Adaptive reuse for Dutch East Indies colonial building: Connecting identity, memory and social media in De Tjolomadoe

Abstract

The heritage buildings from Dutch colonial period in Indonesia had sustained transformation in pursuit to survive. Formerly space designed for the activity needs at that time, changed the architectural and interior functions into commercial space. Despite the fact that the shape of the building does not change, the function transformation is required since it must be adapted to today needs as the changes of time. In De Tjolomadoe, the role of colonial building is revitalized, which consumers can enjoy even though it means altering the meaning of origin. This new settings become popular visual backgrounds to occupied the needs of self-actualization in social media. Consumers that were born from the present day, are trying to feel the sensation of moving to the past through colonialism atmosphere. There were changes in the identity space, exploration of memory in the development of social media makes this building continues to survive and sustainable. This research focused on how transformation is taking place on conservation building's identity when it is converted into a commercial space and why this change is accepted by society.