Natalia Kusumo, CEO of Commercial and Hotels at Agung Sedayu Group (Amantara), elaborates on the importance of all design aspects of a township to enhance quality of life.
STORY BY Edith Emeralda | PHOTOS BY ASG TEAM
Indonesia’s capital is poised to be relocated to Nusantara, a new city in West Kalimantan. In spite of this, Jakarta will maintain its status as the archipelago’s economic hub. Boasting a population exceeding 10 million, Jakarta stands as Southeast Asia’s most populous metropolis. Thus, discussions on master planning and urban design have gained prominence, with developments aiming to accommodate the rapidly growing population.
Setting the bar amongst major developers in the country, Agung Sedayu Group (ASG), in collaboration with its primary partner, the Salim Group, is transforming a 7,400-hectare expanse in northern Jakarta into the Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) township. This partnership endeavour involves engaging top-tier consultants in various facets of city planning, including AECOM and Witteveen Bos.
Since its inception in 2003, PIK has evolved into a vibrant township featuring residential, commercial, educational, hospitality, and recreational zones, alongside supporting amenities. Positioned along Jakarta Bay’s extensive coastline, PIK boasts scenic vistas and advantageous land features. The Long Island residential and commercial area, for example, lies strategically on the waterfront bordered with a white-sand beach. Bisected by canals and waterways, residents and visitors can enjoy an active seafaring lifestyle just a hop away from the Thousand Islands system.
However, being formerly marshlands by the open seas, ecological priorities come to the forefront to ensure the health of a livable town. To care for mangrove forest at the Angke area, ASG has a longstanding partnership with the State Forestry Public Company (Perhutani). This collaboration continues to another mangrove forests at the Teluk Naga area, ensuring its healthy growth to protect the coast while providing ecotourism at the River Safari. Other than managing existing natural resources, the company also strives to implement green values throughout its practices.
“The first successful green project we have is Central Market PIK, which is a community hub located on Golf Island PIK. Built during the COVID-19 pandemic era, this project saw no shortage of challenges either from internal or external parties,” said Natalia Kusumo, CEO of Commercials and Hotels at ASG (Amantara). Central Market PIK utilises plenty of greeneries and gardens throughout the building although it means sacrificing sellable spaces. These plants work in tandem with a cross ventilation system to cool the main public areas without any air conditioning units.
“At first, some visitors who are used to malls with AC find it difficult to adjust. They have since come to enjoy the atmosphere at a comfortable temperature and appreciate a greener lifestyle.” Thus, Amantara worked together with PTI Architects, Bitte Design Studio, and Eco Mantra, to ensure that each aspect fulfils the sustainable criteria. Their hard work has paid off with Central Market becoming the first retail building in Indonesia to earn the EDGE Advanced Green from International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Natalia and her teams at Amantara, in charge of curating and managing travel destinations, hotels, and commercial spaces around the PIK area, now turn their focus to make Orange Groves a greener destination. Opened earlier this year as a community hub part of the Greenbelt PIK2 ecosystem, the Orange Groves neighbourhood sits right by the Tahang River and provide a different semi-outdoor experience. Working with A+A Architecture, the overall masterplan here followed the layout of small towns in Italy, where the shops cluster organically among natural features with a chapel in the centre of the plaza.
“We also installed green roofs for the buildings at Orange Groves, which is quite challenging since it’s never been done before on such a big scale,” Natalia said. “We have to learn from experts in Singapore and import the materials, quite a pricey and time-consuming undertaking but worth the effort to keep our sustainable commitment.” Up next, Amantara is building Orange Groves Cabin in the compound, a curated boutique property managed by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. There is also a mid- rise residential planned, Orange Groves Residential, consisting of two- and three-bedroom units.
With much excitement for the project, Natalia shared that “this is our first residential project where we highlight the spirit to create a better life. From our projects in the PIK area, we aim to improve the livelihood of the people around us, support the creative economy industry, and create more job opportunities for the people in the surrounding areas.
In Natalia’s words, “Our successes at Amantara and Agung Sedayu Group reflect the successes of the community around us. We are committed to fostering a better quality of life, supporting local economies, as well as creating sustainable and thriving communities.”