Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek: German-trained Indonesian Architects from the 1960s online symposium

“Narratives, archives, and knowledge transfer—making history accessible”
The title of the second symposium in the framework of Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek: German-trained Indonesian Architects from the 1960s stands for the project itself.

Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek: German-trained Indonesian Architects from the 1960s provides insight into a little-known aspect of German-Indonesian relations in the field of architecture: starting in the 1950s, a growing number of young Indonesians went to study in West Germany – with some budding architects among them. Indonesia’s independence from the former colonial power, the Netherlands, which was finally achieved with the official transfer of power in 1949, as well as the postwar period in Germany, resulted in new academic ties between the two countries.

From December 12, 2022 to January 12, 2023, an exhibition in Jakarta will give an in-depth look into the careers of the selected architects. Historical documents and previously untapped archival materials allow for an intensive examination of the work of these architects against the backdrop of their training in Europe, particularly in Germany. New photographs produced for the project depict exemplary buildings by the architects in their present-day context and raise questions about the cultural significance and future of architectural modernism in Indonesia and Germany. Launched on the 70th anniversary of German-Indonesian diplomatic relations, this project exemplifies mutual cultural appreciation and the positive force that can be achieved through academic and cultural exchange.

Online symposia open up topics raised by this collaborative endeavour to an interested public. An accompanying catalogue will be published in December 2022 (DOM Publishers).

We cordially invite you to our online symposium: Narratives, archives, and knowledge transfer—making history accessible:

Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek was developed on the basis of extensive research in private and public archives as well as numerous conversations and interviews. Many of the exhibition materials will be accessible to the public for the first time. Against this backdrop, our second symposium explores the possibilities of making historical and current discourses tangible, accessible, and useful to a broader public.

Many topics in architecture and urban planning, be they historical or contemporary, are relevant to a society, its self-image, and its cultural identity. Yet they are often discussed only in closed academic circles, if at all. Historical materials may have been archived selectively or are inaccessible to the public. This raises the question of how testimonies and knowledge from the past can be used to understand our present. How do we proceed once the material has been secured and assessed? Can we improve the future if we know more about the past?

Moderation: Amanda Achmadi, University of Melbourne, senior lecturer in Architectural Design, Architecture, Building and Planning

Welcome and introduction: Sally Below and Eduard Kögel, artistic direction Encounters with Southeast Asian Modernism, Berlin

Contributions by: 
-Avianti Armand, architect, Avianti Armand Studio, curator, architectural scholar, and Setiadi Sopandi, architect, Indra Tata Adilaras Architects, curator, architectural scholar, Jakarta
-Angeline Basuki, architect, Arsitekturindonesia.org, researcher, Jakarta Old Town Consortium, project manager, Jakarta
-Suryono Herlambang, senior researcher, Universitas Tarumanagara, Department of Architecture and Planning, Jakarta
-Leonard Maué, Federal Foreign Office of Germany, Cultural Relations Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific, Berlin
-Laksmi Pamuntjak, novelist, poet, journalist, and food writer, Jakarta
-Jo Santoso, Dr.-Ing., urban planner, architect, sociologist, member of the advisory team on National Affordable Housing Programme (NAHP), Jakarta
-Paul Spies, director, Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin

Artistic direction: Avianti Armand, Sally Below, Moritz Henning, Eduard Kögel, Setiadi Sopandi

The online symposium will be held in English via Zoom. Please register here. For detailed project information please visit here.

The project is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Indonesia.

Supporters: PT. Estica International (authorized distributor of Schuco, Technal, Vento) / PT. Romulo Nusantara Perkasa (sole distributor of Keim)

Partners: Technische Universität Berlin / Technische Universität Berlin, Architekturmuseum / Goethe Institute Jakarta