DDG Celebrates Opening of Indonesian Project
It’s a great feeling to wrap up a major project, one Baltimore-based DDG must be reveling in right now. Representatives from the internationally renowned design, planning, architecture, and graphics company have just come back from Indonesia after the soft opening of the firm’s latest project, the 646,000-square-foot Grand Metropolitan mall.
Grand Metropolitan “is already well on its way to becoming a visually dynamic and experientially engaging new regional retail destination,” according to Ahsin Rasheed, Chairman, CEO and President of DDG.
DDG was responsible for concept architecture – including defining the theme of the mall and handling schematics – as well as collaboration with local architects, dealing with all permitting and codes, creation of the merchandising plan, and signage and graphics for the new mall.
The mall itself, which is built alongside the Kalimalang River waterfront, immediately adjacent to a major national highway connector to Jakarta, features a rooftop restaurant that includes multiple outdoor dining terraces and a four-level center with three large oval courts defining its interior space.
“The courts were designed around the concept of the sun’s movement, with the east court dominated by bright, vibrant colors evocative of a sunrise, the central court featuring abundant natural light and a bustling restaurant gallery, and the west court a darker, ambient theme to reflect the sunset,” explains DDG’s Haris Koentjoro, who served as lead architect on the project.
The Grand Metropolitan’s exterior features striking visuals and distinctive curvilinear forms, accented by extensive mirrored paneling which provides a dramatic, contemporary flair. Rippling, ribboned design elements wrap around the mall, providing a spectrum of changing colors, while banners, video screens, lighting and LCD effects add energy and drama. A similar wave pattern motif continues inside the mall, providing conceptual continuity and directional flow.
The mall also features an 11-story parking garage which can accommodate approximately 1,600 vehicles and offers direct pedestrian connection to the mall proper. The exterior of the garage is framed by a metal mesh laced with living plants to form a “green wall.”
