In 1960 and 1961 a group of young Indonesians completed their studies in Berlin and Hanover
with a degree in architecture (Diplom-Ingenieur Architektur in Indonesian: Dipl.-Ing.
Arsitek). Most of these graduates returned to Indonesia. At that time the country sought
independent forms of built expression to represent a modern civil society with contemporary
structures that would reflect the culture and accommodate the climate. During this highly
dynamic period those who returned soon became influential architects in their homeland. Around
a third of the graduates remained in Europe where they pursued successful architectural
careers in Germany Switzerland or the Netherlands. Using the final diploma projects of ten of
those students as a starting point Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek: German-trained Indonesian Architects
from the 1960s provides multifaceted insights into this little-known aspect of
German-Indonesian relations. Many of the cited plans and documents come from the architects'
personal archives and are now available to the public for the first time. Fifteen exemplary
buildings are documented in their current context in new photographs produced for this project
highlighting their unique characteristics and qualities.
