ARA Studio Office / ARA Studio

A “contradicting design phenomenon” against its typology. Located in a dense shophouse complex, southern part of Surabaya City, ARA Studio Office is only 2.3 x 12 meters in depth as its existing building which is an unusual size for a shophouse in Surabaya. It is situated a few blocks from the complex entrance, where visitors and workers have to enter a straight narrow alley in between two rows of 3 story – shophouses with few setbacks between buildings. Additionally, service equipment and building accessories such as outdoor air conditionings, signages and canopies protruding from their facade becomes a stereotype design typology amongst these shophouses to gain maximum indoor space while on the other hand interfering public space.