The trouble in managing heritage buildings in Indonesia

By: Matheos Viktor Messakh

As the executive director of the National Archive Building Foundation, Tamalia Alisjahbana has her own perspective on how to preserve heritage buildings in the country.
Tamalia criticized the management of heritage buildings in Indonesia, which is the responsibility of the Finance Ministry and is ruled by the Financial Law.
"With that law, heritage buildings are purely considered to be commercial assets. But a heritage is not purely a commercial asset, it is also a historical, cultural asset."

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Railway Viaduct

Railway Viaduct, Jalan Suniaraja and the Cikapundung River. This area of the city was planned by Thomas Karsten to be an open space in the middle of the city over the Cikapundung River. Its massive walls support the railroad line that leads to Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

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Villa Isola

Villa Isola, Jalan Setia Budhi 229.
Constructed in 1933 as a private home for an Italian named D.W Baretty, the building was designed by CP Wolff-Schoemaker. Beretty was the owner of an international news agency that later became
Indonesia’s Antara News Agency. Isola refers to the isolation of the residence when it was built on the dirt road going north to Lembang and Tangkuban Perahu. It was beautifully designed and gorgeously landscape and remains the foremost Art Deco monument I Indonesia. It is currently used as the Rector’s Office for the state teachers college, UPI.

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Potensi Sebuah Ruang Terbuka Kota

Jaarbeurs, Jalan Aceh 50. This complex, designed as a civic exposition center in 1917 by the Schoemaker brothers,s now a military compound. Originally it was the site of the annual trade fair (Jaarbeurs), which presented the products of the Priangan region to investors from all over the Netherlands Indies, and often to perspective buyers from Europe. This was staged every June and July, and
Bandung took on a decidedly festive air, with street entertainments and parades on Jalan Braga.C.P Wolff-Schoemaker is credited as the designer of the Atlas figures which adorn the façade of the main building. Covered up in the 1070s and 1980s, these nude figures have been uncovered and restored and are now a part of the civic art of the city.

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