Architecture Critic Bianpoen?s Book Launching

In addition to the book launching, a discussion regarding Bianpoen?s critical thinking was held. Three Bianpoen?s colleagues who also are architecture experts attended the discussion as reviewers. They were Prof. Gunawan Tjahjono, M.Arch., Ph.D., Dr. Ir. Darrundono, M.Sc., and Han Awal, Dipl. -Ing, IAI. The event was also attended by Bianpoen?s wife and daughter also students and UPH colleagues.

Han Awal and Darrundono were mentioned as the two people who had the most crucial contribution in the book making. ?The book is full of critics and I learn it from these people,? said Bianpoen. Working for 23 years in Urban Development Division in DKI Jakarta Government has enriched his experience and critical thinking. During his work, he discovered many sufferings in the community hidden by the government. This situation encouraged him to keep criticizing in order to create a better environment.

Like-minded, Darrundono said, ?there is no good layout if there is no good government.? The experts? concern about the urban poor produced harsh criticisms. Sustainable environment became the primary concern regarding the urban poor.

In architecture, idea and design will produce public policy. This policy should not have harmful effect. Development should preserve the role of environment. These keynotes were also emphasized by Darrundono in the discussion.

Han Awal considered Bianpoen as ?nation?s teacher.? Han Awal who was also criticized several times by Bianpoen admitted that he learned from the criticism. In developing construction, keeping the continuity of living environment is very crucial. Gunawan, one of Bianpoen?s students, mentioned that Bianpoen was a respected figure.

In the end of the discussion, Bianpoen underlined the importance of architecture?s basic environmental ethics. To him, ethics was defined as how we position ourselves in front of other people who are different from us. This definition also works in architecture. (dee)

UPH Media Relations