K-Thengono Bring Nature Elements Back Into the City Through NORU

Today, buildings are getting taller, infrastructure is growing, and the human population is increasing. As a result, the ecosystem is increasingly threatened, for example, the air quality is deteriorating due to the lack of green open space. Located in South Jakarta, NORU by K-Thengono appears as if it is the answer to environmental concerns that are taking place in the capital.

NORU is a lounge and garden space that rises to the hotel's roof that accommodates a restaurant and bar. NORU itself means "to sit on" which is an inspiration where visitors can gather with friends or a place to meet business partners while enjoying the view of the city of Jakarta filled with skyscrapers.

Jakarta is a destination for people in the process of reaching their dreams, offering an unhealthy lifestyle due to poor air quality due to pollution and little green open space. Thus, the project has the vision to bring elements of nature back into the city and provide an ecosystem that helps clean up air pollution at the same time.

This 250m² space provides covered seating, a bar, a semi-outdoor area, and a garden that displays a view of the capital's skyline. The overlapping area functions as a shelter from the rain and a space shield from the hot sun is used as a construction structure. However, the team arranged the fields in such a way as to create different heights that allow sunlight to enter the semi-outdoor space.

The aesthetic appearance of NORU is accentuated by the overhead plane while helping to define the topographical hierarchy of the seating blocks. The seating hierarchy is intentionally placed at a different height from the wooden deck platform. They are intertwined with beautiful plants placed in between. Thus, the interior of this restaurant establishes a harmonious relationship between soft scape and hardscape through the combination of using a subtle blend of natural stone, wood, plants, and trees in a special area. All these components become a harmony that complements the hotel roof garden.

Besides playing a role in helping to clean air pollution and providing green open spaces, NORU also upholds local values ​​while promoting domestically made products. The importance of using local Indonesian materials is shown in designs; Bengkirai hardwood will be used as a decorative accent from Kalimantan, wall coverings from Mount Merapi's lava stone, and all the furniture is made in Jepara--known as a center for furniture and woodcraft production.

Through NORU, K-Thengono has won awards in the International Interior Design Award 2020 on Architecture Press Release and the 2021 Architizer A+Awards Popular Choice Winner in the Bars & Wineries category.