interact visually, crafting a dynamic new civic space that thrives on sustainability and community involvement.

Architectural Features and Sustainability

Creating Contrast and Connectivity

The design exploits basic geometry to carve out a series of symmetrical plans and an organic amphitheater, ensuring connectivity from all directions. Its frames serve as a wind tunnel, enhancing natural ventilation and allowing visitors to enjoy the park in a refreshing breeze.

Low Energy Solutions and Passive Design

The Tanatap Frame Garden is an oasis of sustainability, featuring a rainbow skylight that invites sunset rays into the café, optimizing negative space for energy efficiency. This commercial garden proves that passive, low-energy design is not only viable but also profitable in tropical climates.

Interior and Spatial Design

A Journey Through Spaces

Visitors are greeted with a gradual increase in spatial height, from a low ceiling at the entrance to a spacious garden area. This design encourages exploration, leading to a multi-leveled garden that showcases the potential of tropical gardens.

Blurring Indoor and Outdoor Spaces

The project redefines the concept of indoor and outdoor spaces, with pathways connecting gardens and creating a seamless transition. The use of sliced skylights and strategic planning allows for an immersive experience in a man-made jungle.

A Hub for Community and Creativity

Tanatap Frame Garden serves as a public living room and a vibrant hub for art enthusiasts. By fostering a creative community within its gallery-commercial garden setting, the project stays true to its vision of decentralizing sustainable buildings through sustainable business practices.

Tanatap Frame Garden by RAD+ar is a pioneering example of sustainable tropical architecture, highlighting the importance of green spaces, passive design, and community engagement in urban development. As a model for future projects in tropical, developing countries, it paves the way for more sustainable, livable cities around the world.

All Photographs are the work of Mario Wibowo