RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta’s humid climate

a carved form centers the design, directing airflow across shaded gathering spaces, breezeways, and garden terraces.

thomai tsimpou April 28, 2025 4 min

RAD+ar protects workspace building from jakarta’s humid heat

In West Jakarta, RAD+ar (Research Artistic Design + architecture) completes the Sagehaus Office Garden, a high-density working space designed to stay naturally cool despite the humid heat of the city. The project serves as the headquarters for an athletic sportswear brand, packing flexible workspaces, creative social zones, and a rooftop gym into a 2,000-square-meter building that channels Jakarta’s breezes through its very structure.

At the core of the design is the Dome for Wind, a carved form that directs airflow across shaded gathering spaces, breezeways, and garden terraces. The arched facade itself avoids direct solar gain by slicing and puncturing the surface rather than relying on conventional shading systems.

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 1 — all images by Mario Wibowo

gym rooftop crowns Sagehaus Office Garden’s stacked layout

To handle the climate, the Indonesian RAD+ar team uses a mix of passive strategies. These include thick thermal mass in the main public spaces, strategic staircases that encourage walking over elevators, and large carved facade openings designed to capture light without trapping heat. The breezeways and garden restrooms are key to comfort and energy efficiency, offering staff a cooler, more pleasant environment while minimizing reliance on mechanical cooling systems. Even the high-security file room, tucked deep in the center of the floor plan, benefits from this layered, breathable approach. The rooftop doubles as a gym and recreational garden, providing a flexible outdoor space that strengthens the commitment of the building’s program to wellness and sustainability.

Three horizontal zones define the layout, starting with a ground level for social and creative activities, controlled office spaces in the middle, and a flexible rooftop garden above. This stacking of functions maintains an open, adaptable atmosphere without compromising security or work efficiency. Across the site, public spaces, meeting rooms, lounges, and leisure zones are layered to encourage movement and casual interaction throughout the day.

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 2 — RAD+ar completes the Sagehaus Office Garden in Jakarta

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 3 — this high-density working space is designed to stay naturally cool

rad-plus-ar-arched-facade-office-building-jakarta-humid-climate-designboom-large-03 — the building houses packing flexible workspaces, creative social zones, and a rooftop gym

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 4 — the 2,000-square-meter building channels Jakarta’s breezes through its very structure

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 5 — at the core of the design is the Dome for Wind

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 6 — the carved form directs airflow across shaded gathering spaces

rad-plus-ar-arched-facade-office-building-jakarta-humid-climate-designboom-large-01 — the arched facade itself avoids direct solar gain

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 7 — strategic staircases that encourage walking over elevators

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 8 — the breezeways and garden restrooms are key to comfort and energy efficiency

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 9 — offering staff a cooler, more pleasant environment

RAD+ar punctures arched facade to protect office building from jakarta's humid climate - 10 — large carved facade openings capture light without trapping heat

rad-plus-ar-arched-facade-office-building-jakarta-humid-climate-designboom-large-02

the project serves as the headquarters for an athletic sportswear brand the architects slice and puncture the surface rather than relying on conventional shading systems RAD+ar uses a mix of passive strategies the goal is minimizing reliance on mechanical cooling systems three horizontal zones define the layout the ground level houses social and creative activities stacking of functions maintains an open, adaptable atmosphere even the high-security file room benefits from this layered, breathable approach across the site, public spaces, meeting rooms, lounges, and leisure zones are layered encouraging movement and casual interaction throughout the day providing a flexible outdoor space the rooftop doubles as a gym and recreational garden ground floor plan by RAD+ar mezzanine floor plan by RAD+ar third floor plan by RAD+ar fourth floor plan by RAD+ar rooftop plan by RAD+ar block plan by RAD+ar section 1 by RAD+ar section 2 by RAD+ar section a by RAD+ar section b by RAD+ar section c by RAD+ar diagrams by RAD+ar

project info:

name: Sagehaus Office Garden

architect: RAD+ar (Research Artistic Design + architecture) | @radarchitects

location: West Jakarta, Indonesia

site area: 1,400 square meters

gross floor area: 2,000 square meters

lead architects: Leviandri, Antonius Richard

design team: Lemanuella Ernestine Providensia, Dame Simangunsong, Vine Novia Pakpahan, Arya Adidharma Firmansyah Sulistiyo, Felicia Tertia, Fitria Dewi, Ivan Halim Pramana

photographer: Mario Wibowo | @mariowibowo_