“During monsoon, the main road would be certainly got flooded. The water could rise up to 1.2-metre,” he shares. He and his team solved this problem by elevating the green area buffering the site and the main road.

This green area functions as a noise buffer, as well as provides privacy for the interior.

The orientation of the house is decidedly introverted, with doors and glazed surfaced facing an internal courtyard.

Formally trained as an architect, Budi’s creative journey started in the furniture industry as project manager for a local furniture manufacturer for the city’s high-end retail, residential and hospitality projects.

His eye for luxury interior is apparent in this house, dubbed the Ken Arok House.

The interior combines timeless furniture pieces and classic materials like wood and marble with Indonesian and Chinese motifs.

Budi opened his own interior and custom furniture label in 2001 before expanding to architectural practice in 2006 and formalising BK Interior Design & Architectural Planning in 2008.

Subtly articulated throughout the interiors are classic batik motifs, a tribute to the owners’ trade.

This door to the living space, for example, features a kawung batik motif.

This study area features rattan task chair and abstract rug that soften the clean cut aesthetic of the architecture.

Surabaya is a hot and humid city similar to Singapore. The first and second level of the house are connected by a ramp wrapped in breeze blocks with kawung batik motif.

The house, while introverted, has definitely succeeded in creating its own luxurious oasis of calm in the busy area.

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Text: Asih Jenie/Home & Decor