Project Description

The designers were required to program and design an official residence for an Indonesian member of the United Nations. The residence is located North of the United Nations in the Upper East Side neighborhood at 4 East 75th Street. The home consists of five floors, a cellar, and a rear terrace/garden. In identifying the client for this project, the designer has the dual responsibility of recognizing the unique function of an official residence and considering the family’s particular needs. The designer has to accommodate all user groups of the space, including those who will live, visit, and work there. The residence must include a private residence as well as a public space for events and for people to visit. Consider all who will live there, starting with the head of the household, partners, children, caregivers, and others who live under the same roof. 

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Concept

The concept for the Indonesian consulate is highly influenced by the repetition of islands, natural elements of greenery and woods, and the beliefs and ideas shared among the citizens of Indonesia. The design’s intent is not to mimic the organicness of these islands and the natural environment, but to use that idea of repetition within the home. Alongside components that were abstracted from traditional Indonesian design, it was also important to use design concepts from traditional Western designs as well. The repetitions seen within the home will emphasize biophilic experiences in conjunction with indoor-outdoor living. This will further emphasize that the consulate is their home away from home.