6 minute read
An International Class: Bakery in Papua
By: VILMA BARR
Located in Jayapura, at the furthest end of Indonesia, SAGA Bakery is an architecturally significant bakery experience that elevates the retail landscape in the city while retaining the traditional Papuan theme. Designed by Darren Pirono and Jefferson Frans Tan of Jakarta-based Upper Room Collaborative Studio, the bakery transcends traditional concepts, creating a vibrant experience and social gathering space, while displaying a wide assortment of stylishly and dramatically presented freshly baked products.
A family-owned business with three generations of history in Jayapura, the owners sought to rebrand their flagship bakery, to modernize their establishment and establish it as an icon for the city. Jayapura, with a population of 415,000, is the capital of the province of Papua, bordering the Arafura Sea. SAGA Bakery occupies a prime location on the first floor of a shopping mall, positioned by the structure’s entrance. The glass façade, which offers a view of the east and to a popular neighboring restaurant, making it a prominent landmark for customers entering or driving past the mall, captures full sunlight along the entire facade.
The design concept is rooted in arches and portals inspired by classical regional architectural buildings, translated into a modern, sleek, colorful palette to commemorate the company's rebranding. The arches, portal shapes, and proportions are derived from the intersection of projected lines based on the original store's layout and structural elements. It also factors in the projected line towards the facade to take advantage of the maximum level of sun without allowing direct sunlight to enter, which can damage the Bakery's products.
The space is zoned using portals that serve various functions, such as displays, sales, and transitions, creating an intimate and navigable environment for visitors. Solid, transparent, and translucent portals direct customer flows and produce sequential space. Customers view the collection of displays as an introduction, becoming familiar with the Bakery's extensive product selections. They then arrive at the main display area, where various pastries, cakes, and savory snacks are artistically presented.
SAGA Bakery showcases a vibrant, bright red brick that aligns with its brand identity, paired with lighter wood and stone textures that highlight different spaces to achieve a harmonious visual effect. The project involved a challenge to integrate rigid materials to align with the fluid and flexible arches and portal shapes, which are responsible for creating the distinctive retail interior design.
Due to the project’s complex assembly of custom elements, the design team recognized the need for more experienced labor and material resources than was available in the Jayapura region. Darren Pirono and his colleagues oversaw the bakery's intricate designs that were produced on full scale in Jakarta. They were then packed and shipped in container boxes and assembled like Lego pieces at the Jayapura site in four weeks.
Darren Pirono, director of architecture and interior design for Upper Room Collaborative Studio, led his firm’s team in the development of the lighting program for SAGA Bakery, integrated the expertise of X3M Architects, and coordinated with the design-build firm to create a comprehensive and sustainable lighting program for the 1,475-sq-ft space, Here, for Designing Lighting, Pirono describes the design process and implementation of the overall design concept for the selling areas and the lighting program for ambient and accent light illumination that gives the store its distinctive retail presence.
“We conducted an in-depth analysis of the site, strategically utilizing the expansive full-length and height glass facade to optimize the availability of natural light. This approach aimed at significantly reducing electricity consumption during daytime hours. We observed how sunlight shifts throughout the day to identify specific areas requiring additional artificial lighting and determine the best times to activate these lights.
“It was important to avoid illuminating the entire space simultaneously to minimize energy usage until evening when full artificial lighting is necessary. Our concept for the SAGA Bakery, with its 19-ft-high ceiling, drew inspiration from classical architecture, and we examined how modern lighting can enhance the beauty of these historic structures. We primarily employed indirect lighting on shelves, allowing light to wash over the arches and portal areas gently.
“The typical display arches span from four to six feet; the most expanded-span arches are located in the back near the golden glass wall, measuring approximately eight feet. This technique not only emphasizes the materials and curves of these architectural features but also creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. In the Main area—specifically the Foyer, Cakes, and Display area—we arranged the lighting in accordance with shelf placement. This strategic positioning ensures that light does not cast harsh shadows on the products, instead softly highlighting them to attract customer attention. Under-shelf lighting, as well as the vertical lighting and the lighting on the back of the shelf as indirect lighting for the brick portal area, use LED Strip 2835 60LED from HILed, each 16.4-ft meters long, 3000˚K warm white. They are contained within an extruded aluminum frame and covered with a white acrylic top to diffuse the light.
“We opted for lower-wattage lighting and a warm white color to establish a slightly dimmed ambiance that fosters a relaxed and comfortable environment, encouraging customers to move leisurely. This psychological effect enhances their shopping experience and significantly increases their chances of purchasing additional items.
“Philips Essential LED MR16 4.5 watts in 3000˚K warm white provides illumination for the overhead recessed lighting. Encased in a double-hole aluminum light box, they were custom-painted with heat and electronic safe paint to match the interior color.
Since its opening in November, 2023, SAGA Bakery has experienced a 50 percent increase in daily profits.
Upper Room Collaborative Studio, established in 2020, provides comprehensive design and build services in architecture and interior design. In 2023, the firm received the A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category for 2022-2023 in Milan, Italy, for their 'Tranquil by the Sea Regatta Residence' project. SAGA Bakery is the first interior design project in Papua to be shortlisted for the 2024 World Architecture Festival.
PROJECT PROFILE
Official Project Name: Arches and Portal; SAGA Bakery
Completion Date: November 2023
Design: Interior, Façade, and Lighting: Upper Room Collaborative Studio
Collaborating Architects: X3M Architects
General Contractors: X3M Architects Design and Build
Lighting Suppliers: HILed, Philips Lighting
