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

Discourse programme
Initiated by Sally Below, Moritz Henning, and Eduard Kögel
Curated by Sally Below, Moritz Henning, Eduard Kögel with Avianti Armand and Setiadi Sopandi

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Indonesia, Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek: German-trained Indonesian Architects from the 1960s examined an inspiring aspect of joint architectural history that has received little attention to date.

In 1960 and 1961, a group of young Indonesians completed their studies in Berlin and Hanover with a degree in architecture (Diplom-Ingenieur Architektur; in Indonesian: Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek). Most of these graduates returned to Indonesia. At that time, the country sought independent forms of built expression to represent a modern civil society with contemporary structures that would reflect the culture and accommodate the climate. During this highly dynamic period, those who returned soon became influential architects in their homeland. Around a third of the graduates remained in Europe, where they pursued successful architectural careers in Germany, Switzerland, or the Netherlands.

Using the final diploma projects of ten of those students as a starting point, Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek: German-trained Indonesian Architects from the 1960s provides multifaceted insights into this little-known aspect of German-Indonesian relations through an exhibition, a publication, and two symposia:

1 December 2022
Between past and future – new forms of design, construction and material cultures asked, which construction methods and material concepts can point the way to a more sustainable future today, which design strategies we need to use and reuse existing buildings – and thus our architectural heritage, and how we can combine different approaches and experiences.
With contributions by Mohammad Nanda Widyarta, Alwi R. Sjaaf, Prof. Dr. Philipp Misselwitz, Nadia Purwestri, Imma Anindyta-Hermawan, Dani Hermawan, Prof. Nanni Grau, Johannes Widodo.

15 December 2022
Narratives, archives, and knowledge transfer – making history accessible
asked, 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, and how we can improve the future if we know more about the past?
With contributions by Angeline Basuki, Leonard Maué, Paul Spies, Setiadi Sopandi, Dr.-Ing. Jo Santoso, Suryono Herlambang, Laksmi Pamuntjak, Dr. Amanda Achmadi.

The documentation your can watch here.

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