Villa Isola

Villa Isola is a villa building located in the northern suburb of Bandung City. Located on high ground, on the left side of the road to Lembang (Jalan Setiabudhi), this building was used by IKIP (Institute of Teacher Training and Education) Bandung, which is now the Indonesian University of Education-UPI). Villa Isola is one of the Art Deco architectural buildings that are often found in Bandung.

Villa Isola was built in 1933, owned by a Dutch journalist named Dominique Willem Berretty. Then the luxury building that was used as a residence was sold and became part of the Savoy Homann Hotel. Subsequent developments, he made the IKIP Building (now UPI) and used as a rector's office.

A special publication during the Dutch East Indies for this villa was written by Ir. W. Leimei, a Dutch architect. In this publication, Leimei said that in Batavia when urbanization began to occur, many people set up villas on the outskirts of the city in a classic architectural style but always adapted well to nature and ventilation, windows and alleys that served as solar thermal insulation. This is also shared by Villa Isola in Bandung. During the Japanese occupation, this building was used as a temporary residence of General Hitoshi Imamura before the Kalijati Agreement with the last Dutch East Indies Government in Kalijati, Subang, March 1942. The building was built by the Dutch architect who worked in the Dutch East Indies Prof. Charles Prosper Wolff Schoemaker.

This building has a modern architecture by incorporating traditional concepts with the philosophy of Javanese cosmic axis north-south as well as the Main Building of ITB and Gedung Sate. This cosmic orientation is reinforced by a park extending in front of this building that is perpendicular to the transverse axis of the building of the Tangkuban Perahu Mountain. A three-story building, with the lower floor lower than the surface of the highway, is due to its uneven topography. The surrounding area is wide open, made a garden with curved terraces following the surface of the land. The corners of the building are curved to form a quarter circle. Overall the buildings and parks are like wavy water that arises because objects fall from above, so this building is an architectural adjustment between buildings to the environment. Parts of the villa facing north and south are used for bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms; each has a wide-screened window and door, so residents can enjoy the beautiful scenery around it. This beautiful view can also be observed from the terrace which utilizes a flat roof of reinforced concrete above the third floor. In the back garden there is a pond with a pergola for orchids, roses and is equipped with a tennis court. In front of the north far apart from the main building, the service unit consists of a garage for several cars, a driver's house, a waiter, a warehouse and others. The entrance gate to this villa complex made of stone combined with iron forms a horizontal and vertical plane. After going through the gate and the asphalt road which is quite wide, there is a main entrance that is protected from heat and rain with a flat portal of reinforced concrete. Following the curves on the wall, the portal plan also curves in the form of a part of the circle on its right side. The tip of the intersection of the two arches is supported by a single column similar to the part of the Toraja house (tongkonan). After going through the main door there is a vestibule like houses in Europe in general.

Parts of the villa facing north and south are used for bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms; each has a wide-screened window and door, so residents can enjoy the beautiful scenery around it. This beautiful view can also be observed from the terrace which utilizes a flat roof of reinforced concrete above the third floor.

In the back garden there is a pond with a pergola for orchids, roses and is equipped with a tennis court. In front of the north far apart from the main building, the service unit consists of a garage for several cars, a driver's house, a waiter, a warehouse and others.

The entrance gate to this villa complex made of stone combined with iron forms a horizontal and vertical plane. After going through the gate and the asphalt road which is quite wide, there is a main entrance that is protected from heat and rain with a flat portal of reinforced concrete. Following the curves on the wall, the portal plan also curves in the form of a part of the circle on its right side. The tip of the intersection of the two arches is supported by a single column similar to the part of the Toraja house (tongkonan). After going through the main door there is a vestibule like houses in Europe in general.

This receiving room is located behind the main entrance besides functioning as a place for mantles, stick umbrellas and others as well as a transitional space between the outer space and the inner space. From the vestibule to the left and right there is a circular staircase that follows the shape of the building as a whole. This ladder continues to the roof.

Spaces as expressed on the faces of the northern (front) and south (rear) buildings are also symmetrical. The rooms are located in a corner, the wall is 1/4 circle. The bottom floor is used for recreation, children's play is equipped with a mini bar directly overlooking the back garden terrace. In addition to this section, there is also room for offices, kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.

On it is the first floor which is directly reached from the main entrance. On this floor, behind the vestibule there is a fairly large hall, the surface is slightly lower, because the stairs are made down. Then after the stairs go directly to the salon or a very spacious family room. Between the hall and salon are separated by push doors so that if needed, these two rooms can be made into a fairly large space. The window in this room also follows a circular wall so that it can freely look at the city of Bandung. The dining room is located on the left (west) of the salon. To the right (east) of the dining room there is a workspace complete with a library and a typing room in the recent (north). All rooms have wide windows except to enjoy outdoor views, as well as ventilation and sunshine channels. Opening windows, wide doors is the application of traditional conceptions that blend with nature.

The entrance gate to this villa complex made of stone combined with iron forms a horizontal and vertical plane. After going through the gate and the asphalt road which is quite wide, there is a main entrance that is protected from heat and rain with a flat portal of reinforced concrete. Following the curves on the wall, the portal plan also curves in the form of a part of the circle on its right side. The tip of the intersection of the two arches is supported by a single column similar to the part of the Toraja house (tongkonan). After going through the main door there is a vestibule like houses in Europe in general.

This receiving room is located behind the main entrance besides functioning as a place for mantles, stick umbrellas and others as well as a transitional space between the outer space and the inner space. From the vestibule to the left and right there is a circular staircase that follows the shape of the building as a whole. This ladder continues to the roof.

Spaces as expressed on the faces of the northern (front) and south (rear) buildings are also symmetrical. The rooms are located in a corner, the wall is 1/4 circle. The bottom floor is used for recreation, children's play is equipped with a mini bar directly overlooking the back garden terrace. In addition to this section, there is also room for offices, kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.

On it is the first floor which is directly reached from the main entrance. On this floor, behind the vestibule there is a fairly large hall, the surface is slightly lower, because the stairs are made down. Then after the stairs go directly to the salon or a very spacious family room. Between the hall and salon are separated by push doors so that if needed, these two rooms can be made into a fairly large space. The window in this room also follows a circular wall so that it can freely look at the city of Bandung. The dining room is located on the left (west) of the salon. To the right (east) of the dining room there is a workspace complete with a library and a typing room in the recent (north). All rooms have wide windows except to enjoy outdoor views, as well as ventilation and sunshine channels. Opening windows, wide doors is the application of traditional conceptions that blend with nature.