R-House by Budi Pradono

Cooling pools of water and trees line corridors and rooms inside an Indonesian house by architects Budi Pradono.

Located in the city of Depok, the two-storey R-House steps up from the street to the garden behind, where it surrounds a private terrace and swimming pool.

The glazed elevations that face this rear garden are wrapped by concrete that curves from the floor around to the roof.

This roof is covered by grass and punctured by holes, through which the trees emerge.

Rooms inside the house are partitioned by stone walls and perforated metal screens.

These screens also provide shade below skylights that cover indoor courtyards.

At the lowest level of the house is a sheltered driveway that is accessed from the street and enclosed by metal gates with integrated plant pots.

Indonesian architects Budi Pradono also recently designed a leaning house for Jakarta that we published earlier this week - see the story here.

Other houses on Dezeen designed around trees include an Australian residence surrounding elm and willow trees and a Japanese house with a central garden.

Photography is by FX Bambang SN.

Here’s some more information from the architects:

R-House, Depok Indonesia by Budi Pradono architects

How the house does have a new relation with the nature? Not a rigid segregation. Should we plant trees outside the house?

How if we plant trees inside the house? And become inseparable part from spaces inside the house.

How if the house’ roofs have a new role as a CO2 producer? Or green garden that reduce heat?

Cohabitation is the main theme of this design of the house in which in the front side directly connecting to the neighbor and surrounding environment, this building is only in the form of verandah/porch such as local traditional house, in which people can make social interaction more easily.

In the rear side of building where the family gets together, its façade is made more fluid, unfolding.

Its interior has special relations to the nature, outdoor and indoor has new relations. Bathroom is designed wider and more comfortable to remain using gadget as communication device.

Since the homeowner has an adventurous hobby then the entire building has a water element both outside and inside the building, as the reflecting pond to the swimming pool.

Shadow becomes a tool to indicate movement from one room to another room. It is shown perforated metal and with local pours stone. So the natural lighting from the sun can go into the house at all times with the intensity and different direction.

Three large trees planted in the house to demonstrate a new spirit of closeness with nature.

Project title: R-House
Client: R A
Location: Tanah Baru, Depok
Design Stage: September 2008 - March 2009
Construction Stage: April 2009 - June 2011

Architect: Budi Pradono
Architect firm: Budi Pradono Architects
Project Architect in Chief: Budi Pradono
Architect Assistants: Adhi Wibowo, Anton Suryono Adryan Fernando Hutagaol, Rina Nur Aisah, Adam M Prana
Assistant Archictects Support: Angga Setia Kurniawan, Silmi Cahya Pradini, Maria Olivia Sohuat, Yegar Adi Shakti, Ajay Misty, Ian Flood, Primaldi Perdana

Model Maker: Daryanto
Structure Engineering: Suhartoyo, PT. Toyo Chaya Konstruksi
MEP Consultant EngineerL Imam, PT. Metrik Tata Sarana
Landscape Design: Heri Syaefudin, Gon ku Landscape
MEP Cotractor: ADi Jaya Tekmik