Kelvin Thengono, the founder of K-Thengono Design Studio, is a Jakarta-based architect with international experience in the architecture industry. He sees architectural design as a response to a specific site whilst crafting delightful spatial experiences. His tactfulness and holistic approach define the studio’s core values in providing creative solutions to design challenges. Thengono has engaged in various project types, from custom residences and hospitality to commercial offices and healthcare institutions.
INTERVIEW BY Iman Hidajat | PROJECT PHOTOS BY Mario Wibowo
The structure of the house on v-shaped stilts that you designed is very iconic compared to others in the surrounding area in North Jakarta. What was the design process for this house?
The design process begins with analysis. Before we started designing the house, we discussed the condition of the site with the owner. This particular residence has had the same owner for over twenty years. Technically, the owner understood the site better than my team and I, even though we conducted our analysis.
The owner provided valuable input from the start, informing us about the flooding, the location of the embankment, and how the previous house relied on a pump to remove water. Apart from creating a beautiful design, we had to address many challenges.
From our analysis, we developed a suitable concept for this project and ultimately decided on the V-shape stilt design for the house.
You must have visualised the design in your mind. Was using the V-shaped stilt the only idea to elevate the house?
I wouldn’t say it’s the only way to do it, but I felt it was the most suitable concept for this project. The term ‘V-stilt’ is just a name. Why use the letter ‘V’? I wanted to reduce the number of columns by lifting the house with a V-shaped stilt. By lifting the house, we created high-quality space, good ventilation, and, most importantly, a better concept to avoid flooding in north Jakarta.
How do you protect the privacy of the house?
When we designed it, we considered privacy from the start. We looked at the orientation: the front façade faces mostly west, so we rotated it slightly. The back façade, facing the canal, is open water with no house on the opposite side. We also built walls to create privacy from the neighbours.
Because of the house’s oval and panoramic shapes with glass and a stronger indoor-outdoor connection, the owner does not feel like she’s living in a glass house. We extended the cantilever so that in the morning, the sun could enter, but after ten o’clock, the house is shaded.
What was the owner’s initial reaction when they first saw your design?
When we presented the design, the owner asked for some time to process it because it was not something she had imagined. However, she was very supportive throughout the design process and up to the point it was built. In the end, she was very happy with the final result.
The newly designed house is different from both the one they used to live in and the surrounding neighbours’ houses. The old house didn’t have a strong connection to the water, so we took this opportunity to connect the house to the canal. Has it changed the owner’s living experience? Yes, it has.