Starting business 25 years ago by marketing marble and installing its products at construction projects, Bian Niaga Batuan, or BNB, has evolved into a major player in the global marble and granite industry. In a class by itself; BNB has developed two buildings in Buduran and Gedangan in Sidoarjo, East Java, to better present its image. The buildings appear quite different from the showrooms or warehouses of the firm's counterparts in the marble industry - and also feature elements of refined art in their design.
BNB SHOWROOM & WAREHOUSE
Interview by Anton Adianto
Photo by Bian Niaga Batuan Doc. & Bagus Tri Laksono
BNB is a marble and granite manufacturer in Indonesia. In addition to importing the best materials from nations such as Brazil, India, Italy, and Turkey, as well as several other nations in Africa; the company has a marble quarry in Tulungagung, East Java. As a rapidly developing business; the company, which was established a quarter of a century ago, found that it needed a more presentable space to showcase their products.
Therefore in 2004, BNB had a warehouse built in Buduran, Sidoarjo, followed by the construction of a showroom in 2007 that featured the concept of "automatic display". The developments were aimed at giving greater ease and comfort to customers when purchasing the company's products. Originally, the warehouse had an open design, which was later altered to a closed structure equipped with air conditioning, so that visiting customers would feel more comfortable while sorting through the options of marble and granite on offer.
Several new rooms and functions were added to the building in Buduran. Eventually the BNB compound comprised an office, a showroom and warehouse that comes with a cafe - all on a site measuring 5,000 square metres (sqm). One of the most representative areas of the compound is the Precious Stone Room, also known as the Dome Room - a new space that's an exhibition area for the company's precious stone collections. Adjacent is the Onyx Room, where BNB's onyx collections are on display. Illumination from the front and back of the room makes for a dramatic showroom.
At the back, or at the end of the showroom, is a 500-sqm exhibition space where BNB can spread out marble selections so that customers can directly inspect colours and patterns. This room is designed with
a wide void so people can see their chosen marble or granite pieces laid out as they stand on the floor above. On the top floor is another display room that is designed to resemble an art gallery.
While waiting for the products to be arranged by BNB, customers in the Buduran showroom are also provided with a cafe designed in an artistic fashion by Monica Sutjih of Mardia Cipta. It features a design concept for a relaxed, open space with a strong industrial theme. The owner of BNB, who also happens to be an avid art-enthusiast, also included some choices for the decor and furniture, resulting in a more mature and slightly masculine-looking design.
BNB has also come up with a division called Artstone, which deals with projects concerning marble variations, such as carving, architraves and columns, among other things. To represent this division, a new stand-alone showroom was added at the entrance of the Buduran compound. Continuing the theme of the site, the two-storey building was attractively designed, featuring a circular staircase in its center.
The company's warehouse in Gedangan was built to separate the showroom from the warehouse to ensure a more comfortable experience for customers. Initially, all of the company's activities were under one roof at Buduran. But, because of concerns about air and sound pollution, the factory, warehouse and container loading site were moved to Gedangan. In the new 20,000-sqm compound, BNB created a factory and a loading-unloading site located adjacent to the new warehouse. This way, customers can see first-hand the complete manufacturing process of marble in one place.
The 5,000-sqm warehouse in Gedangan showcases a verdant, green design that's far removed from the usual bare look of other warehouses. The facade features a unique play of masses and the materials used to cover the skin of the building are also one-of-a-kind, reflecting the masculine character requested by the owner. The same design character continues into the interior, creating an open concept that blends seamlessly with nature.
In addition to providing plenty of natural illumination for the building, hanging plants that cover almost the whole of the warehouse's ceiling create a natural and comfortable ambience for customers. A cafe with wide openings is positioned at the entrance of the building. Although not as big as the cafe at Buduran, it still maintains the cozy and modern vibe of its counterpart, creating a design continuity between the two separate compounds.
The showroom in Buduran and warehouse in Gedangan were purposely made to ensure the ultimate comfort and appeal for customers who come to select and purchase BNB's products. To evoke the elegant and artistic characteristics of marble and granite, the buildings that represent them must be as sophisticated and stylish. This is the reason behind the appealing aesthetic of the buildings in the two Sidoarjo compounds, which successfully conveys the essence of the products offered by BNB as part of its heartfelt drive to luxury and perfection.
Project Data
Project Name
BNB Showroom & Warehouse
Location
Buduran & Gedangan, Sidoarjo, East Java
Gross Floor Area Showroom & Warehouse (Buduran):
5,000 sqm
Artstone (Buduran)
300 sqm
Factory (Gedangan)
2,650 sqm
Warehouse (Gedangan)
5,000 sqm
Owner
PT Bian Niaga Batuan (BNB)
Architecture Design
Gabrielle S. Picard
Interior Design Consultant
Mardia Cipta
Principal Designer
Monica Sutjih
Started
2007
Completed
2015