Malls and shopping centres have become, like it or not, an integral part of our urban lifestyle. Metropolitan cities in Indonesia such as Surabaya, and Jakarta,are basically flooded with this type of shopping facility. As shopping, and/or, mall-hopping has become a culture, some people actually spend all day in shopping centers, even consider them as family recreation facility!
As Moslems, we are obliged to pray 5 times daily, and for people who practically spend their entire day in malls, either as staff or visitor, this generates a need for Mushallas to …

On Islamic Architecture
January 15: Yarshater Lectures at SOAS Lecture, United Kingdom
January 16: Heritage Issues of Hampi,Conference India
January 21: Contemporary Arab American Art Exhibition, United States
January 23: Conservation of Biodiversity in Protected Areas: Opportunities and Challenges, Conference India
January 29: 11th International Conference on Humane Habitat (ICHH) 2009, Conference India

http://www.archnet.org/calendar/

Architecture has evolved from ancient time to now in many different forms and functions. One thing we have to understand that they all come from a simple understanding of ‘space’.

As New Year had just passed, which is also a form of Roman culture invested in our life, festivities are bound to take place on all earth surface; fireworks, parties, heavy conjunctions, shopping activities and so on. So, what’s this got to do with architect as a profession?

Indonesia had almost 9 million motorized vehicles in 1990, of which 70% were motorcycles and 15% were cars. The motorized vehicle fleet increased in line with the urban population. There were 5 motorized vehicles for every 100 persons in 1990. The percentage of urban households owning a non-motorized vehicle in 1989 was only slightly higher (35%) than those owning a motorized vehicle (29%). By 2015, it is forecasted that about 2.5 million cars and 1.2 million motorcycles will crowd the roads of Jabotabek.
-BPPT, 1992
Rapid increases in car and …

“It is predicted that without the 3R program, by 2012 Surabaya’s landfills will be totally paralyzed by the enormous amount of trash produced per day. Thus a zero waste solution must be devised; preferably a simple, cost-efficient, and community-based method.”
Everyone knows that trash, rubbish, garbage; whatever you want to call it, society’s refuse is a problem to practically every city in the world. A city has faced waste-related problems at least once during its existence. Failure to treat waste can lead to the genesis of an unhealthy environment, …