HDS on IAWKL 2024

Hartono Design Syndicates (HDS) is excited to be participating in Indonesian Architects Week Kuala Lumpur (IAWKL), which will run from November 14th to 24th, 2024. This prestigious event is a huge opportunity for Indonesian architects to showcase their work to an international audience. Coinciding with the larger World Congress of Architects, organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA), IAWKL brings together the brightest minds in architecture and design, offering a global platform to share ideas and innovations. Past editions have been held in prominent cities like Tokyo in 2011, Seoul in 2017, and Rio de Janeiro in 2021, further establishing IAW’s reputation as a leading event in the architectural world.

For the 2024 edition, Kuala Lumpur takes center stage, aligning with the UIA International Forum. This year’s theme, Equatorial Synaesthesia, hosted by LABO. and curated by Rizki Supratman and Trianzani Sulshi in collaboration with NUSAE, invites architects to explore how sensory experiences—sight, sound, touch, and even smell—interact with spatial design, highlighting the ways in which architecture can evoke emotional responses and create deeper connections with the environment. The event will feature the work of 72 architects, including HDS, who have all crafted unique responses to this multifaceted theme.

The HDS team has been diligently preparing for months, honing the project titled The Revitalization of Lapangan Merdeka. This project not only ties into the theme of Equatorial Synaesthesia, but also addresses real-world issues by focusing on revitalizing one of Indonesia’s historic urban spaces. Lapangan Merdeka, a public square that has long been a part of Indonesia’s cultural and social fabric, has gradually lost its significance over the last few decades due to increasing commercialization and the pressures of urbanization. HDS’s project aims to reinvigorate this space, preserving its historical importance while updating it to meet the needs of modern urban life.

The journey to prepare for IAWKL began in July 2024, when the team first began discussing their submission. Since then, they’ve gone through a rigorous process, including design refinements, creating prototypes, and producing detailed scale models and visualizations. The focus has been on how to engage the senses, ensuring that their work speaks not just to the eyes, but also to the touch and the auditory experience. Collectively, HDS and the curatorial team are pushing the boundaries of architectural design to create something that visitors can fully immerse themselves in, drawing out emotional responses through thoughtful interaction with the space.

The exhibition itself will be held at The Godown in Kuala Lumpur, an industrial venue that has been transformed into a vibrant arts and cultural space. The raw, creative energy of the venue perfectly complements the innovative projects that will be on display. For HDS, this space provides the ideal environment to present their vision for The Revitalization of Lapangan Merdeka, as the industrial, yet creative, atmosphere mirrors the project’s balance of history and modernity.

At the heart of HDS’s project is the idea of reimagining Lapangan Merdeka as an integrated urban space that not only honors its historical significance but also aligns with the contemporary city’s evolving dynamics. This is especially relevant following the revitalization of Kesawan old town, a project that has sparked conversations about how historic urban areas can be rejuvenated without losing their cultural essence. HDS’s approach to Lapangan Merdeka focuses on urban heritage conservation, urban design, and innovative architecture. Their strategies address not only the physical aspects of the space, such as the urban landscape and aesthetics, but also the socio-cultural and socio-economic dimensions that are essential to creating a vibrant, functional public space in the heart of a modern city.

By engaging with the theme of Equatorial Synaesthesia, HDS is taking a holistic approach to design—one that considers the tropical climate, the flow of people through the space, and the ways in which architecture can stimulate the senses and create lasting emotional connections. Their project is about more than just revitalizing a historic square; it’s about creating a space that resonates with people on multiple levels, blending the past with the present and offering a vision for the future of urban spaces in equatorial regions.

Participation in IAWKL 2024 marks a significant milestone for HDS, not only in terms of showcasing their work on an international platform but also in contributing to important conversations about the role of architecture in shaping urban environments. Through this project, HDS continues its journey of innovation, demonstrating a commitment to pushing the boundaries of design while staying true to their roots in cultural preservation and urban revitalization.