Coal mining closure as part of the energy transition and global shift towards sustainability will have significant impacts on society, especially for coal-producing regions in developing countries that not only have to deal with the technical aspects but also the complex social, environmental, and economic dimensions. Comprehensive planning and intervention are therefore needed to ensure a just and seamless transition to a better life for the local people. On the other hand, this future planning of the coal mining region presents a massive opportunity for architects and designers to reflect and move beyond conventional practices toward a non-extractive building culture. This new culture entails taking into account the elements of place and time in the process of planning, designing, and sourcing materials. This project investigates the possibility of integrating the energy transition plan, land reclamation process, and agroforestry culture into a regenerative development strategy in the soon-to-be-closed mining area by envisioning a circular Post-Coal Community in Muara Enim, one of the oldest and biggest coal regions in Indonesia. Supported by thematic research on urban metabolism using material flow analysis to map the problems and potentials related to energy and materials in Muara Enim, the results of this project underscore a range of strategic interventions—from site planning the former mining pit for agroforestry, reclaiming the unused mining infrastructure for building materials, to developing a building system using phytoremediation plants and fast-growing timber with small dimensions that go hand in hand with the replanting and reforestation process of the mining area.

During the colonial era, the Dutch had built a strong connection with Indonesia that allowed a cultural exchange from both sides. Architecture, as part of cultural products, is no different. Although normally, the ruler was the one who left architectural marks on their colony’s land, there are some examples of buildings in The Netherlands that are influenced by Indonesian architecture. For pavilion buildings, this influence also entails a significant meaning as it represents a country on a world stage.
In that such events, The Dutch usually used Indonesian architectural forms to showcase their colonial possession and to gain respect from other Western countries. That can be seen from their entries in the colonial exhibition from the end of the 19th century to the early 20th century, where they brought an Indonesian village and built an imitation of a Hindu-javanese temple. But Indonesian influence in Dutch pavilion design not only appeared in the colonial-themed exhibition. Although less noticeable, Indonesian architecture was also often incorporated in an international exhibitions focusing on modern art and technology.
Therefore, This thesis investigates the influence of Indonesian Architecture in the Dutch pavilion at The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, which was held in Paris in 1925. The aim is to give a broader perspective on how the Dutch architects perceived and incorporated Indonesian form in a different context. It responds to the question of why and how Indonesian architectural forms are incorporated in the Dutch pavilion design, starting by tracing back the early connection between the Dutch architects and the Indonesian culture, presenting the exhibition context and the organization around the Dutch entry, and finally analyzing the design aspect of the pavilion from the lens of Indonesian culture.