Historical Research about Kompleks DPR/MPR RI

Terryna Safira (1806228505)

Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, 16424, Indonesia

Abstract

On March 8, 1965 President Soekarno issued Presidential Decree Number 48/1965 which
assigned the Minister of Public Works and Labor (PUT) Soeprajogi to carry out the construction
of the Political Venues project in Jakarta. The giant project must have been done before August
17, 1966. This means that only 17 months left to complete the construction of the giant. The
building that will be built uses the philosophy of the form of the aircraft, a very thick taste with
the Soekarno’s taste of the time. The building built to show our people and nation that our nation
is not a spectator of civilization, but a perpetrator of civilization. This essay is questioning the
significance of this building to the socio-political history of Indonesia.

Recent condition of the building; Source:

https://kbr.id/nasional/11-
2017/pekan_ini_kementerian_pu_selesaikan_analisa_gedun
g_dpr_lama/93593.html
I. Introduction

The Kompleks DPR / MPR RI building was built by Sukarno's order. This building is
proof of Sukarno's efforts to build an organization against the United Nations. Originally
intended for the holding of the Conference of the New Emerging Forces (Conefo). The
Conference of the New Emerging Forces (CONEFO) was President Soekarno's idea to
form a new bloc of power consisting of developing countries to rival the two previous bloc
powers (the Soviet Union Block and the United States Block). To realize the CONEFO
project, a building complex was built near Gelora Senayan, which at that time received
assistance from, among others (Aryono,2019)

II. Research Method

From the previous description it can be seen that this building has a big
significancy on Indonesia, especially in the history of social politics. Therefore, in this
historical research process, the data digging4data method will be used from
questioning the research purpose, then to sort the data, making analysis based on
the findings and draw conclusions. To start with, the analytical question is; what is
the influence of this building on social politics in Indonesia?

III. Literature Study

II.I. Conference of the New Emerging Forces (CONEFO)

The Conference of the New Emerging Forces (CONEFO) was President

Soekarno's idea to form a new bloc power consisting of developing countries to rival
the two previous bloc powers (the Soviet Union Block and the United States Block).
For this purpose, a building complex near Gelora Senayan was built which received
assistance, among others, from the People's Republic of China. Before the August
17, 1966 speech, Bung Karno declared his dream; in the
magnificent Conefo Building, then after being used
for Conefo, it can be used for other purposes. The
conference has not yet been held and the building
 is now used as the DPR / MPR Building. CONEFO consists of four countries
Indonesia, China, North Korea, and North Vietnam.

UN, " Conefo" (conference for emerging powers) walked again several hundred students demonstratively
away. The President wanted Conefo definitely continue. Source : https://www.delpher.nl/,
http://repositori.dpr.go.id/

On March 8, 1965 President

Soekarno issued Presidential
Decree Number 48/1965 which
assigned the Minister of Public
Works and Labor (PUT)
Soeprajogi to carry out the
construction of the Political
Venues project in Jakarta. The
giant project must have been

This letter, dated March 17, 1965, is one of those left from done before August 17, 1966.
Conefo; Source: jpnn.com This means that only 17 months

left to complete the construction of the giant. Soeprajogi

then released a ministerial regulation which contained the
mobilization of "all funds and resources so that
development can be completed within the stipulated
deadline, ie before August 17, 1966". Before the DPR,
Bung Karno declared his dream After the presentation, a
team from the Department of Public Works and Electric

. Source:
http://herikyarch11.blogspot.com/2012/06/soejoedi-
wirjoatmodjo.html
 Power led by Sujudi Wirjoatmodjo, architect of Technische Universitat, West Berlin was
appointed as the executive.

II.II Gerakan 30 September 1965 (G30S)

The building which layed its first stone on 19 April

1965 was planned to be completed on 31 July 1966.
"... I gave the order to brother Ir. Sutami to accelerate
the construction of the Conefo Building. Previously, I
ordered the construction to be completed on August
19 this year, and I ordered it to be accelerated to July
31 this year, "said President Soekarno in a friendly
first pillar placement: Source :
manner with employees of the Conefo Project http://repositori.dpr.go.id/
(Kopronef) Command at the State Palace, Jakarta,
However, Construction stopped because of the events
of G30S

In this piece of newspaper, stated that the “….The larges project, the Conefo complex is
stopped, which was started last year with financial and technical assistance from Communist
China. However, Chinese aid has been withdrawn after the
failed coup attempt in October. A newspaper has written
that completing the half-done work would cost $ 18 million
($ 65 million). Another costly project is the trade center
opposite hotel Indonesia. The 24-storey steel construction
is now rusting.”

On November 9, 1966, Soeharto, as chairman of the

Ampera Cabinet Presidium, instructed him to continue the
De Volkskrant 02-06-1966; Source:
Conefo building project, but its designation would become
a parliament building. Started from this period, this complex
called Kompleks DPR/MPR. This decision was taken after
the GR DPR building renovation project in Banteng Field
was stopped. The Minister of Public Works translated Suharto's instructions by disbanding the
New Emerging Force Project Command and forming an implementing body called the DPR /
MPR RI Building Construction Project.

Ceremony in 1966

Roof construction

Construction process; Source:http://repositori.dpr.go.id/111/4/GEDUNG%20MPR%20DPR%20RI

%20Sejarah%20dan%20Perkembangannya_3.pdf

Gradually, building construction was completed and submitted to the DPR Secretariat
General: Main Conference Building in March 1968, Secretariat Building and Health Hall Building
(March 1978), Auditorium Building (September 1982), and Banquet Building (February 1983).
The name of the building which all use English then changed using Sansekerta Language:
Grahatama, Lokawirabasha Tama, Librarian, Grahakarana, and Samania Sasanagraha.

II.III 1998 Riot

In 1998, the DPR / MPR building was occupied by students, and the New Order
collapsed. All things that smelled of the New Order began to be sued. Including the dominance
of Javanese. Some time later, there were proposals from DPR / MPR members to change the
names of the buildings and rooms. "I propose a change and simplification of the name of the
meeting room in the DPR building," wrote Salim Said, who at the beginning of the reform
became a member of the MPR Workers' Body.

Salim Said then made and circulated a petition regarding the change of name. After
collecting nearly 300 signatures of MPs, he submitted the petition to Afif Ma'roef, the DPR /
MPR secretary general, in September 1998. According to Afif Ma'roef, the proposed change of
name has been sparked since the membership of the DPR / MPR for the 1992/1997 period. "It's
been proposed, it's just not responded too much, so just let it go," Afif told the Panji Society
published in 1999.
 The DPR leadership meeting on 18 November 1998 decided to form a Team to Change
the Names of the MPR / DPR RI Building led by Wakli Chairperson of the Parliament Korkesra
Fatimah Achmad. The team immediately works. The last meeting on December 14, 1998,
decided to approve the renaming of the DPR / MPR buildings. So, buildings using Sanskrit also
changed: Grahatama became Nusantara Building, Lokawirasabha Tama (Nusantara I Building),
Ganagraha (Nusantara II Building), Lokawirasabha (Nusantara III Building), Pustakaloka
(Nusantara IV Building), Grahakarana (Nusantara Building) V), Samania Sasanagraha (DPR RI
Secretariat General Building), and Graha Mechanics (Mechanical Building). Changes also occur
in the name of the room, which is enough to call the courtroom or faction room, commission,
and plenary.

Current building naming; Source :

https://www.indoplaces.com/mod.php?
mod=indonesia&op=view_region&regid=1904
IV. Findings and Analysis

2 3

2
 3

View from under

the hallway
Main conference building Secretariat Building

Auditorium

Banquet Building

Original Picture (Siteplan,

Perspective, and 3D Model) ; Source
:http://repositori.dpr.go.id/111/3/GED
UNG%20MPR%20DPR%20RI
%20Sejarah%20dan
%20Perkembangannya_2.pdf

Taken with drone in

Illustrated siteplan in 1994 1972
 Conference building’s main room
interior

Soejoedi's
design was inspired by the shape of the parliament
building in Brazil by Oscar Niemeyer's design that uses a
roof of a shell. In the process, the team he headed failed to
make a perfect model of the shell. Its divided form actually
attracted his attention, and became the main building of
the conference that exists today.

Source: https://followmyblogdotcom.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/brazilian-national-congress-oscar-niemeyer/

In the book Opening the Veil of the Soejoedi Architect, The design of the MPR-DPR
Building, known as the people's house,
seems to have been thought through
deeply. It is quite futuristic and its
architectural form is very prominent, with its
color remaining unchanged. Apparently the
decision to saw the dome actually gave
birth to a new idea with a dome like a wing.
Sutami who did the technical calculations
also decided, the dome model could be
accounted for and construction was not
problematic. There are many wild
interpretations if people can say
inconsequentially about the dome shape of the DPR Building. This wild interpretation is refuted
when referring to the book MPR-DPR RI Building History and Development written by Budhi A
Sukada, Julius Pour and Hilmi Syatria. It was said, the dome was designed because of an
'accident' because until the deadline, it had not yet been decided for the building dome. Do you
use a half-spherical dome roof or a part of the ball (tin ball). Until the day before the mockups
were handed over, the dome had still not broken. Soejoedi with his team like Ir. Sutami and Ir
Nurpontjo thought hard. Nurpontjo then printed mockups for the dome using a simple tool, a
cauldron for making pancakes. However, after making a number of prints the results, it is still
perforated.Soejoedi with a half despair then sawed off the shape of the plastic dome to get a
smooth print with the intention to be selected and then can be combined.

Based on the design, the longest planning process happened in the structural aspects.
This structure will produce the same principle as making wings attached to the fuselage, using
the principle of a cantilever structure. Sutami can even guarantee, even with a stretch of 100
meters, the shape and structure can still be accounted for. The parts that will function as
fuselage are two concrete arcs that are built side by side and meet at one peak point. (Pratiwi,
2016)
 From the explanation, the
structure of a pair of
concrete arcs with one
meeting point must then be
passed into the earth, to be
able to distribute the
burden. This kind of
structure is a very sturdy
and stable unit, so that later
it can be burdened with
wings measuring twice half
a concrete dome. The
addition can also form the
main building roofs such as
Garuda bird wings. The
construction of the DPR-
MPR building was also built
in 1965 and completed in
1968. As a result, the roof
of the building still looks
iconic and sturdy after more
than 48 years of age.

Source:
http://repositori.dpr.go.id/111/4/
GEDUNG%20MPR%20DPR%20RI
%20Sejarah%20dan
%20Perkembangannya_3.pdf

IV.II Architecture style

As explained before, in the year 197 to 1990 foreign investment and economic growth;
the large construction boom brought major changes to Indonesian cities, including the
replacement of the early twentieth style with the end of the modern and postmodern style of the
urban development boom continuing in the 21st century and forming several skyscrapers in
Indonesian cities. Many new buildings are coated with shiny glass surfaces to reflect the tropical
sun. Architectural style which is influenced by the development of international style architecture
or it can be called post-colonialism architecture in Indonesia.

In the book (Sumalyo, Yulianto, 2005), identifies three different principles of International
style in Indonesia: the expression of volume rather than mass, the balance of symmetry of
prejudice and the omission of building ornaments, asymmetrical shapes, cabbage or all its sides
in composition, and the unity of forms, building elements of windows, walls, roofs, etc. merging
in building composition that the writer including Kompleks DPR/MPR RI into one of them.

Asymmetrical shapes

Volume rather mass

 Unity of forms
Source: http://www.arsitekturindonesia.org/arsip/proyek/detail?oid=30

In several literature people often classified it more

to modern architecture. While, modern architectural style in Indonesia was actually emerged as
an international style that has quite similarities in all places, all countries. At least, the modern
style still carries the function of space as a starting point for design. In Indonesia, modern style
is seen as a style where the function of space is also the starting point of design.
V. Conclusion

To answer the research’s question, this building do have influence the socio-politic in
indonesian history. Starting from the reason why it was built, until the name of each rooms
that were being criticized because they only represent a certain group, namely Java due to
the use of sansekerta language. This research can describe the difficulty of analyzing the
philosophical of a building in Indonesia in accordance with the values that we believe. Since,
even in the post-colonial era the indonesian architectural identity in this building only hitched
the historical value (menumpang sejarah) of what the activities carried out in the building
were instead of having the nation's philosophical values in building design. This is the
debate so far is at the level of identity representation architecture (and the tendency to stay
away from identity politics). Despite the Indonesian is very familiar with language symbol
and respect for figurity, so that very easy to be influenced by power through imaging and
representation. So, the question "what is this building identity? 'is not very important to
debated, but the purpose and background emergence that needs attention so can benefit
the community represented and did not sacrifice the group another identity. Going forward,
approach multicultural (Bhineka) that can unite (Tunggal Ika) needs to be taken into
consideration.

To sum up, Kompleks DPR/MPR RI has significance in being a place for several
important events in Indonesia's socio-political history. However, the design of this building
does not yet symbolize the philosophy of the parliament that uses the building. Therefore, it
is the responsibility of city residents and citizens for presenting architectural processes in
the future to not only rely on ratios, but also presents 'taste' and 'awareness' of social politics
which happen around citizen. Building architectural identity in favor of the interests
humanity, environment, social and culture is also part of build civilization in Indonesia.

VI. References

Atmadji, Parmono. “Inaugural Speech: Arsitektur Dan Pengembangannya Di Indonesia “. In

Kumpulan Pidato Pengukuhan Guru Besar Dosen & Alumni, edited by Ratna E.S. B.
Setiawan, Maulidina D.K.D, 19. Department of Architecture and Planning, Gadjah Mada
University: Yogyakarta, 1981
Kusno, Abidin. Di Balik Pascakolonial: Arsitektur, ruang kota dan budaya politik di
Indonesia. Airlangga University Press, 2006.

“Modernisme Dan Arsitektur Indonesia.” Surabaya Post, 13 November 1986, 107. —.

Pasang Surut Arsitektur Di Indonesia Surabaya: CV Arjun, 1988 – revised edition 2008.

WHEN WEST MEETS EAST: One Century of Architecture in Indonesia (1890s–

1990s) Archived 28 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Josef Prijotomo, 1996, Surabaya,
Indonesia