Architectural Facade Lighting Design for Plaza Mandiri Jakarta

How We Translated Design Vision into Measurable and Performance-Based Facade Lighting for Plaza Mandiri (Now Wisma Danantara Jakarta)

For us, facade lighting design is not merely about making a building look beautiful at night. It is an instrument for shaping corporate identity, defining urban presence, and communicating the role of the building within the city after dark.

In the Plaza Mandiri project — now known as Wisma Danantara — the lighting design approach was developed from the corporate identity itself and translated into measurable architectural performance through four primary principles.

Reinforcing Bank Mandiri’s Corporate Identity

As the headquarters of Indonesia’s largest state-owned bank, the lighting composition was designed to express dignity, stability, and institutional presence.

Rather than relying on excessive brightness, the facade illumination was carefully composed to create a refined and authoritative nighttime character that reflects the values of the corporation.

The design emphasizes visual hierarchy, proportion, and controlled luminance to strengthen the building’s identity within Jakarta’s skyline.

Facade as an Architectural Communication Medium

The facade was treated not only as an architectural surface, but also as a communication medium.

The lighting system was designed to support both static and dynamic lighting scenarios, enabling the integration of branding, corporate messaging, and special event illumination without compromising the architectural integrity of the building.

This approach allows the tower to remain adaptable for future marketing and urban activation strategies while maintaining visual coherence.

Creating a Landmark Within the SCBD District

Located within Jakarta’s prominent SCBD business district, the project aimed to establish a strong nighttime identity while avoiding unnecessary visual domination over its surroundings.

The lighting design carefully balances visibility and contextual sensitivity, allowing the building to become a recognizable urban landmark without contributing to excessive visual clutter or aggressive skyline competition.

The result is a facade presence that feels iconic, elegant, and contextually integrated into the urban nighttime environment.

Urban Nighttime Environment Challenge

One of the major challenges surrounding the project was the increasingly dense nighttime lighting environment within Jakarta’s SCBD district.

The surrounding urban context consists of high-rise office towers, commercial developments, digital media facades, street lighting, and illuminated architectural elements that collectively contribute to elevated ambient brightness and visual congestion at night.

In highly illuminated business districts, facade lighting can easily become excessive, visually aggressive, and environmentally disruptive when buildings compete for attention through uncontrolled brightness.

This condition may contribute to:

• Visual fatigue

• Excessive glare

• Loss of architectural hierarchy

• Skyglow and urban light pollution

• Reduced nighttime environmental quality

• Disturbance to surrounding occupants and ecosystems

The challenge for Plaza Mandiri was therefore not simply to make the building brighter, but to create a facade lighting identity that remained elegant, recognizable, and environmentally responsible within an already saturated nighttime environment.

Measurable and Performance-Based Design Process

The lighting development process combined qualitative architectural evaluation with quantitative lighting analysis to ensure that design decisions were visually effective and technically measurable. Below are our three step design process:

Night Time Environmental Light Analysis

Baseline lux level measurements were conducted to understand the surrounding nighttime lighting conditions and contextual urban brightness.

False Colour Mapping Evaluation

False colour luminance mapping was utilized to evaluate facade brightness distribution, visual hierarchy, and lighting balance across the architectural surfaces.

3D Visual Validation

Three-dimensional renderings and simulations were developed to validate the visual impact, architectural perception, and urban integration of the lighting concept before implementation.

Environmental Responsibility and Nighttime Wellbeing

Environmental responsibility became an essential part of the design strategy.

The project considered the impact of artificial lighting on human health, visual comfort, and the nighttime urban ecosystem through controlled illumination levels and mitigation of unnecessary light pollution.

The design approach focused on:

• Controlled luminance levels

• Reduced glare

• Balanced facade brightness

• Limitation of upward light spill

• Improved nighttime visual comfort

• Reduced environmental disturbance

Instead of maximizing brightness output, the facade lighting was calibrated to achieve visual effectiveness with measured environmental sensitivity.

This methodology supports a more sustainable and human-centric urban lighting environment.

Contextual, Measurable, and Relevant Lighting Design

This approach ensured that the facade lighting was not only visually striking, but also contextual, measurable, and relevant to its architectural, urban, and environmental responsibilities.

By integrating architectural lighting design with corporate identity, urban sensitivity, and environmental performance, the Plaza Mandiri (Wisma Danantara) project demonstrates how facade lighting can become a strategic design instrument that shapes both city image and human nighttime experience.

Worship Lighting Design for Sacred Architecture Makassar Cathedral

Project Overview

For centuries, churches and cathedrals have used light as both a practical and symbolic element of worship. Beyond providing visibility, light helps shape emotional perception, reinforce liturgical symbolism, and create a sense of connection between worshippers and the sacred environment.

The renovation of Makassar Cathedral presented an opportunity to rethink how lighting could support contemporary worship while respecting the architectural identity of one of the city's most important Catholic landmarks. The project focused on enhancing the visual experience of the liturgy, revealing the beauty of the cathedral's architecture, and creating a more contemplative and spiritually engaging worship environment.

The Challenge

The cathedral's architecture is characterized by its dramatic timber vaulted ceiling, Gothic-inspired arches, stained-glass windows, and prominent liturgical focal points. While these elements possess strong architectural character, their visual impact can be diminished without a carefully coordinated lighting strategy.

The challenge was not simply increasing brightness levels. Instead, the design needed to balance multiple objectives:

• Supporting visual requirements for worship and liturgical celebrations.

• Revealing the architectural beauty of the timber roof structure.

• Creating appropriate visual hierarchy between congregation and altar.

• Enhancing the perception of sacred space.

• Improving visual comfort while minimizing glare.

• Preserving a warm and welcoming atmosphere for daily worship.

Lighting Design Approach

The lighting design was developed through a human-centered and liturgically informed approach.

Rather than treating the cathedral as a uniformly illuminated space, the design focused on creating layers of light that support both architecture and worship experience. Special attention was given to the relationship between ambient illumination, architectural lighting, and liturgical focal lighting.

The timber vaulted ceiling was identified as the cathedral's most distinctive architectural feature. Carefully integrated indirect lighting was used to reveal the geometry, depth, and craftsmanship of the roof structure while maintaining visual comfort and minimizing glare.

The lighting strategy also reinforced the natural visual progression from the congregation area toward the sanctuary, altar, crucifix, and liturgical furnishings.

Human-Centered Performance Strategy

Lighting within sacred architecture influences more than visibility. It affects how worshippers perceive space, focus attention, experience emotion, and engage in prayer.

The design considered how people:

• Enter and orient themselves within the cathedral.

• Participate in worship and liturgical celebrations.

• Experience moments of prayer and reflection.

• Perceive architectural scale and sacred symbolism.

• Connect emotionally with the liturgical environment.

A carefully controlled balance between light and shadow was used to create a sense of reverence and spatial depth. By avoiding excessive brightness and maintaining visual hierarchy, the lighting supports contemplation while allowing key liturgical elements to remain visually prominent.

The resulting environment encourages a worship experience that feels calm, dignified, and spiritually meaningful.

Design Integration

The lighting design was closely integrated with architecture, liturgy, and building technology.

Key design strategies included:

• Indirect illumination of the timber vaulted ceiling to emphasize architectural form and spatial grandeur.

• Vertical illumination of columns and arches to reinforce the Gothic character of the interior.

• Liturgical focal lighting to strengthen attention toward the sanctuary and altar.

• High-quality color rendering to reveal natural material textures and stained-glass details.

• Glare-controlled luminaires to improve visual comfort during worship.

• Energy-efficient LED technology to support long-term sustainability and maintenance objectives.

• Flexible lighting control systems to accommodate different liturgical celebrations and worship scenarios.

This integrated approach ensures that the lighting contributes simultaneously to architectural appreciation, liturgical function, and human experience.

Lighting Design Impact

The renovation lighting strategy transformed the cathedral into a more visually coherent and spiritually engaging worship environment.

The illuminated timber ceiling now becomes a defining architectural element, revealing the craftsmanship and verticality of the space. Carefully controlled contrast and visual hierarchy guide attention toward the sanctuary while maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the nave.

Rather than competing with the architecture, the lighting works in harmony with it—supporting worship, enhancing sacred atmosphere, and strengthening the emotional connection between people, architecture, and faith.

The project demonstrates how thoughtful worship lighting design can elevate both liturgical experience and architectural perception, ensuring that Makassar Cathedral continues to serve as a place of prayer, community, and spiritual inspiration for future generations.

Consult Your Lighting Design Project

ALTA Integra is a Building Science and Technology consultancy dedicated to creating human-centered environments through evidence-based design. By studying the relationship between light, sound, space, technology, and human emotion, we help transform buildings into places that inspire wellbeing, strengthen identity, emotional support space, and dedicated for a more sustainable future.

Whether you are designing a place of worship, heritage building, hospitality destination, workplace, educational facility, or public space, our lighting consultancy services help translate design vision into meaningful visual, emotional, and environmental performance.

Sacred Facade Lighting Design of Makassar Cathedral

Project Overview

The sacred facade lighting design for Makassar Cathedral Church was developed to enhance the nighttime identity of one of the city’s important religious landmarks while respecting the spiritual character and historical architectural presence of the church.

Rather than treating facade lighting as a purely decorative element, the project approached light as a medium for reinforcing sacred atmosphere, light as a communication medium, and urban presence after dark.

The design aimed to reveal the architectural beauty of the cathedral in a subtle and respectful manner while improving nighttime visibility, visual comfort, and contextual integration within the surrounding urban environment.

The Challenge

Religious architecture presents unique lighting challenges compared to commercial or entertainment buildings.

The facade lighting needed to:

• Preserve the sacred and contemplative identity of the church

• Avoid excessive brightness and visual aggression

• Respect the surrounding urban environment

• Maintain architectural authenticity

• Enhance visibility without creating glare

• Support nighttime recognition and wayfinding

In many urban environments, facade lighting can easily become overpowering, especially when influenced by commercial lighting approaches that prioritize brightness over atmosphere and architectural sensitivity.

For a cathedral church, the challenge was not to create spectacle, but to create dignity, warmth, and spiritual presence through light.

Additionally, the project had to consider the impact of artificial lighting on nearby residents, urban nighttime ambience, and environmental light pollution.

Preliminary Design Study

Our preliminary design study began with understanding the architectural language and spiritual significance of the cathedral itself. Instead of uniformly illuminating the entire building, the lighting composition was carefully layered to reveal:

• Visual hierarchy

• Sacred focal points

• Architectural depth

• Vertical proportion

• Material texture

The lighting strategy emphasized controlled illumination and selective accentuation to preserve the calm and graceful character of the church facade. Warm color temperature selections were carefully integrated to support a welcoming and contemplative nighttime atmosphere while avoiding harsh visual contrast.

The facade was treated as an architectural canvas where light reinforces form, rhythm, and symbolism rather than overpowering the architecture itself.

Human-Centered Lighting Performance Strategy

The project adopted a human-centered lighting approach that prioritizes visual comfort, emotional perception, and environmental wellbeing. Rather than maximizing brightness levels, the design focused on creating balanced luminance and soft visual transitions that feel comfortable for pedestrians, worshippers, and the surrounding community.

The performance strategy considered:

• Visual comfort at pedestrian level

• Reduction of glare

• Controlled luminance distribution

• Night Time visual adaptation

• Contextual brightness within the surrounding area

• Environmental sensitivity and reduced light spill

The lighting composition was calibrated to ensure that the church remains visually prominent without contributing excessive nighttime brightness to the urban environment.

This approach supports both spiritual atmosphere and healthier nighttime environmental conditions.

Lighting Design Integration Study

The facade lighting system was developed through integration between architectural intent, lighting performance, and environmental context.

Design development included:

• Architectural facade analysis

• Nighttime contextual studies

• Lighting hierarchy planning

• Beam angle optimization

• Material reflectance evaluation

• Visual simulation and rendering validation

By coordinating lighting placement with the architectural composition, the design minimizes visible equipment presence while preserving the integrity of the cathedral facade during daytime conditions.

The result is a lighting system that feels architecturally integrated rather than technically imposed.

Our Lighting Design Impact

The final design establishes Makassar Cathedral Church as a dignified and recognizable nighttime landmark while preserving its sacred identity and architectural character. The facade lighting enhances the perception of depth, warmth, and spiritual presence without relying on excessive illumination or visual spectacle.

Through a contextual and performance-based design methodology, the project demonstrates how architectural lighting can support not only aesthetics, but also human experience, urban sensitivity, and environmental responsibility. The project reflects a broader design philosophy in which lighting becomes an instrument for shaping atmosphere, identity, and meaningful night-time architecture.

Consult Your Lighting Design Project

ALTA Integra is a Building Science and Technology consultancy dedicated to creating human-centered environments through evidence-based design. By studying the relationship between light, sound, space, technology, and human emotion, we help transform buildings into places that inspire wellbeing, strengthen identity, emotional support space, and dedicated for a more sustainable future.

Whether you are designing a place of worship, heritage building, hospitality destination, workplace, educational facility, or public space, our lighting consultancy services help translate design vision into meaningful visual, emotional, and environmental performance.

Makassar Cathedral: A Preliminary Study of Its Architectural History

Understanding the cathedral’s architectural evolution and historical significance to inform acoustic and lighting design.

Introduction: Understanding the Building Before Designing

Before considering acoustic and lighting interventions at Makassar Cathedral, I began by studying its architectural history. Every intervention takes place within a building that already has its own character shaped by earlier design decisions, successive transformations, and the people who have worshipped there. Understanding that history provides an essential foundation for deciding how new work can contribute sensitively to the cathedral’s future.

Officially known as the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Gereja Hati Yesus Yang Mahakudus), Makassar Cathedral is a place of worship whose architecture has evolved alongside its community. Across generations, its spaces have accommodated prayer, liturgical celebrations, and significant moments in the lives of its congregation. Its historical significance therefore extends beyond its façade and architectural style to the continuity of worship and the memories associated with the building.

This preliminary study asks three questions: what has changed, what remains, and what gives the cathedral its identity? Examining its successive architectural forms helps reveal how each generation responded to new needs while maintaining a connection to the church’s past. It also provides a basis for identifying features and spatial relationships that deserve particular consideration in future interventions.

For my subsequent acoustic and lighting work, this historical understanding establishes the context for design. Before determining how the cathedral should sound or be illuminated, I wanted to understand how it became the place it is today and which qualities should continue to shape its experience for generations to come.

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Historical Context: The Cathedral and Its Community

Makassar Cathedral, officially known as Gereja Hati Yesus Yang Mahakudus or the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, stands on Jalan Kajaolalido in central Makassar, South Sulawesi. Its significance extends beyond the congregation that worships there regularly. As the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Makassar, it houses the archbishop’s cathedra, or episcopal chair, and serves as a gathering place for major celebrations of the wider Catholic community. This role was evident during preparations for Archbishop Fransiskus Nipa’s installation in October 2024, when representatives from parishes across the archdiocese were expected to gather there.

The community’s history reaches further back than the present building. The archdiocese’s historical account traces Catholic activity in South Sulawesi to the sixteenth century and describes Makassar as a refuge for Catholics arriving from Portuguese Malacca during the seventeenth century. War and the subsequent consolidation of Dutch control disrupted this presence. The circumstances that eventually produced today’s cathedral emerged much later: colonial permission for Catholic missionaries to reside in Makassar was granted in 1891, followed by the arrival of Father A. Asselbergs, SJ, in 1892. His residence established a more regular basis for pastoral care and the gradual growth of the community.

A permanent place of worship became an important next step. In 1895, land and a house were purchased on Komedistraat, now Jalan Kajaolalido, at the location of the present cathedral. Historian Ahmad Yunani’s study records that the acquisition was supported by money borrowed from religious sisters in Semarang. The same study dates the church’s construction to 1898–1900. These beginnings reveal a building made possible through both local initiative and support from a wider Catholic network.

As the congregation expanded, the original building became inadequate. The parish’s published building history gives a particularly useful explanation of the enlargement initiated in 1939: the church had approximately 200 seats, insufficient for the assembled congregation, while its small sacristy and lack of confessionals and side altars also limited liturgical arrangements. The response involved alterations to the side walls, an enlarged sacristy behind the sanctuary, and additional facilities for worship. The expansion therefore addressed both the number of people attending and the practical requirements of parish life.

Adaptation continued in later decades. The parish account records that the balcony was replaced and enlarged in 1984 to accommodate approximately 120 people. This intervention illustrates how the cathedral’s capacity developed through successive adjustments, alongside the more conspicuous changes to its external appearance.

The recent expansion belongs to this longer history of responding to community needs. In 2018, church leadership and the council decided to pursue a further enlargement as the congregation continued to grow. Construction remained underway in October 2024, according to the parish priest’s contemporary account, and the cathedral was formally dedicated and inaugurated on 30 October 2025. By December 2025, the parish priest described the new worship space as accommodating approximately 1,000–1,200 people, with supplementary areas available for larger celebrations.

For my preliminary architectural study, this history suggests that the cathedral’s identity should be understood through the relationship between its building and its community. Successive generations have inherited a place of worship and adapted it to sustain their shared religious life. Understanding those decisions helps explain why the architecture changed—and provides a foundation for considering which qualities should remain meaningful as the cathedral continues to evolve.

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The First Architectural Form: Neo-Gothic Origins

The earliest architectural form of Makassar Cathedral established a recognisable Gothic Revival character through its pointed openings, decorated gables, and slender pinnacles. Historical photographs show a relatively compact church whose architectural identity depended on the relationship between a simple main volume and carefully articulated details. These images provide an important starting point for understanding the building before its subsequent enlargements.

Construction and the People Behind the Building

Ahmad Yunani’s historical study places construction between 1898 and 1900, following the acquisition of the site in 1895. This chronology provides a useful working framework, although accounts differ on the precise commencement date. It should therefore be distinguished from a fully verified sequence of groundbreaking, construction, first use, and blessing.

The parish’s published building history attributes the original design to Swartbol, a military engineering officer. According to this account, he departed for Europe after the foundations had been completed. Responsibility then passed to S. Fischer, an irrigation specialist, while Thio A Tek, a Chinese contractor, undertook the construction. The same account records a delay while iron window frames were awaited from the Netherlands. These details reveal a building process involving several contributors and imported components, although their precise appointments and the spelling of their names remain subject to archival confirmation.

Reading the Original Façade

An early frontal photograph, catalogued by the Tropenmuseum collection as dating from 1900–1920, shows a composition organised around a central entrance. Above the doorway, a pointed decorative gable contains openwork ornament. Higher on the façade, a circular opening sits beneath the apex of the main gable, which is crowned by a cross. Slender pinnacles frame the composition and extend its upward emphasis.

The façade balances a broad, grounded wall surface with a sequence of vertical accents. The doorway establishes the human scale of arrival, while the ornament above it draws attention towards the upper façade. Its sense of height comes partly from this arrangement of openings, pinnacles, and the crowning cross.

Proportions, Openings, and Roofline

An oblique photograph catalogued as 1900–1919 reveals the building’s elongated body beneath a pitched roof. Tall, narrow pointed-arch windows recur along the side elevation, separated by projecting vertical wall elements. Small pinnacles punctuate the upper edges, while a slender open metal turret rises above the roof. Together, these features establish a repeated rhythm along the church’s length.

The parish history describes approximately twenty miniature towers as roof-edge ornament, alongside a small iron tower. This written description broadly corresponds with the repeated pinnacles visible in the early photographs.

Architectural Character and Religious Identity

Taken together, the photographs support describing the early church as Neo-Gothic in its architectural vocabulary. Pointed arches, pinnacles, openwork ornament, and the prominent cross gave the building a recognisable ecclesiastical character. This description concerns the features visible in the historical record.

For my historical study, the significance of this first form lies in how these elements worked together. I read the repeated vertical accents and rising central composition as expressions of aspiration, while the clearly defined entrance connected that symbolic character to the everyday act of entering a place of worship. This is an architectural interpretation of the surviving images, rather than a documented statement of the original designer’s intentions.

Understanding this early composition provides a reference for examining later transformations: which proportions and details survived, which were replaced, and how the cathedral’s religious identity remained legible as its architecture changed.

Makassar’s Roman Catholic church, now Makassar Cathedral, photographed between 1900 and 1919. Photographer unknown. Collectie Wereldmuseum (formerly Tropenmuseum), inventory TM-10016679, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Second Architectural Form: Expansion and a Changing Architectural Character

By the late 1930s, Makassar’s Catholic congregation had outgrown its original church. The parish’s building history records approximately 200 seats, insufficient to accommodate the community, together with a sacristy that had become too small and a need for confessionals and side altars. The enlargement addressed these practical requirements while substantially changing the building’s architectural composition.

The works are generally associated with the 1939–1941 period, although their precise chronology remains unresolved. Ahmad Yunani’s historical study identifies alterations beginning in 1938–1939 and completion in 1941. The parish account, however, states that Easter was celebrated in the renovated church in 1940. These sources establish the late-1930s transformation, but do not provide a consistent date for its completion.

Expanding the Space for Worship

The parish account describes alterations to both side walls, the removal of four supporting pillars, and an enlarged sacristy behind the sanctuary. Two confessionals were introduced at the rear and two side altars at the front. These interventions responded to the different activities taking place within the church, from collective worship to preparation for Mass and individual confession.

Government heritage documentation provides further insight into the widening of the building. It describes additions along the northern and southern sides of the congregation’s space, incorporating formerly external columns into the interior and relocating pointed coloured-glass windows to the new outer walls. This account suggests that the enlargement reused elements of the earlier architectural arrangement.

From an Ornamental Gable to a Dominant Entrance Tower

The most conspicuous external change was the introduction of a substantial tower connected directly to the entrance. The parish history records the removal of the separate iron bell tower on the southern side and its replacement by this integrated tower.

Comparing the early frontal photograph with C.J. Taillie’s photograph from 1948 reveals a different visual hierarchy. Previously, the central gable, circular opening, and slender pinnacles organised the façade. In the later image, the entrance tower was added to the composition, with broad wall surfaces, vertically arranged openings, and a steep, faceted roof.

The transformation also simplified the silhouette. The numerous small pinnacles prominent in the early views no longer define the visible roofline. Nevertheless, pointed openings and portions of the gabled church body remain evident beside the tower. The resulting architecture combined a more substantial entrance composition with features that continued to recall the earlier church.

Interpreting the Architectural Change

The simplified surfaces and stronger geometric composition may invite comparison with Art Deco-era architecture. For this study, however, that remains a visual interpretation. The available heritage documentation describes the tower as a simplification of Gothic form, while Yunani’s research emphasises the building’s combination of architectural influences. A categorical description of the entire second form as Art Deco would therefore require stronger evidence.

For my preliminary study, the importance of this phase lies in the relationship between architectural change and community use. Enlarging the worship space altered the building’s boundaries, while the new entrance tower changed its public appearance. The cathedral acquired another historical layer through the practical task of accommodating a growing congregation. Understanding that layer helps identify both the continuity of its religious identity and the physical changes through which that continuity was sustained.

Makassar Cathedral in 1948, following the late-1930s enlargement. Photograph by C.J. (Cees) Taillie. Collectie Wereldmuseum (formerly Tropenmuseum), inventory TM-10029315, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Third Architectural Form: Contemporary Expansion

The cathedral’s contemporary expansion began with a familiar challenge: accommodating a growing congregation within a building shaped by earlier generations. According to the project account, church leadership and the council decided in 2018 to pursue an enlargement. The building committee subsequently organised a design-selection exercise, described as a beauty contest, to compare proposals for the cathedral’s future development. Publicly available information does not establish the participating architects, assessment criteria, or winning submission, so the process is best described as a selection of design proposals rather than a verified open architectural competition.

The Relationship Between Historic and New Architecture

The resulting development introduced substantial new construction behind the cathedral’s retained front section. In October 2024, parish priest Father Yulius Malli explained that much of the building was new, while a smaller portion at the front remained because of its heritage status. He also confirmed that construction was still approaching completion as preparations proceeded for Archbishop Fransiskus Nipa’s installation. The cathedral’s appearance in 2024 therefore represents an advanced stage of development, rather than a confirmed completion date.

The accompanying 2024 photograph makes this relationship visible. The familiar central entrance tower remains in the foreground, framed by the broader architecture behind it. Two substantial flanking towers, capped with open metal spires and crosses, establish a wider composition. Pointed arches, paired windows, decorative arcading, and pitched roofs connect the new work visually with the cathedral’s earlier Gothic-inspired vocabulary.

In my reading of this composition, the retained tower acts as a recognisable historical reference within a larger architectural ensemble. Its continuity is particularly evident at the entrance, while the expanded building changes the scale and silhouette of the cathedral beyond it. This visual relationship does not, however, establish how much original material survives elsewhere in the building.

Continuity and Change in Scale and Massing

The second architectural form concentrated attention on a single entrance tower. The contemporary expansion distributes that emphasis across a broader frontage and several vertical elements. The new flanking towers extend the composition laterally, while the larger roof and wall surfaces behind the historic front indicate a substantial increase in building volume.

Although this is a contemporary construction phase, its external language continues to use historical church forms. The pointed openings and spires create a visual connection with the cathedral’s architectural past. Their repetition at a larger scale gives the expanded church a more monumental presence, while allowing the older entrance to remain identifiable.

Worship-Space Organisation and Circulation

The enlarged complex also introduced a more layered arrangement for accommodating worshippers. Reporting from Christmas 2024 described provision for approximately 700 people in the hall and another 500 in the basement, with arrivals directed downstairs when the hall reached capacity. These figures describe the arrangements reported during that construction period; they should not be treated as a verified final seating schedule.

This arrangement suggests that circulation became an important part of how the expanded cathedral operated. Arrival, distribution between worship areas, and movement between levels had to support a congregation extending beyond one room. The frontal photograph shows the retained central doorway and approaches to either side, but it cannot establish the complete internal routes. A detailed assessment of processional movement, accessibility, and connections between old and new spaces would require floor plans and site observation.

Understanding the Heritage Implications

The transformation also requires a distinction between architectural resemblance and the retention of historic fabric. In his 2024 archaeology thesis at Universitas Hasanuddin, Aditya Joseph Mesalayuk reported the replacement of significant building elements and identified a reduction in heritage value. His abstract also records positive responses among community respondents and notes that some new elements followed the earlier building’s character. These are findings from one academic study, rather than a comprehensive conservation verdict, but they are relevant to understanding the expansion.

For my preliminary historical study, the third form presents both continuity and substantial change. The cathedral maintains a recognisable entrance and familiar religious imagery while accommodating worship within a much larger complex. Understanding this relationship provides the context for subsequent acoustic and lighting design: identifying the spaces now in use, the historic features that remain, and the architectural qualities through which the congregation continues to recognise its cathedral.

Makassar Cathedral during its contemporary expansion, 2024. This panoramic photograph shows the historic central entrance tower against the broader new church composition and its flanking towers. Photo: Herwin Gunawan’s project documentation.

Reading the Three Architectural Layers

Makassar Cathedral’s architectural history can be understood through three principal forms: the early Neo-Gothic church, the enlargement associated with the late 1930s and early 1940s, and the contemporary expansion initiated by the 2018 decision. Each responded to community needs while changing the relationship between the worship space and its public appearance.

These phases provide a useful framework, but they do not represent three buildings that remained unchanged between major transformations. The parish history also records wartime damage in 1943, subsequent glazing repairs, a ceiling replacement in 1978, and a balcony enlargement in 1984. The cathedral’s development therefore includes smaller interventions within the three broader architectural layers.

Scroll horizontally to view all five columns.

Architectural phase	Community needs	Architectural character	Principal changes	Surviving features and continuity
First form: early church, generally dated 1898–1900	Establishing a permanent place of worship for the developing Catholic community.	Early photographs show pointed openings, an ornamented entrance gable, small pinnacles, and a slender roof turret: a recognisable Neo-Gothic vocabulary.	Construction of the original church following the acquisition of the site.	Gothic-inspired forms recur in later phases. The surviving fabric attributable specifically to 1900 requires an element-by-element survey; resemblance alone cannot establish its age.
Second form: late-1930s enlargement, associated with 1939–1941	Increasing capacity beyond approximately 200 seats and improving liturgical facilities.	A substantial entrance tower became the dominant feature, accompanied by a simpler silhouette and retained Gothic elements. “Art Deco” remains an unverified stylistic interpretation.	Alteration of side walls, enlargement of the sacristy, introduction of confessionals and side altars, and replacement of the separate iron bell tower with an integrated entrance tower.	The recognisable front tower and façade composition remain visible within the contemporary ensemble. This establishes continuity of form, rather than proof that every component is unchanged.
Third form: contemporary expansion, documented in 2024	Accommodating a larger congregation and distributing worshippers across additional spaces.	The 2024 photograph shows a broader composition, prominent flanking towers, metal spires, and repeated pointed arches surrounding the historic frontage.	Substantial new construction behind the retained front section, with expanded worship accommodation and basement use.	The historic frontage remains a reference point. Much of the expanded architecture is new, including elements that echo earlier forms.

Sources: the early chronology follows Yunani’s study; the first two forms are documented in museum photographs and parish history; the contemporary phase is supported by the project account, the parish priest’s 2024 interview, and the supplied photograph.

Distinguishing Evidence from Interpretation

Historical records and photographs answer different questions. The parish account documents why enlargement was necessary and identifies particular alterations. Dated photographs establish the building’s visible appearance at a given time. Descriptions such as “more monumental,” “stronger vertical emphasis,” or “visual continuity” are architectural interpretations of that evidence.

A similar distinction applies to surviving features. An old window relocated into a new wall, a repaired historic tower, and a newly constructed pointed arch each express a different relationship with the past. Their appearance may be related, but their material histories are not interchangeable. For this study, I therefore distinguish between retained fabric, altered historic elements, and new work that refers to earlier architecture.

This distinction is particularly relevant to the recent expansion. Aditya Joseph Mesalayuk’s 2024 archaeology thesis reports the replacement of significant elements and a resulting reduction in heritage value, while also recording positive community responses. Its findings indicate that continued religious use and visual familiarity can coexist with the loss of historic material.

Where Does the Cathedral’s Identity Reside?

My interpretation is that Makassar Cathedral’s identity emerges from its accumulated history. The first church established its early architectural expression; the second form reshaped the building for an expanding community; and the third introduced a larger setting for contemporary worship. Each contributes to how the cathedral is understood today.

That accumulated identity does not make every alteration equally significant or every loss replaceable. Surviving materials, workmanship, and liturgical objects provide evidence that photographs and stylistic references cannot fully substitute. A separate 2025 study by Pramesty Inriana Ritto identifies historically valuable architectural elements and liturgical artefacts, reinforcing the importance of documenting the cathedral beyond its external appearance.

In this preliminary study, the task is therefore to understand both the continuity of worship and the physical evidence of change. Reading these layers together provides a basis for recognising what remains significant—and for making subsequent acoustic and lighting decisions with a clearer understanding of the building they will serve.

Heritage Significance: What Should Guide Future Intervention?

Understanding Makassar Cathedral’s history establishes a basis for deciding what future interventions should protect. Its significance resides in several connected qualities: surviving architectural fabric, evidence of craftsmanship, the arrangement of spaces for worship, and the congregation’s continuing relationship with the building. The Nara Document on Authenticity offers a useful framework for this assessment, recognising that heritage value can be expressed through materials, design, use, traditions, setting, and the meanings associated with a place.

Architectural Features, Materials, and Craftsmanship

The retained entrance tower and frontage deserve particular attention because they allow the earlier cathedral to remain recognisable within the expanded complex. Their significance includes the relationship between the tower, entrance, adjoining gables, and approach from the forecourt. The parish priest’s 2024 account identifies the front section as the portion retained because of its heritage status.

A more detailed assessment should examine the surviving masonry and finishes, door frames, decorative mouldings, column capitals, glazing, bells, and liturgical objects. Pramesty Inriana Ritto’s 2025 research identifies architectural elements and older religious artefacts as important subjects for documentation. Its publicly accessible contents list includes the entrance doors, bells, capitals, stained glass, early bricks and floor tiles, and a baptismal vessel. These references provide a starting point for an inventory, although they do not establish the present condition or exact provenance of every item.

Material investigation should look beyond surface appearance. Brick dimensions, mortar composition, joinery, tool marks, metal fittings, inscriptions, and traces of earlier finishes may help explain how an element was made and subsequently altered. For design purposes, these details should be recorded before cleaning, repainting, covering, or attaching equipment to potentially significant surfaces.

Distinguishing Early Fabric from Later Layers

The cathedral’s history cautions against treating everything that appears old as part of the original church. The parish account records three donated bells in 1923, the construction of an integrated entrance tower during the late-1930s enlargement, damage to glazing behind the altar in 1943, and subsequent donations of coloured glass for the side windows. It also records a timber ceiling replacement in 1978 and a balcony enlargement in 1984. These later contributions belong to the cathedral’s history, but require their own dates and explanations.

The working record should therefore distinguish:

• Early surviving fabric: elements attributable to the first construction through documentary and physical evidence.

• Later historic additions or repairs: work associated with subsequent periods, assessed for its own significance.

• Relocated or reused elements: historic objects or components retained within a changed setting.

• Reconstructed or newly made elements: features recreated from evidence, or new designs drawing on earlier forms.

• Elements of uncertain date: items requiring further investigation before attribution.

A new pointed arch may recall the earlier cathedral without being a reconstruction of a particular lost feature. Similarly, an old window installed in a new wall retains material history while its spatial context changes. Recording these distinctions makes the building’s evolution more understandable.

The Congregation’s Memories and Ritual Life

The cathedral is also a setting for lived religious experience. A heritage assessment should ask clergy, long-standing parishioners, musicians, sacristans, and other users which places, objects, and practices they associate most strongly with it. Baptisms, marriages, funerals, processions, communal singing, and private prayer provide useful subjects for these conversations. Their particular meaning at Makassar should be documented through testimony rather than assumed.

Community responses may also differ. Aditya Joseph Mesalayuk’s 2024 study reported positive responses to the expansion among its respondents while identifying losses of heritage significance. This finding suggests that appreciation of improved accommodation can coexist with concern for historic fabric. Neither perspective should be taken as a complete account of the congregation’s attachment to the cathedral.

Spatial relationships deserve similar attention: the sequence from forecourt to entrance, views towards the sanctuary, routes used during liturgy, and the relationship between communal worship and quieter devotional areas. Comparing earlier plans with present use would help establish which relationships survive and which have changed.

Priorities for Sensitive Design

These findings establish a practical sequence: document significance, identify vulnerabilities, and then develop interventions. This approach is consistent with the Burra Charter’s emphasis on understanding a place before changing it and limiting alteration to what is necessary to sustain its significance and use.

The resulting design priorities would be to retain and repair significant fabric where feasible; assess material compatibility before introducing new finishes; and place services where they cause the least disturbance to historic elements and important views. Removable installations should be preferred where practicable, with their actual effect on the substrate checked rather than assuming they are reversible.

For subsequent acoustic and lighting work, this means evaluating mounting locations, cable routes, treatment areas, and maintenance access alongside performance requirements. Mock-ups can help the church and design team assess visual impact before permanent installation. The historical study thus becomes a basis for specific decisions: improving the congregation’s experience while keeping the cathedral’s surviving evidence and accumulated meanings legible.

From Historical Understanding to Acoustic and Lighting Design

The historical study provides a starting point for the next design stage by identifying which architectural qualities require particular care and where further investigation is needed. At Makassar Cathedral, successive changes to the building’s walls, glazing, ceiling, and worship spaces mean that its present environment reflects several periods of construction. The parish record of replacement glazing and later ceiling and balcony alterations reinforces the need to examine each element individually before proposing interventions.

For acoustic design, the next step is to relate this understanding to the cathedral’s existing geometry and materials. Room volume, ceiling height, surface finishes, seating, and connections between spaces should be surveyed and represented in acoustic analysis. Measurements and modelling can then inform the balance between speech intelligibility and the resonance appropriate for singing. Historical photographs help explain earlier configurations, we then make acoustic modeling to understanding reverberation times on first and second architecture.

For interior lighting design, the historical study directs attention to daylight openings, stained glass, architectural proportions, and the relationship between the historic frontage and the expanded worship space. These elements help establish which architectural details and spatial relationships deserve particular care. Daylight should be observed at different times of day and under varying weather conditions to understand how it illuminates the interior, reveals materials, and influences views towards the sanctuary.

This understanding provides a basis for integrating electric lighting around the altar, ambo, crucifix, circulation routes, and the congregation’s reading needs. The lighting composition should support the visual hierarchy of worship while allowing the surrounding architecture to remain legible. Particular attention should be given to glare, the visibility of faces and texts, and transitions between brighter and quieter areas. Lighting scenes can accommodate different liturgical activities, with luminaires, wiring, and maintenance access coordinated to minimise disturbance to significant fabric. ChurchCare’s guidance similarly emphasises natural-light variation, the direction and quality of illumination, and testing within the actual building.

For façade lighting design, the investigation extends beyond the cathedral to the surrounding nighttime environment. Light from neighbouring buildings, streetlights, commercial signs, and passing vehicles should be assessed from the principal approaches and public viewpoints. Their brightness, colour, direction, and operating hours establish the context in which the cathedral is seen and help determine the illumination needed to make its architecture readable.

The historical study can then guide how light reveals the retained entrance tower, adjoining gables, pointed openings, and newer flanking towers. Their relative prominence should be considered carefully so that the historic frontage remains identifiable within the expanded composition. On-site lighting trials can assess the balance of light and shadow, the appearance of materials, and the visibility of fixtures. The aim is a coherent nighttime presence that respects the cathedral’s architectural layers while limiting glare, light spill towards neighbouring properties, and unnecessary upward light.

Equipment integration connects both disciplines to heritage care. Loudspeakers, luminaires, acoustic treatments, wiring, and controls should be coordinated with the significance and condition of their proposed locations. Mounting details require particular attention: an installation may be visually discreet yet still damage an important surface. Existing service routes and suitable newer construction should be assessed as opportunities to reduce disturbance, while maintaining access for inspection and replacement.

For my work, historical understanding therefore helps define the design brief alongside the congregation’s practical and liturgical needs. It guides what to investigate, what to protect, and how proposed changes should be evaluated.

Understanding the cathedral’s architectural evolution provides the foundation for improving its performance while respecting its identity.

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References and Image Sources

The references below identify the published sources cited in this account. Repository links provide the accessible abstracts and supporting files for the academic studies.

1. Paroki Hati Yesus Yang Mahakudus—Katedral Makassar, “Gedung Gereja”. Parish building history.

2. Keuskupan Agung Makassar, “Gereja Lokal KAMS 75 Tahun” (2012). Historical context for the Catholic community.

3. Ahmad Yunani (2017), “Gereja Hati Yesus Yang maha Kudus–Katedral (sejarah Gereja Katolik di Sulawesi Selatan dan Tenggara)”. Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan, 15(1), 125–148. DOI: 10.31291/jlk.v15i1.518.

4. Irwani Rasyid and Adang Saujana (2019), Dokumentasi Teknik Bangunan Kolonial. Balai Pelestarian Cagar Budaya Sulawesi Selatan; section on Gereja Katedral.

5. Aditya Joseph Mesalayuk (2024), Evaluasi Pengembangan Bangunan Gereja Katedral Kota Makassar Serta Dampaknya Terhadap Nilai Penting Sebagai Cagar Budaya. Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Hasanuddin.

6. Pramesty Inriana Ritto (2025), Strategi Penguatan Informasi Nilai Penting Cagar Budaya Gereja Katedral Makassar dan Artefak Liturgisnya sebagai Upaya Pelestarian. Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Hasanuddin.

7. Katharina Reny Lestari, “Katedral Makassar Berhias Diri Sambut Misa Instalasi Mgr. Fransiskus Nipa”. HIDUPKATOLIK, 16 October 2024; interview with Father Yulius Malli.

8. Ihwan Gunawan S, “Gereja Katedral Makassar Bakal Tampung 1.200 Jemaat Tiap Sesi Misa Natal”. detikSulsel, 24 December 2024.

9. Direktorat Jenderal Bimbingan Masyarakat Katolik, “Menag Hadiri Dedikasi Gereja Katedral Makassar: Simbol Iman, Persaudaraan, dan Keabadian”. Ministry of Religious Affairs, 31 October 2025.

10. “Antisipasi Lonjakan Umat, Misa Malam Natal Katedral Dua Sesi”. Celebesmedia, 24 December 2025; interview with Father Yulius Malli.

11. The Nara Document on Authenticity (1994); The Burra Charter (Australia ICOMOS, 2013); and ChurchCare, “Lighting”. Guidance used to frame heritage assessment and sensitive design.

12. Historical photographs, Collectie Wereldmuseum (formerly Tropenmuseum), via Wikimedia Commons: frontal view, 1900–1920, TM-60008255; oblique view, 1900–1919, TM-10016679; and C.J. (Cees) Taillie’s 1948 photograph, TM-10029315. All three source records specify CC BY-SA 3.0.

Project context and the 2024 panoramic photograph: Herwin Gunawan’s project account and documentation. Architectural readings of the photographs are the author’s interpretations.

Liturgical Lighting Design for Worship Experience at Jakarta Cathedral

Project Overview

Since the Dutch colonial era, Jakarta Cathedral has stood as one of Indonesia's most important religious and cultural landmarks. Beyond its architectural significance, the cathedral continues to serve as an active place of worship, a symbol of religious harmony, and a spiritual home for generations of Catholics in Jakarta.

As part of the Jakarta Cathedral's ongoing commitment to preserving its heritage while enhancing the worship experience, a series of liturgical lighting scenario studies were conducted to evaluate how different lighting strategies influence the perception of sacred space, visual hierarchy, spiritual atmosphere, and liturgical symbolism.

The project explored how light can support various forms of worship, religious celebrations, and ceremonial occasions while respecting the architectural character and historical significance of the cathedral. Rather than focusing solely on illumination levels, the study examined how lighting shapes emotional response, spiritual engagement, and the relationship between worshippers and sacred architecture.

In Christian theology, light is often understood as a manifestation of God's presence, truth, and divine glory, while church architecture reflects the congregation's devotion and desire to glorify God through the built environment. The relationship between light and architecture therefore becomes an essential component in creating a meaningful worship environment where worshippers encounter the divine through faith, space, and sensory experience.

Through a series of lighting mock-ups and scenario evaluations, the project investigated how thoughtful lighting design can strengthen the connection between faith, architecture, and human experience within one of Indonesia's most significant religious heritage buildings.

Liturgical Lighting Scenario Gallery

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The Challenge

Lighting within sacred architecture serves a fundamentally different purpose from lighting in commercial, hospitality, or entertainment environments. The primary challenge was to create lighting scenarios that support both liturgical functions and spiritual experience while preserving the cathedral's architectural dignity and sacred atmosphere.

Several key considerations were identified:

• Supporting different liturgical celebrations and ceremonial occasions

• Strengthening visual hierarchy within the worship space

• Enhancing the perception of sacred art and architectural details

• Improving visual comfort for worshippers

• Reducing glare and visual distraction

• Balancing functional illumination with spiritual atmosphere

• Respecting the heritage value of the cathedral

• Old structure condition challenges for new installation

• Sustainability, electrical safety and long-term installation challenges

A successful liturgical lighting strategy must help worshippers focus on the meaning of the celebration rather than the lighting itself. The challenge therefore was not to make the space brighter, but to make the spiritual experience more meaningful through thoughtful use of light.

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Dramatic Architectural Lighting Scenario

Dramatic Architectural Lighting Scenario

Dramatic Architectural Lighting Scenario

Our Approach

Our approach began by understanding the cathedral as a sacred environment where light functions as both a practical and symbolic element. A series of lighting mock-ups, visual evaluations, and scenario studies were developed to explore how different lighting compositions influence worship experience, spatial perception, and liturgical expression.

The study evaluated:

• Visual hierarchy analysis

• Liturgical focal hierarchy and scenario development

• Architectural element assesment

• Heritage conservation review

• Light quality and color rendering evaluation

• Altar to congregation area contrast ratios studies

• Subject to ambient light contrast ratio studies

• Emotional and Spiritual atmosphere

• Existing electrical infrastructure assessment

• Existing lighting studies for reuse

Special attention was given to how light interacts with key liturgical elements such as the altar, tabernacle, crucifix, mural paintings, religious sculptures, and architectural details.

Rather than uniformly illuminating the entire space, the design explored how controlled luminance hierarchy and balanced contrast could guide attention toward the most significant liturgical elements while maintaining a contemplative atmosphere.

Human-Centered Light Perception Strategy

The project adopted a human-centered perceive lighting philosophy that prioritizes how worshippers emotionally, spiritually and visually experience sacred space. The strategy carefully considered how people: See, Focus to Altar, Reflect, Pray, Navigate and Participate in worship.

Research in environmental psychology demonstrates that light influences emotional perception, attention, comfort, and spatial understanding. Within sacred architecture, lighting can contribute significantly to feelings of reverence, contemplation, peace, and spiritual connection.

The Catholic Church celebrates a diverse range of liturgical practices and ceremonies, including the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Adoration, the Easter Vigil, and joyful Easter celebrations. Each liturgy carries a distinct spiritual meaning and emotional atmosphere that can be reinforced through carefully designed lighting environments.

Lighting that appropriately supports the liturgical context can enhance emotional engagement, deepen the sense of sacred presence, and strengthen the worshipper's spiritual connection and interaction with God. Rather than serving merely as illumination, light becomes an integral part of the liturgical experience, helping communicate symbolism, focus attention, and shape the emotional character of worship.

To explore these relationships, a series of eight liturgical lighting scenarios were tested at Jakarta Cathedral on 21 October 2024 using the Casambi lighting control system. The study evaluated how different lighting compositions, brightness levels, focal hierarchies, and atmospheric qualities influenced the perception of sacred space and supported various forms of worship and religious celebrations.

The lighting scenarios were therefore evaluated not only based on technical performance but also on their ability to support:

• Visual comfort

• Cognitive focus

• Emotional engagement

• Spiritual experience

• Architectural appreciation

• Sacred atmosphere

• Liturgical symbolism

By carefully controlling brightness, contrast, color rendering, and focal emphasis, the lighting helps create an environment that encourages reflection, participation, and a more meaningful worship experience.

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Regular Mass Lighting Scenario

Regular Mass Lighting Scenario

Regular Mass Lighting Scenario

Heritage Conservation and Lighting Integration Strategy

The project required close coordination between architectural heritage conservation, liturgical requirements, lighting technology, and human-centered design principles. The design process included:

• Existing Electrical Wiring Assessment to identify aging infrastructure, mitigate failure risks, and reduce potential short-circuit hazards.

• Reuse of Existing Lighting Infrastructure to improve sustainability, reduce material waste, and preserve the building's historical integrity.

• Lighting Mock-Up Testing and Evaluation to validate visual quality, liturgical atmosphere, and stakeholder expectations before implementation.

• Non-Invasive Luminaire Mounting Systems to protect the historic building fabric and comply with heritage conservation principles.

• Wireless Lighting Control System Implementation to eliminate the need for new control wiring and minimize physical intervention to the heritage structure.

• Integration of New and Existing Lighting Systems to maximize operational flexibility while preserving investment in existing infrastructure.

• Adaptive Lighting Scenario Programming to support multiple liturgical celebrations, ceremonial events, and worship experiences.

• Energy-Efficient Lighting Upgrades to improve lighting quality while reducing energy consumption and long-term operational costs.

• Glare and Light Pollution Management to enhance visual comfort and minimize environmental impact.

• Thermal Impact Assessment to ensure lighting fixtures do not introduce excessive heat that could damage sensitive heritage materials.Particular attention was given to ensuring that lighting supports the liturgy while remaining respectful to the cathedral's historic architecture.

These strategies demonstrate how thoughtful lighting design can successfully bridge heritage conservation and modern lighting technology implementation ensuring that Jakarta Cathedral continues to inspire faith, community, and cultural appreciation for generations to come.

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Contemplative and Adoration Lighting Scenario

Contemplative and Adoration Lighting Scenario

Contemplative and Adoration Lighting Scenario

Outcome

The liturgical lighting scenario testing and commissioning demonstrated how different lighting strategies create distinctly different perceptions of sacred space, emotional and spiritural atmosphere, and worship experience. This case study established a framework for evaluating future lighting interventions based on both technical performance and human-centered outcomes. Key benefits include of this project:

• Improved visual hierarchy

• Enhanced worship experience

• Stronger liturgical focus

• Better visual comfort

• Reduced glare perception

• Greater appreciation of sacred art and architecture

• More meaningful spiritual atmosphere

Most importantly, the project demonstrates that successful church lighting is not measured by brightness alone. Instead, effective liturgical lighting helps people connect more deeply with worship, architecture, and the spiritual significance of the space.

Through thoughtful integration of lighting design, heritage conservation, and human-centered principles, Jakarta Cathedral continues its mission of preserving its cultural legacy while enriching the experience of future generations of worshippers and Jakarta tourism.

Conclusion

The liturgical lighting scenario study at Jakarta Cathedral demonstrates that lighting in sacred architecture is far more than a technical requirement for visibility. Thoughtfully designed lighting can shape emotional perception, strengthen spiritual engagement, support liturgical symbolism, and enhance the relationship between worshippers and sacred space.

By carefully balancing liturgical requirements, human-centered experience, architectural heritage, and lighting performance, the project illustrates how light can become an integral part of worship itself. Through different lighting scenarios, the cathedral can create atmospheres that support reflection, prayer, celebration, contemplation, and communal worship while preserving the dignity and historical significance of one of Indonesia's most important religious landmarks.

The study reinforces the belief that successful lighting design is not measured solely by brightness, but by its ability to communicate meaning, evoke emotion, and enrich the human experience within the built environment.

ALTA Integra is a Building Science and Technology consultancy dedicated to creating human-centered environments through evidence-based design. By studying the relationship between light, sound, space, technology, and human emotion, we help transform buildings into places that inspire wellbeing, strengthen identity, emotional support space, and dedicated for a more sustainable future.

Whether you are designing a place of worship, heritage building, hospitality destination, workplace, educational facility, or public space, our lighting consultancy services help translate design vision into meaningful visual, emotional, and environmental performance.

Sacred Architectural Lighting Mock-Up Study for Jakarta Cathedral

Lighting within sacred architecture is not merely about visibility. It is about shaping spiritual atmosphere, emotional perception, and the relationship between human experience and sacred space.

With great enthusiasm in welcoming the Apostolic Visit of Pope Francis to Jakarta Cathedral in September 2024, Herwin Gunawan and ALTA Integra Lighting Design team contributed to enhancing the interior lighting quality of the historic cathedral through a series of architectural lighting mock-up studies.

The mock-up lighting study was developed to explore how different lighting strategies can influence visual hierarchy, contemplative ambience, architectural depth, and the perception of religious art and liturgical elements within the cathedral interior.

Rather than focusing solely on brightness, the study investigated how controlled contrast, color rendering quality, luminance balance, and focal illumination could create a more human-centered and spiritually immersive worship environment.

Through a series of lighting mock-ups and visual evaluations, the project examined how light can respectfully reveal the architectural richness, sacred symbolism, and emotional atmosphere of one of Indonesia’s most important religious heritage buildings.

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Altar Main Table

Michael Ho from ERCO Singapore assisting Jakarta Cathedral during the lighting mock-up process, testing luminaire positioning, beam angles, and lighting quality to evaluate architectural perception, visual comfort, and worship experience within the historic cathedral interior.

A comparative mock-up evaluation was conducted between the proposed ERCO lighting solution (left) and the existing lighting system (right). Using a professional spectrometer, the assessment measured illuminance (lux), correlated color temperature (CCT), and color rendering quality (CRI) to understand how different lighting technologies influence visual perception and worship experience.

The results showed that the ERCO lighting achieved a higher illuminance level (736 lux vs. 389 lux) while maintaining a warm color temperature and superior color rendering performance (CRI 90 vs. CRI 82). This improvement allows priest face expression, architectural details, religious artwork, and liturgical elements to be perceived more naturally and accurately.

Flicker measurements were conducted to compare the performance of the existing lighting system and the proposed ERCO lighting solution. Flicker is an important lighting quality parameter that can affect visual comfort, concentration, camera recording quality, and the overall worship experience.

The measurement results showed that the existing lighting system exhibited a 14.31% flicker level, while the proposed ERCO lighting achieved a significantly lower 7.44% flicker level, representing nearly a 48% reduction in flicker. This improvement contributes to a more stable visual environment, reducing the risk of visual fatigue and discomfort during extended worship activities.

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Tabernacle Lighting Mock Up

The comparison between the two lighting approaches demonstrates how lighting strategy significantly influences the visual perception, emotional atmosphere, and spiritual experience of the church tabernacle. Although both scenes illuminate the same sacred architectural object, the difference in lighting composition creates entirely different spatial qualities and emotional responses.

Existing Lighting - small spotlight create glare spot and exesive dart spot

Existing Tabernacle Lighting Strategy

Multiple Small Spotlights with Fragmented Illumination

The existing tabernacle is illuminated using multiple small spotlight sources with narrow beam distributions. While this strategy increases localized brightness, it also creates: excessive reflective glare, fragmented illumination, harsh bright-dark transitions, visual clutter, uneven brightness distribution and no focal points.

The multiple bright hotspots generate a visually busy environment where the eye continuously shifts between isolated illuminated areas rather than perceiving the altar composition as a unified sacred focal point. The lighting perception feels: overly contrasty, fragmented, visually loud and noisy, less calm and less spiritually immersive.

The narrow beam spotlights also create excessive dark pockets between illuminated surfaces, causing the sculptural narratives and architectural carvings to appear disconnected from one another. Although dramatic, the lighting lacks overall compositional harmony and reduces the contemplative quality expected within sacred architecture.

Mock Up Testing - Reveal Golden Color and Visual Hierarchy

Mock Up Tabernacle Lighting

Layered and Hierarchical Illumination

The mock up lighting strategy shifts toward a more integrated and layered composition with improved visual hierarchy and controlled luminance balance. The mock-up lighting creates a more refined and cohesive sacred atmosphere by revealing the natural golden warmth and material richness of the historic altar architecture.

This strategy creates: stronger visual hierarchy, better luminance balance, reduced glare perception, improved spatial continuity, greater visual depth, enhanced sacred atmosphere and reveal the golden color paint.

The crucifix becomes the primary spiritual focal point, while the surrounding relief sculptures and ornamental carvings remain visually connected without competing excessively for attention. The lighting perception now feels: more sacred and contemplative, more visually organized, richer in depth and texture, more emotionally immersive, calmer and more reverent

Rather than fragmented the tabernacle composition, the lighting now creates layered depth and gentle contrast that guide the eye naturally through the altar narrative. The result is a lighting environment that feels more harmonious, contemplative, and emotionally immersive while maintaining appropriate visual focus and reverence within the sacred space.

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Subject to Background Light Ratio

The lighting study explores how subject-to-background illumination ratio influences visual perception, emotional atmosphere, and spatial hierarchy within a sacred architectural environment.

Rather than relying solely on overall brightness, the design approach evaluates how controlled contrast between the subject and background can shape focus, depth perception, and human emotional response.

Subject to Background High Contrast Ratio

Stronger Focus and Dramatic Emphasis

In the high contrast lighting, the lighting composition applies a higher subject-to-background contrast ratio by reducing background illumination and increasing visual separation between the speaker and surrounding architecture.

This strategy creates:

• Stronger visual focus on the subject

• Greater sense of depth

• More dramatic atmosphere

• Reduced background distraction

• Enhanced subject prominence

Subject - Background Illumination Ratio - High Contrast

The darker background allows the human figure to emerge more clearly from the space, improving visual hierarchy and directing audience attention more intentionally toward the speaker. The lighting perception feels: More intimate, More cinematic, More emotionally focused, More visually dramatic and More contemplative.

This approach is particularly effective for: Camera-focused communication settings, Recorded presentations, Broadcast environments, Emotional or reflective moments and Dramatic or Contemplative Sermons storytelling,

Subject to Background Medium Contrast Ratio

Balanced Visibility and Spatial Integration

In Medium Contrast Ratio Lighting, the lighting composition applies a medium subject-to-background contrast ratio, where both the subject and altar background remain visibly connected within the visual field. This approach creates: Softer visual transition, Balanced spatial perception, Comfortable facial visibility, Natural skin tone rendering and Greater contextual awareness of the architectural background.

Subject - Background Illumination Ratio - Medium Contrast

The medium contrast ratio allows the speaker to remain visually dominant while maintaining the sacred altar as an important spatial backdrop. The lighting perception feels: Warm and approachable, Spatially balanced, Calm and conversational and Architecturally integrated.

This lighting condition is suitable for: Religious talks, Community interaction, Hybrid worship streaming, Educational or pastoral communication and Situations requiring both subject clarity and environmental context.

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Via Crucis Mural Paint by Theo Molkenboer

The lighting study demonstrates how color rendering quality and illumination level significantly influence the visual perception, emotional atmosphere, and artistic readability of the Via Crucis mural painting by Theo Molkenboer.

Rather than functioning solely as illumination, the lighting becomes a medium for revealing artistic detail, material color richness, and spiritual narrative within the sacred artwork.

Existing Lighting - Low Color Rendering Index - Low Lux Level

Existing Lighting Mural Painting

Low Color Rendering Index — Low Lux Level

The existing lighting condition produces limited visual clarity due to insufficient illumination level and poor color rendering quality.

The mural appears:

• Dim and visually compressed

• Lacking tonal separation

• Low in material richness

• Reduced in artistic legibility

• Flat in color perception

• Visually muted and less emotionally engaging

The low Color Rendering Index (CRI) reduces the ability of the lighting to accurately reveal the original pigments, textures, and chromatic nuances of the artwork.

As a result:

• Skin tones appear dull

• Warm color layers become muddy

• Fine artistic details are lost

• Depth and dimensionality are weakened

• The mural narrative becomes less visually expressive

The low lux level further diminishes the mural’s visual prominence within the sacred interior, causing the artwork to recede into darkness rather than serving as an important spiritual and artistic focal point.

The overall perception feels:

• Dark and visually subdued

• Less inviting

• Less emotionally immersive

• Less connected to the sacred storytelling intention of the artwork

Erco Mock Up Lighting - Higher Color Rendering Index - Higher Lux Level

Mock Up Lighting Mural Painting

Higher Color Rendering Index — Higher Lux Level

In the lower image, the improved lighting condition significantly enhances the visual and emotional perception of the mural through higher CRI illumination and increased, yet controlled, lux levels.

The lighting now reveals:

• Richer color fidelity

• Greater tonal separation

• Improved material texture

• Enhanced artistic detail

• Better visual hierarchy

• Stronger narrative readability

The higher CRI lighting restores the warmth and complexity of the original mural palette, allowing:

• Skin tones to appear more natural

• Gold and earth-tone pigments to emerge more vividly

• Fine brushwork and texture to become visible

• Visual depth and layering to feel more dimensional

The increased illumination level improves visibility while maintaining a warm and contemplative sacred atmosphere.

Rather than appearing flat or faded, the mural now becomes:

• More visually alive

• More emotionally engaging

• More spiritually expressive

• More architecturally integrated within the church interior

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Lighting Mock-Up on vault balcony

Lighting Projection Mock-Up for the Memorial Plaque in the Foyer of Jakarta Cathedral

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What is sacred architectural lighting concept?

The mock-up lighting study demonstrates that lighting quality within sacred architecture cannot be measured only by illumination level alone.

Different lighting strategies create fundamentally different perceptions of atmosphere, spirituality, emotional comfort, and architectural experience. Through careful control of luminance hierarchy, color rendering, contrast, and visual focus, lighting becomes more than technical illumination — it becomes an instrument for contemplation, reverence, and human connection.

For historic religious spaces such as Jakarta Cathedral, sensitive lighting design plays an important role in preserving not only architectural heritage, but also the emotional and spiritual qualities experienced by worshippers and visitors.

This study reflects a broader human-centered lighting approach where light is designed not to dominate the space, but to quietly support sacred atmosphere, visual comfort, and meaningful spiritual experience.

Project Information

• Project: Jakarta Cathedral Architectural Lighting

• Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

• Service: Sacred and Heritage Architectural Lighting Design

• Scope: Lighting Mock-Up, Visual Evaluation, Lighting Quality Assessment

• Consultant: Herwin Gunawan / ALTA Integra

• Year: 2024

Sacred Heritage Lighting Design Process Jakarta Cathedral Church

Lighting a historical place of worship requires a deep respect for historical architecture, religious liturgy, and structural preservation. This case study details the meticulous, data-driven lighting design process utilized to revitalize the interior of the iconic Neo-Gothic Jakarta Cathedral.

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Phase 1

Architectural Heritage Study

Liturgical Study

Existing Lighting Quality Assesment

Before introducing new fixtures, a comprehensive empirical audit of the existing lighting environment is mandatory to safeguard the building's heritage status.

Spectral & Illuminance Testing: Utilizing advanced diagnostic tools (such as UPRtek spectrometer technology), we mapped the ambient light levels and color rendering indices across the nave and sanctuary.

Data Findings: Initial assessments captured a baseline light level of 44.0 lux at the pew level, with highly uneven intensity distribution (ranging from 25% to 46% efficiency across different zones).

Identifying Deficiencies: The high contrast and dark voids in the upper vaults detracted from the cathedral's majestic Neo-Gothic verticality, while inadequate task lighting compromised the readability of liturgical texts.

Heritage Preservation Focus: High UV and heat-emitting legacy bulbs were flagged for replacement to protect centuries-old woodwork, paintings, and sacred artifacts from photochemical degradation.

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Phase 2

Conceptual Lighting Design

3D Lighting Simulation & Digital Twin Mapping

To guarantee structural safety and visual accuracy before any physical installation begins, a digital twin of the Jakarta Cathedral was engineered.

Quantitative False-Color Analysis

Using specialized lighting simulation software, the cathedral's interior was modeled to calculate exact lux distribution, glare ratings, and surface reflectance. The false-color rendering allows stakeholders to visualize precisely how light behaves along the complex ribbed vaults and pointed arches.

Qualitative Material Rendering

Simultaneously, a 3D gray-scale rendering was generated to study the interplay of light and shadow (chiaroscuro), ensuring the architectural integrity and depth of the stone and timber pillars are enhanced, not flattened, by the new scheme.

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Phase 3

Conceptual 2D Wireframe

Structural Integration

A core challenge of heritage conservation is hiding modern technology within historic architecture without altering the physical fabric of the building.

• Non-Invasive Luminaire Placement: The 2D wireframe schematic illustrates the precise positioning of architectural uplights nestled into the capitals of the columns.

• Accentuating the Architecture: By grazing the faces of the pointed arches with warm, directional light, the design draws the eyes upward, celebrating the structural engineering of the cathedral.

• Reversible Design Principle: In adherence to strict international conservation standards, all lighting mounts and pathways are designed to be completely reversible, leaving zero permanent damage to the historic brick and stone.

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Phase 4

The Final Ambiance

Harmonizing Liturgy and Light

The ultimate goal of the design is to foster a serene, contemplative atmosphere that elevates the spiritual experience for the congregation.

Layered Lighting Scheme:

Ambient Layer: Soft, warm-toned illumination reflecting off the ceiling vaults to provide comfortable, glare-free general lighting.

Accent Layer: High-CRI (Color Rendering Index) directional spotlights dedicated to the Stations of the Cross, altars, and sacred oil paintings, bringing out their true colors and textures.

Task Layer: Focused, dimmable illumination targeted precisely at the pews and sanctuary for reading scripts and hymnals.

Smart Liturgical Control: The entire system is integrated into a digital control framework, allowing church staff to transition effortlessly between various scenes—ranging from intimate daily masses to brightly illuminated festive celebrations like Christmas and Easter.

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Project Information

• Project: Jakarta Cathedral Architectural Lighting

• Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

• Service: Sacred and Heritage Architectural Lighting Design

• Scope: Lighting Mock-Up, Visual Evaluation, Lighting Quality Assessment

• Consultant: Herwin Gunawan / ALTA Integra

• Year: 2024

Auditorium Mandiri University - Audiovisual Acoustic Lighting Design Integration

High Performance Audiovisual Seamless Integration

Effective Learning Space for Zoom Meeting, Video Conference, Multimedia Presentation, Live Streaming, and Live Music for Higher Education Environment

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Project Overview

The auditorium at Mandiri University was envisioned as a multifunctional academic and institutional gathering space capable of supporting lectures, seminars, conferences, presentations, performances, and hybrid learning activities within a contemporary higher education environment.

To support these diverse functions, the project required an integrated approach combining audiovisual system, architectural acoustics and lighting design planning to create a comfortable, flexible, and technologically adaptive auditorium experience.

The consultancy scope focused on developing a performance-driven environment that enhances speech intelligibility, visual comfort, communication quality, and overall audience experience while maintaining architectural coherence and operational flexibility.

The Challenge

Modern university auditoriums are increasingly expected to support multiple event typologies within a single space.

The project presented several key challenges:

• Maintaining speech clarity across varying occupancy conditions

• Supporting both live and hybrid presentation formats

• Balancing acoustic control with architectural aesthetics

• Managing lighting conditions for audience comfort and camera visibility

• Integrating audiovisual infrastructure without disrupting interior architecture

• Ensuring flexibility for educational, ceremonial, and multimedia events

Unlike conventional lecture halls, multifunction auditoriums require careful coordination between sound, light, visual communication, and spatial perception to create an environment that performs effectively for both in-person and digital audiences.

The project also required balancing technical performance with long-term operational usability and maintenance efficiency.

Our Approach - Define Acoustic & Lighting Performance

Our approach began by understanding the auditorium as a human-centered communication environment rather than simply a technical event space.

The design strategy integrated:

• Architectural acoustic analysis

• Lighting quality evaluation

• Audiovisual system coordination

• Spatial communication hierarchy

• User experience considerations

Rather than treating acoustics, lighting, and AV systems as separate disciplines, the project developed these components as interconnected layers influencing audience perception, communication clarity, and spatial comfort.

The acoustic strategy focused on improving:

• Speech intelligibility

• Reverberation control

• Audience listening comfort

• Noise management

• Spatial sound consistency

The lighting approach prioritized:

• Visual hierarchy

• Audience comfort

• Presenter visibility

• Camera-friendly illumination

• Flexible scene control

Meanwhile, the audiovisual system was designed to support:

• Hybrid learning environments

• Digital presentations

• Multimedia events

• Scalable communication infrastructure

• Integrated operational control

Human-Centered Performance Strategy

The project adopted a human-centered performance strategy where environmental quality was measured not only through technical specifications, but through human perception and communication effectiveness.

The design considered how people:

• Listen

• See

• Focus

• Communicate

• Interact within the auditorium environment

The acoustic environment was calibrated to reduce listening fatigue and improve speech clarity across audience seating areas.

Lighting design was carefully balanced to support:

• Comfortable facial visibility

• Reduced glare

• Visual adaptation

• Audience engagement

• Camera and broadcast performance

The audiovisual strategy focused on creating intuitive and seamless communication experiences for lecturers, speakers, students, and hybrid participants.

By integrating environmental comfort with technological functionality, the auditorium becomes more than a presentation venue — it becomes a high-performance educational communication space.

Design Integration

A key aspect of the project was multidisciplinary coordination between architecture, acoustics, lighting, and audiovisual technology.

The integration process included:

• Acoustic simulation and material evaluation

• Lighting scene and luminance hierarchy studies

• Audiovisual infrastructure planning

• Display visibility analysis

• Spatial coordination with architectural elements

• Equipment integration within interior design

Careful integration ensured that technical systems remained visually discreet while supporting optimal environmental performance.

This approach minimizes visual clutter, improves operational usability, and preserves the architectural character of the auditorium interior.

Outcome

The final design creates a flexible and performance-oriented auditorium environment capable of supporting contemporary academic communication and hybrid learning activities.

Acoustic strategies were developed to optimize reverberation time and speech intelligibility for lectures, conferences, and hybrid learning environments.

Through integrated acoustic, lighting, and audiovisual consultancy, the auditorium achieves:

• Improved speech intelligibility

• Enhanced audience comfort

• Better presentation visibility

• Flexible multimedia capability

• Human-centered communication quality

• Seamless technology integration

The project demonstrates how multidisciplinary environmental design can elevate educational spaces beyond conventional technical infrastructure into immersive and effective learning environments.

Rather than functioning solely as an event venue, the auditorium becomes an adaptive communication ecosystem that supports education, collaboration, and institutional engagement within a modern university setti

Project Information

• Project: Mandiri University

• Sector: Corporate Higher Education

• Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

• Service: Audiovisual System, Building Acoustic, Architectural Acoustic, Architectural Lighting

• Consultant: Herwin Gunawan / ALTA Integra

• Year: 2022

Audiovisual Lighting Acoustics Design Integration Karnaval Thamrin Community Entertainment

Mixed Use Lifestyle and Entertainment Destination

Project Overview

Karnaval Thamrin was developed as a modern lifestyle and culinary destination that brings together dining, entertainment, social interaction, and community experience within a vibrant urban environment in Central Jakarta.

Inspired by the energy of contemporary city culture, the project combines modern architectural ambience with a dynamic hospitality experience designed to attract young professionals, communities, families, and urban visitors seeking a lively yet comfortable social destination.

To support the experiential character of the venue, Morin Architect, Herwin Gunawan and ALTA Integra team provided acoustic, lighting, and audiovisual consultancy services aimed at creating a human-centered mixed-entertainment experience where sound, light, and communication systems work cohesively with the architectural atmosphere.

The consultancy approach focused on balancing:

• Acoustic comfort within active hospitality spaces

• Atmospheric lighting quality

• Audiovisual communication and entertainment systems

• Visitor wellbeing and sensory comfort

• Architectural ambience and spatial identity

Rather than positioning technology as merely technical infrastructure, the project integrated audiovisual system, stage and architectural entertainment lighting, and acoustic environment as experiential design instruments that shape mood, communication quality, emotional perception, and social interaction throughout the venue.

The result is a contemporary urban lifestyle environment that feels energetic, immersive, and socially engaging while maintaining visual comfort, acoustic balance, and environmental quality for visitors.

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Contemporary Lounge Dining Experience

The Challenge

Contemporary mixed-use lifestyle destinations present increasingly complex environmental challenges due to the integration of coffee shops, dining venues, bars, entertainment areas, and public social interaction functions within a fragmented environment.

The project required balancing:

• Acoustic comfort within active social environments

• Lighting atmosphere across multiple spatial identities

• Audiovisual flexibility for different events and entertainment

• Speech clarity within public gathering zones

• Visual comfort for visitors

• Integration of technical systems within architectural interiors

One of the primary challenges was creating an energetic and immersive lifestyle entertainment atmosphere while maintaining environmental comfort by controlling unwanted sound reflection, minimizing noise disturbance to nearby hotels and residential developments, reducing visual overstimulation from excessive lighting, and ensuring balanced audiovisual distribution throughout the venue.

Excessive reverberation, uncontrolled noise transfer, overly bright lighting, or fragmented audiovisual systems can negatively impact visitor comfort, emotional experience, and overall spatial quality. The project therefore required a thoughtful multidisciplinary strategy capable of balancing performance, atmosphere, technology, and human experience simultaneously.

Our Approach

Our approach began by understanding Karnaval Thamrin not merely as a commercial space, but as a human-centered experiential environment where environmental quality directly shapes how people interact, communicate, and emotionally connect with the space.

The design strategy integrated:

• Architectural acoustic evaluation

• Lighting atmosphere development

• Audiovisual system coordination

• Human behavioral considerations

• Spatial communication hierarchy

• Environmental comfort analysis

The acoustic design strategy focused on:

• Managing reverberation and noise buildup

• Improving speech intelligibility

• Enhancing auditory comfort

• Supporting social interaction quality

• Balancing energetic ambience with acoustic control

The lighting strategy emphasized:

• Layered atmospheric lighting

• Visual hierarchy

• Material enhancement

• Human visual comfort

• Flexible scene adaptability

• Day-to-night ambience transition

Meanwhile, the audiovisual consultancy supported:

• Flexible event capability

• Background music distribution

• Digital communication systems

• Public engagement experience

• Scalable entertainment infrastructure

The overall approach ensured that environmental systems contribute positively to both operational performance and emotional user experience.

Human-Centered Performance Strategy

The project adopted a human-centered environmental strategy where performance was evaluated not only technically, but through human perception, comfort, and emotional response.

The design carefully considered how visitors emotionally perceive and experience the environment through sensory and social interactions, including how they hear, see, smell, taste, navigate, communicate, and socialize within the space.

Acoustic strategies were developed to reduce excessive noise fatigue while preserving the lively social character of the venue. Lighting design balanced visual stimulation with comfort by controlling: brightness hierarchy, glare perception, color temperature, dynamic color ambient, spatial contrast for creating different ambient mood.

The audiovisual systems were designed to support live band performances, DJ entertainment, and ambient lounge background music, while the visual systems enable dynamic lighting scenes, live performance visuals, and promotional multimedia content. This approach creates a more immersive and emotionally engaging hospitality environment while supporting entertainment activities and social interaction throughout the venue.

Design Integration

A key strength of the project was the integration between architecture, acoustics, lighting, and audiovisual technology from the early stages of design development.

The integration process included: Acoustic material coordination, Lighting scene simulations, Audiovisual infrastructure planning, Equipment concealment strategies, Environmental comfort evaluation, Architectural, Building Structure and MEP detailing integration.

Rather than allowing technical systems to compete visually with the architecture, the design carefully embedded performance systems into the spatial language of the project. This integrated methodology improves: Operational efficiency, Spatial coherence, User experience quality, Maintenance accessibility and Architectural cleanliness.

The result is an environment where technology enhances atmosphere without becoming visually intrusive.

Outcome

The final design creates a vibrant yet comfortable lifestyle environment that supports social interaction, entertainment, hospitality, and public engagement within a cohesive architectural experience.

Through integrated acoustic, lighting, and audiovisual consultancy, Karnaval Thamrin achieves: Improved environmental comfort, Enhanced spatial atmosphere, Better audiovisual and communication quality, Flexible scenario capability, Human-centered visitor experience, and Integrated architectural technology performance

The project demonstrates how multidisciplinary environmental design can transform commercial and hospitality spaces into emotionally engaging, performance-oriented environments that support both business objectives and human wellbeing.

Rather than functioning solely as a retail or entertainment venue, Karnaval Thamrin becomes an immersive urban social environment shaped through the careful integration of sound, light, and human-centered architectural experience.

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Entertainment Scenario

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Project Information

• Project Name: Karnaval Thamrin

• Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

• Project Type: Lifestyle, Hospitality & Entertainment Destination

• Services: Audiovisual System Design, Stage & Architectural Lighting Design, Building and Architectural Acoustic Consultancy, Entertainment Technology Integration and Environmental Experience Design

• Consultant: Herwin Gunawan / ALTA Integra

• Year: 2023

Color as a Communication Medium: Facade Lighting Design Testing for Jakarta Cathedral

Project Overview

As one of Jakarta's most recognizable heritage landmarks, Jakarta Cathedral has been an integral part of the city's history since the Dutch colonial period. The cathedral stands not only as a place of worship, but also as a living witness to the social, cultural, and architectural evolution of Indonesia's capital.

Over the decades, the cathedral has become a powerful symbol of religious harmony, demonstrating how faith, culture, and community can coexist within a diverse urban society. Its presence within Jakarta's historic civic district continues to contribute to the city's cultural identity and collective memory.

To preserve this legacy, Jakarta Cathedral remains committed to the continuous conservation and enhancement of its architectural environment. These efforts ensure that the cathedral continues to serve both as a treasured heritage building and as a vibrant spiritual home for the Catholic community in Jakarta.

One of these efforts is exploring how Jakarta Cathedral tells its story at night through architectural lighting. Architectural lighting is often perceived as a tool for visibility and aesthetics. However, within civic, cultural, and religious architecture, light can serve a much broader role—as a medium of communication.

“Cultural and historical heritage is an irreplaceable and invaluable treasure. It represents an essential legacy for local communities, nations, and all humankind, connecting past generations with the present and future.”

— UNESCO - World Heritage Convention

The facade lighting color testing study for Jakarta Cathedral was developed to explore how different lighting colors influence public perception, emotional atmosphere, symbolic meaning, and the cathedral's relationship with the city at night.

As one of Indonesia's most important religious and cultural landmarks, Jakarta Cathedral regularly hosts major liturgical celebrations, national commemorations, interfaith events, and international visits. The project investigated how facade lighting could provide the flexibility to communicate these different occasions while preserving the dignity, heritage value, and sacred character of the cathedral.

Rather than viewing color-changing lighting as a decorative feature, the study approached color as a visual language capable of expressing identity, celebration, remembrance, solidarity, and spirituality.

Architectural lighting is not merely about illumination. Color becomes a visual language capable of communicating meaning, celebration, remembrance, spirituality, and cultural identity.

The facade lighting color testing for Jakarta Cathedral explored how different colors influence public perception, emotional response, and the symbolic expression of one of Indonesia's most important religious landmarks.

The study investigated how lighting could support:

• Religious celebrations

• Liturgical seasons

• National commemorations

• Cultural events

• Interfaith harmony initiatives

• Special ceremonial occasions

without compromising the dignity and heritage value of the cathedral.

Building Facade Contour, Light and Shadow Near Sunset

The Challenge

Historic religious buildings carry a unique responsibility within the urban environment.

Unlike commercial buildings, where dynamic lighting is often used for branding and attraction, heritage religious architecture requires a more sensitive approach. Every lighting intervention must respect the building's architectural integrity, cultural significance, and spiritual atmosphere.

The primary challenge was balancing:

• Heritage conservation principles

• Architectural authenticity

• Sacred identity

• Public communication needs

• Nighttime landmark visibility

• Environmental responsibility

The project also needed to address an important question:

How can a historic cathedral communicate different messages and ceremonial occasions through light without compromising its timeless architectural character?

The design team recognized that color has the ability to evoke emotional responses and symbolic meanings. However, excessive use of color or inappropriate lighting compositions could easily diminish the solemnity and dignity expected from a sacred landmark.

The testing process therefore focused on identifying lighting approaches that could enrich communication while maintaining respect for the cathedral's religious significance.

Building Facade Contour Analysis, Lighting Position Testing, and the Perception of Light and Shadow

Our Approach

In developing the nighttime lighting strategy, we first studied how the architectural contours, proportions, and visual hierarchy of the cathedral are perceived during daylight conditions. Understanding the building's form in natural light allowed us to identify the key architectural elements that define its character and historical significance.

We then conducted a series of lighting models and simulations, evaluating various illumination levels, light quality, color compositions, fixture locations, and beam angles. These simulations enabled us to assess how different lighting approaches would interact with the cathedral's Neo-Gothic architecture and influence its nighttime identity.

Through this process, we analyzed how the balance between light and shadow could reveal the building's contours, architectural details, and vertical expression. Rather than simply making the cathedral brighter, the objective was to create a visual composition that communicates peace, dignity, grandeur, and a sense of wonder—allowing visitors to appreciate both the spiritual presence and the rich historical legacy of one of Indonesia's most important religious landmarks.

The study explored a series of facade lighting color scenarios to understand how different lighting compositions influence architectural perception and emotional response. Rather than evaluating color purely from an aesthetic perspective, the testing examined:

• Symbolic meaning

• Cultural associations

• Religious significance

• Emotional perception

• Architectural readability

• Nighttime urban identity

Multiple lighting scenarios were developed and visually assessed to understand how the cathedral's Neo-Gothic architectural features responded to different color palettes. Particular attention was given to preserving:

• Architectural detail visibility

• Material authenticity

• Visual hierarchy

• Building proportions

• Sacred atmosphere

The testing process allowed stakeholders to compare how different colors transform the perception of the same building while maintaining a coherent architectural identity.

Color: Liturgical Meaning and Emotional Perception

The project adopted a human-centered lighting philosophy that recognizes that people do not simply see color—they emotionally interpret it. Different colors can communicate different messages and create distinct emotional experiences.

Warm White

Warm white lighting reinforces the cathedral's timeless elegance and architectural authenticity while creating a sense of spiritual calmness and visual comfort. By revealing the building in a manner that closely reflects its natural appearance and material character, this lighting approach supports the everyday worship atmosphere and presents the cathedral in its most historically respectful and enduring form.

Gold and Amber

Golden and amber lighting tones communicate a sense of celebration, joy, and religious festivity while enhancing the cathedral's monumental presence and spiritual warmth. These colors create a welcoming and uplifting atmosphere that highlights the significance of special occasions, making them particularly suitable for major religious celebrations, festive seasons, and important ceremonial events.

Green

Green carries rich symbolic meaning within both Christian tradition and human perception, representing hope, renewal, growth, and spiritual vitality. In the Catholic liturgical calendar, green is associated with Ordinary Time, symbolizing perseverance in faith, ongoing spiritual growth, and the everyday journey of Christian life. Emotionally, green evokes a sense of harmony, balance, peace, and connection with nature, creating a welcoming and restorative atmosphere.

Blue

Blue lighting evokes a sense of peace, reflection, contemplation, hope, and serenity, creating a calm and introspective atmosphere around the cathedral. Its gentle and tranquil character encourages moments of personal reflection and spiritual connection, making it particularly effective for occasions that call for remembrance, prayer, unity, and emotional calmness.

Purple

Purple carries deep liturgical significance within the Catholic tradition and is closely associated with the seasons of Advent and Lent. The color symbolizes spiritual preparation, reflection, and repentance, encouraging a period of introspection and renewal. When applied to the cathedral facade, purple lighting creates a solemn and contemplative atmosphere that reflects the spiritual journey of faith, anticipation, and personal transformation.

Red

Red carries profound symbolic meaning within the Catholic tradition, representing the Holy Spirit, martyrdom, courage, and passion. The color is often associated with significant religious celebrations and solemn commemorations, conveying a sense of spiritual strength, sacrifice, and devotion. When applied to the cathedral facade, red lighting creates a powerful and emotionally resonant presence that reflects both the vitality of faith and the enduring legacy of those who have courageously borne witness to it.

By understanding these emotional and symbolic associations, lighting becomes a communication tool that supports meaningful human experience rather than merely changing visual appearance.

Heritage Conservation and Technical Integration

Beyond designing visual beauty, symbolic meaning, and emotional perception, the lighting strategy also had to respect the principles of heritage conservation and long-term building preservation.

As a designated heritage building, any lighting intervention must minimize physical impact on the historic structure. The installation of luminaires, cabling, mounting brackets, and supporting infrastructure was therefore carefully coordinated to comply with conservation guidelines. Particular attention was given to avoiding invasive installation methods, such as drilling or creating new openings in the historic fabric, which could potentially compromise the building's integrity or cause irreversible damage in the future.

The placement of lighting fixtures was also carefully evaluated to prevent excessive heat accumulation near sensitive architectural elements. Improper fixture positioning can trap heat and accelerate the deterioration of historic materials over time. Therefore, thermal considerations formed an important part of the design evaluation process.

Environmental sustainability was equally important. The lighting strategy prioritized energy-efficient light sources while carefully controlling brightness levels and light distribution to minimize unnecessary light spill and light pollution. This approach ensures that the cathedral remains visually prominent within the nighttime cityscape while maintaining environmental responsibility and preserving the dignity of one of Indonesia's most significant cultural heritage landmarks.

This integrated methodology demonstrates how architectural lighting can simultaneously support heritage conservation, environmental sustainability, technical performance, and meaningful nighttime storytelling. The project required the integration of architecture, heritage conservation, lighting technology, and cultural symbolism.

Special attention was given to ensuring that dynamic lighting scenarios remained subordinate to the architecture itself. The objective was not to transform the cathedral into a digital display, but to allow light to respectfully complement the building's architectural expression and ceremonial role. This approach ensures that the lighting enhances communication while preserving the cathedral's identity as a sacred and historic landmark.

Outcome

The color testing study demonstrated that facade lighting can serve as a powerful communication medium within heritage architecture.

Different lighting colors create different perceptions, emotions, and symbolic meanings while influencing how people connect with the building and the events it represents.

The project established a framework for future lighting scenarios capable of supporting:

• Religious celebrations

• Liturgical seasons

• National commemorations

• Interfaith solidarity events

• International visits

• Cultural celebrations

• Civic recognition programs

Most importantly, the study demonstrated that dynamic lighting can coexist with heritage conservation when guided by thoughtful design principles and respect for architectural identity.

The Jakarta Cathedral facade lighting color testing project illustrates how light can become more than illumination—it can become a meaningful language that connects architecture, culture, faith, and community within the nighttime cityscape.

ALTA Integra is a Building Science and Technology consultancy dedicated to creating human-centered environments through evidence-based design. By studying the relationship between light, sound, space, technology, and human emotion, we help transform buildings into places that inspire wellbeing, strengthen identity, and support a more sustainable future.

Every building has a story to tell. Through thoughtful architectural lighting design, we help reveal that story—enhancing heritage, enriching human experience, and creating meaningful connections between architecture, culture, and community. Visit our lighting design service page to discover how lighting can bring new life and meaning to your project after dark.

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Auditorium Theater Design: Audiovisual, Lighting, Acoustic - Santo Ignatius Kanisius Jakarta

ALTA Integra collaborate with Atelier Cosmas Gozali designed audiovisual acoustic lighting Multi-Function Hall, Education Theater and Library at Kolese Kanisius Menteng Ignatius Loyola New Building for Future Education Facility.

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Theater Class

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Auditorium Hall

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Library

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Home Theater Design Integration - Interior Acoustic Lighting Audiovisual - Tulip Sentul

Audiovisual experience is the key to emotionally engaging viewers in a home theater environment, supported by carefully designed acoustics, ambient lighting, and interior design that work together to enhance the overall cinematic experience.

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High Performance Audiovisual Seamless Integration

Good Acoustic and Good Lighting

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Architectural Lighting Design: Mandiri University Hotel Lobby

ALTA Integra beauty contest winner collaboration with Duta Cermat Mandiri DCM Architect designed Beautiful Lighting Lobby at Mandiri University Wijaya Kusuma Jakarta - Grade A Education Facility to Produce Superior and Professional Banking Practitioner at the National and ASEA levels.

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Sustainable Retail Fit Out Design: Kiehl’s Central Park Jakarta

Is it the Most Sustainable Retail in South East Asia?

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Apoteker Perawatan Kulit Kiehls Since 1851 - Sustainable Retail Box pertama di Central Park Jakarta - akankah menjadi toko retail terhijau di Indonesia?

Toko Farmasi tempat John Kiehl memulai karirnya sebagai apoteker perawatan kulit sejak tahun 1851

Kepedulian Kiehls since 1851

Kiehls adalah sebuah perusahaan farmasi kecantikan yang memulai usahanya pada tahun 1851. Pada tahun 1924 Kiehls mempelopori keterbukaan material dengan mencantumkan bahan yang terkandung di dalam produknya. Tahun 2018 Platform Kiehl’s Future Made Better diluncurkan untuk mewujudkan komitmen pembangunan berkelanjutan dalam rangka menjaga keberlangsungan bumi dan kegiatan filantropis lainnya.

Di tahun 2020 Kiehls berhasil meningkatkan persentase kandungan bahan terbarukan pada semua produk perawatan kecantikan sampai dengan 98%. Tahun 2022, Kiehls dibawah manajemen L’oreal menjalankan program Retail Sustainable untuk meningkatkan kenyaman dan kesehatan pekerja dan pelanggan serta membangun dan mengoperasikan toko ramah lingkungan.

Sebagai langkah awal Sustainablity Design team L’oreal International memilih outlet Kiehls di Central Park Jakarta sebagai proyek pertama program Retail Sustainable di Indonesia, dan ALTA Integra terpilih untuk menjadi partner dalam mewujudkan program tersebut.

Sustainable Retail Box

Sustainable Retail Box diadaptasi dari rating US Green Building Council LEED dan International WELL Building Institute rating. Adapun parameter L’oreal Sustaible Retail Box dibagi menjadi 6 kategori sebagai berikut.

1. Construction & Project Management

   Manajemen proyek dan konstruksi melibatkan seluruh stakeholder seperti desainer-kontraktor-landlord dalam proyek sustainable retail, mereview perencanaan kualitas desain dan konstruksi, menjaga kualitas udara saat dan setelah konstruksi, memilah material bongkaran yang dapat digunakan kembali, material bongkaran untuk didaur ulang, sampah berbahaya, dan aspek lainnya.

2. Building Design & Space Layout

   Desain bangunan dan layout ruangan meliputi aksesibilitas difabel, kenyamanan indera penciuman, ergonomic furniture, manajemen sampah operasional toko dan lain-lain.

3. Materials

   Kategori bahan meliputi penggunaan kayu bersertifikat, material eco-label, material dengan kandungan kimia yang terdeklarasi , material dan furniture rendah emisi, dan lain-lain.

4. Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning

   Pemanasan, Pendinginan dan Pertukaran Udara meliputi kenyamanan termal sesuai dengan ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, kecepatan sirkulasi udara, tingkat pertukaran udara, sistem filter sirkulasi udara, dan lain-lain.

5. Lighting & Electricity

   Pencahayaan dan Listrik meliputi lighting desain dan automasi hemat energi, penggunaan lampu LED dan perangkat toko hemat energi, perhitungan penggunaan listrik per meter persegi dan pemasangan listrik metering untuk monitor harian, konektifitas internet, pembatasan eksposur elektromagnet dan lain-lain. Selain desain hemat energi, kualitas pencahayaan yang harus dicapai meliputi level pencahayaan di tiap bagian, color temperatur dan color rendering index untuk yang sejalan dengan kualitas produk yang dijual.

6. Water

   Kategori air meliputi ketersediaan air minum untuk pekerja, air yang aman untuk membersihkan uji coba sampel perawatan, strategi desain plumbing agar tercipta penggunaan air yang hemat, pemasangan meter air untuk memonitor penggunaan air harian dan lain-lain.

Pengukuran parameter teknis pencahayaan seperti tingkat pencahayaan (Lux) , correlated color temperature (Kelvin) dan Color Rendering Index sebagai benchmark data untuk penilaian peningkatan performa dan index kepuasan.

ALTA Integra adalah desainer Lingkungan Fisika yang berfokus pada kesehatan manusia dan lingkungan

ALTA Integra dibentuk karena kepercayaan bahwa lingkungan fisika di mana kita hidup, bekerja dan bermain dapat membentuk dan mempengaruhi tubuh, pikiran dan perilaku manusia. Penelitian multi-disiplin yang dilakukan mendukung teori yang menyimpulkan lingkungan fisika dapat meningkatkan kesehatan, kebahagian dan produktifitas. 

Sayangnya banyak bangunan yang dirancang tanpa memperhitungkan aspek lingkungan fisika sehingga setelah terbangun memberikan dampak negatif kepada penghuninya seperti suasana cahaya yang tidak nyaman membuat lekas lelah, gangguan suara yang menyulitkan untuk beristirahat, fokus bekerja dan belajar serta beragam masalah yang dapat merusak bumi dan alam.

Untuk itu ALTA Integra selalu fokus dalam mendesain lingkungan fisika bangunan yang dapat mempertimbangkan kepekaan dan kecerdasan indera sehingga bangunan tersebut dapat membuat pengguna dan lingkungannya berkembang secara positif. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut bagaimana Konsultasi Multi-Disiplin Fisika Bangunan yang berfokus pada kesehatan manusia dan alam dapat memberikan nilai tambah buat usaha ANDA, klik tombol dibawah ini.

Acoustic Lighting Audiovisual Design: Indonesia Stock Exchange Main Hall

Mid 2020 ALTA Integra was chosen by Indonesia Stock Exchange to be their design consultant partner to elevate IDX Main Hall to World-Class Standard. ALTA was chosen due to its World-Class Reputation in integrating multi-discipline engineering such as Architectural Lighting, Acoustics, and Audio Systems Design with the beauty of architecture seamlessly. By The End of 2021 ALTA Integra Has Succeeded Completed The Commissioning of Audiovisual Lighting and Acoustic Experiences in Indonesia Stock Exchange Main Hall to a Multi-Sensory Experiences Venue

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With Old Carpet

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Facade Lighting Design: Jakarta Cathedral Church

“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything”

— Muhammad ALI

In preparation for the inauguration of “Terowongan Silaturahmi”, ALTA Integra has redesigned new facade lighting for this beautiful Neo-Gothic Church. “Terowongan Silaturahmi” underpass will connect Jakarta Cathedral Church and Istiqlal Grand Mosque Jakarta. This underpass will be the symbol of friendship between two big religions in the world.

The basic idea of the lighting concept is to relight Saint Mary's Cathedral Church to its original splendor. This relighting project is a part of The Saint Mary Cathedral Jakarta Restoration Project, which ALTA Integra was chosen to be the lighting designer of the restoration project of One Jakarta's Most Iconic Landmarks.

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Before

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Lighting Acoustic Design: Global Banking and Financial Corporate

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Reception

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TOWN-HALL 

The town hall designed to have flexibility in space, can be enlarge if the high STC of operable wall of meeting room and music studio space is open. Feature with Cisco Webex Video Conference and distributed to all space with Crestron Audio System and high-definition projector with a motorized lift for internal gathering or global office gathering.

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Boardroom & Meeting Room

together with interior designer we design the integration of CISCO Webex Telepresence for visual aesthetic, ergonomic and comfort, speech clarity with maximum acoustic privacy.   

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Open Plan Office

Together with interior we make acoustic zoning plan in the open plan work space to reduce acoustic distraction and improve acoustic privacy, in a healthy acoustic environment according to Green Mark Certification.

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Interior Lighting Acoustic Karaoke System: Miami Vibe KTV Bar

Seamless Integration Design of Audiovisual Interior Acoustic Design Lighting, Excellent Audiovisual Karaoke Experiences with Excellent Acoustic and Miami Style Lighting Design

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City View Bar

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KTV Room

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Entrance

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Toilet

Lighting Design: Masjid Apung Ancol Jakarta

ALTA Integra lighting design team create An-Nur or Guidance Light Atmosphere to bring Human closer to Allah, in this beautiful Floating Mosque designed by Andra Matin Architect.

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