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Dago

Bandung

Although Bandung was known as a region of tea plantations as far back as the early 19th century, its infrastructure was poorly developed. It was only when the trains arrived in 1884 that town planning was taken seriously. With the construction of municipal buildings and facilities, the region went from rural to an orderly progression of urbanization. Then, soon after the proclamation of Pax Neerlandica, and the formation of a civilian government, the township of Bandung finally took shape. But it was the building boom in the 1920's, which sparked the establishment of a European community to the north, and because of the splendor, and grandeur of this sprawling township; it acquired the nickname, "The Paris of Java". Looking back with some nostalgia on old black and white snapshots, we discover that during the 1920's, Jalan Braga was not only representative of a typical Parisian street; it was the most fashionable one in Bandung at that time. It was to the Dutch, the only boulevard of any

However - times change. Bandung is no longer a township it is a city, and A Braga is no longer Bandung's most fashionable street. Today, it is J1. Ir. H. Djuanda (popularly known as J1. Dago), at one time a modest thoroughfare through a quiet and convenient residential area, which is the most fashionable street, and certainly one of the most popular in the city. Ironically, they say that Borromeus Hospital is located there, because at the time of building, the area was pastoral, and serene. Not so any more!
If you follow the length of JI. Merdeka, and proceed up Dago Hill moving northward, you will end up on JI. Ir. H. Djuanda.

It now offers admirers an interesting contrast of classical colonial and modern day architecture but sadly, it can no longer be described as pastoral far from it. However, many old Dutch houses and dammar trees line its length, and lend the area a touch of majestic ambience.

If you take the time to look at the buildings along JI. Ir. H. Djuanda, you will see many superb examples of Dutch homes that have survived the onslaught of modernization. Many have aged gracefully; some have been lovingly restored; whilst others have fallen into disrepair.
Gedung Tiga Warna is one example that falls into the third category. It is located at the junction of JI. Ir. H. Djuanda and JI. Sultan Agung, and it is a superb example of that period in time when the city was establishing itself as the industrial lighthouse of Java. It is worthy of note that the verytalented architectA.F. Aalbers, designed the building in 1937 using an Art Deco tropical architectural style.

It was originally built as a private dwelling, and many years later renovated, to be used as a Bank. Unfortunately, L. it has not been very well maintained. Probably the most striking buildings however, are located on A. Dago opposite the Borromeus hospital, some 200 meters to the North of the junction between A. Djuanda and A. Ganeca. Three odd shaped houses will catch your eye so odd in fact that they have been nicknamed "The Three Steam Engines".

With their curved facades and flat roofs, they are good examples of designs by De Stijl (Bauhaus), and are somewhat reminiscent of the popular architectural style in Germany during the 1950's.

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