ins studio revives former residence as a lively community learning hub and café in indonesia

INS Studio Organizes Literacy House Around community learning

Taobun Literacy House by INS Studio adapts the former residence of a university professor into a community-oriented space defined by reading and learning. Located within an educational district in Makassar, Indonesia, the café-workspace project is surrounded by universities, schools, and kindergartens, situating it within an active academic context.

The design is structured around spatial organization. The program supports reading, writing, and creative activities, with a compact library positioned at the center of the plan. This central element establishes a clear focal point and defines the primary function of the space. Surrounding areas accommodate informal use, allowing visitors to read, work, or gather while engaging with the café’s offerings of coffee and bread.

The outdoor area extends the interior program. Seating elements are constructed from reclaimed timber sourced from dismantled traditional houses, reassembled into benches that introduce material continuity between past and present. These elements organize the exterior as a flexible space for communal use.

a former residence reconfigured as a space for reading and learning | all images by Akasa Rana

INS studio Designs for Shared Use Through Inclusive Architecture

Accessibility is integrated into the architectural layout by INS Studio. Tactile guiding blocks are embedded in the flooring, braille signage is distributed throughout the building, and ramps provide continuous access across level changes. Interior elements such as bookshelves and window ledges are designed to function as display surfaces, activating peripheral areas and supporting interaction with reading materials.

The project positions architecture as a framework for shared use. Spatial and material strategies are employed to support a range of users, enabling different forms of occupation within a unified environment.

benches are assembled from reclaimed timber elements

a lightweight system of stainless steel pipes, integrated with spotlights, defines a secondary layer of intervention

reading and writing zones extend outward from the central space

informal seating supports working, gathering, and study

interior spaces encourage flexible and unstructured use

bookshelves and ledges function as informal display surfaces

ramps provide continuous access across level changes

exterior seating forms a communal gathering landscape

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project info:

name: Taobun Literacy House
architect: INS Studio | @ins.studio

principal architect: Wisnu Wardhana | @wsnuwrdhana
designer in charge: Rima Pratiwi | @rima.pratiwii, Awin Anugraarif | @awinanugraarif
construction: AR Construction | @ar.cons

location: Makassar, Indonesia

photographer: Akasa Rana

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom