Culture not only exists in the realm of humanities but also exists, even in architecture disciplines. Culture can affect the way a building is made and how it is decorated. Oftentimes, a building comprises more than just a culture, it can also be a fusion between contrasting cultures. However, does it often get translated correctly? Or interpreted correctly in a way that both cultures or multiple cultures are equal?

The idea of culture in architecture is that the building could have its own identity that marks its own uniqueness than the rest of the building around it or something similar. If, you fancy to understand how it shapes architecture, there is a good read from re-thinking future How does culture shape Architecture . That article is going to give you more ideas on ways culture shapes and contributes to architecture discipline.

A few months ago, I was staying at a place called La Casa. At glance, after hearing the name, I thought it would have a south american vibe or Spain atmosphere. I even heard from acquaintances that this small hotel is having a Scandinavian aesthetic which is a current interior design trend in Indonesia . So, a few ideas came to mind, it would be cozy and would have some accents of wood. I wasn’t entirely wrong except that it was actually a fusion between Mediterranean and Indonesian architecture as their website mentioned.

Amidst a bustling street of yogyakarta, La Casa is a hidden spot waiting to be discovered. It was specially in a business district and hidden among storey houses and stores. You could miss the entrance to the alley if you are not too careful in following the google map instruction. Though you’d think that the place is small, it is actually quite spacious. The parking lot could handle up to about 12 cars with a few motorbikes.

Right after passing through the alleyway, there will be a humble lobby with a logo of La Casa. Blue and White are the palette of this place, which I will show you soon. The lobby doesn’t even make it look like it’s a hotel rather an actual home. I think that is the way the place lives up to its name, making the guests feel like they are at home.

The pool wasn’t like the bali vibe pool. It was a rectangular mid-sized swimming pool surrounded by some small palm trees. There wasn’t any frangipani in sight which often is the market of bali vibe as I have mentioned in my other posts. The pool is also decorated with some tables and chairs that are unlike many bali vibe places where they only have shades and loungers.

Right after I was shown into my room, I was wondering is this really a Scandinavian design like others told me? Is it really meditteranean like the website told me?. Upon checking out some Mediterranean interior design and hotels, I could say that it fits the bill. The color palette and the sleek look of the room made it feel more Mediterranean than a Scandinavian color palette. In my opinion, Scandinavian color palette is more about white with gray and often combined with black. Meanwhile the Mediterranean look often consists of white and blue just like some famous places such as santorini.

And now, the part that got me wondering is the Indonesian influence on it. I could say that the chair that is located outside the room could be the representation of Indonesia in that building. Such chairs are common in Indonesian houses.

Another thing that seems to represent the country is the additional pictures about the city. Though I don’t think it was really adding anything more than just a decoration. Since the room is full mediterranean and doesn’t have any slight indonesian touch on it. I think this whole fusion was not a balanced one, where the mediterranean is more apparent than the other. But we could still appreciate that it tries its best to balance between the two cultures.

Mac's Pinmapple Travel List

Don't hesitate to upvote for more content like this !

---