Revitalization of Colonial Buildings as Community Centre: Case study of the Former Radio Cililin Building, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

The historical remnants of the former Cililin Radio Transmitter area comprise the Cililin Radio Transmitter Building and the remnants of the Transformer Building, which served as tangible artifacts from the Dutch colonial era when it functioned as a radio transmission station. These remnants hold profound historical and archaeological significance, representing a bygone communication technology era. Cililin Radio Transmitter Building is interwoven with pivotal historical events, including the sovereignty transfer from the Netherlands to Indonesia in the Cililin region, and marks the inception of SMA N 1 Cililin (State Senior High School 1 Cililin). These structures' condition and surroundings were neglected, rendering them susceptible to deterioration. This led to the restoration and revitalization of this area to safeguard its historical value and make it accessible to the community. This design research aims to revitalize the former area. Cililin Radio Transmitter is a community center, where the process begins with studies related to revitalization to obtain design parameters that can be applied to the case. Therefore, this research and design will transform the former Cililin Radio Transmitter Area into a vibrant community center. A creative metaphorical approach was employed, which ensured the preservation of the buildings, amplification of the historical essence of the site, and the provision of community-oriented facilities. A qualitative method was used to analyze the objects through field surveys connected with literature related to revitalization and metaphorical architecture. The results showed that the adaptation and addition of new functions to the study objects rejuvenated the environment and accommodated the community's social activities.