The Timeless Charm of Peranakan Architecture - A Visit to Gang Cuan Kopitiam

I am back but not with some inspiration for home renovation or renovation progress. But I am sharing a recent place I went to that are current on trends in Indonesia. This type of interior design is the go-to trendy cafe in town. Interestingly, coffee and cafe business have adapted to less modernity but going back to a style called “ Peranakan architecture” or can also be called Sino-Portuguese. These characteristics can be found throughout countries like Singapore & Malaysia where both have predominant Chinese settlers. Though, today I am talking more about the interior of this type of architecture style.

The place I was going to is called Gang Cuan Kopitiam. Just like its name actually the place is a Kopitiam, a coffee establishment that is commonly found in Singapore and Malaysia. This Kopitiam sells butter coffee and also Singaporean/Malaysian styled toast. So, typically with such strong affiliation, the place has to live up its name.

Interestingly, this Kopitiam trend started around mid last year to early this year in Indonesia. That creates its own sensation and a lot of businessmen soon buy old houses and re-decorate them with Sino-style interior and furniture.

In this typical establishment, the tricky part is making the vintage look trendy and hip . At the same time, trying to incorporate older furniture style that makes it eye-catching for visitors. Uniquely, people still go to these places not just because of the food but also the aesthetic that the place has to offer. So, the owner of these places has to make sure that the place is unique enough while comfortable so people would want to go back for the second time.

In this particular kopitiam I visited, they even have an outdoor location that is massive. Unfortunately, it was raining so you could only see the dark photos of it. As for the indoor location, the place has many rooms that turned into a cozy and homey place for people to chat and spend quality time together. As you see above, that is the kind of furniture that is typically used in these Kopitiam. It is a classic wooden chair during that bygone era that when used properly will adorn a space and make us transform to those eras.

Sorry for skipping over the entrance but something that could not be missed is definitely a massive yard entrance and the long large windows that adorn the place. Although these are also typical houses built during the Dutch occupation, adding some colors such as red and green changes its whole atmosphere and vibes.

The entrance has some Chinese actors posted on the wall. There are also wooden chairs surrounding it where people could sit on the massive patio. While it looks pretty humble, it shows that this establishment is also quite wallet-friendly. It certainly wouldn’t break your bank to dine and drink in this space. In my opinion, the front part of the establishment can be a marker for the price that is offered in a place.

My favorite spot in the space has to be this combination of wooden display and also this green curtain that really adds characteristic into the space. And the cashier area was made so simplistically just like you can also see below.

Meanwhile in the middle, they tried to create a private space where two people could talk and spend quality time. The table has two types one which is semi private and elevated, another is an open table where people could sit and chat away their troubles while eating yummy food. The elevated table is pretty interesting because it’s located in the hallway but it has this sense of privacy in it. I think this is one of the clever ideas of the owner to use this type of chair inside the place.

Overall, the ambience of peranakan architecture was also built through the accessorial items that are found across the areas. It’s why when you’re trying to build a piece of architecture work, tiny bit of detail matters because that also contribute to make and break of the experience. See you in more architectural story like this!