Jakarta black house by Andra Matin uses windowless facade for privacy in Bintaro

Indonesian architect Andra Matin has completed a bold black house in Bintaro, Jakarta, with almost no visible windows, designed for a privacy-conscious female homeowner. The 300 sq m house uses narrow openings, greenery and reflective pools to bring in light and air while keeping interiors cool with

Indonesian architect Andra Matin has completed a bold black house in Bintaro, about 35km from Jakarta, with almost no visible windows, designed around a female homeowner's request for a "masculine" residence that prioritises privacy. The client, identified only as Y, bought the adjacent lot to double her site to 300 sq m within a cookie-cutter suburban development.

Matin said the homeowner is "a very private person, so we try to eliminate windows in respect of that." Instead, slim openings bring in air and light. The facade and roof merge seamlessly in jet black, using pigmented concrete and Yellow Balau timber chosen for durability and weather resistance. "Spaceship" is one of the first words that comes to mind when viewed from a distance.

The austere exterior is softened by a strip of greenery at the front that doubles as a living fence. Inside, a lush vertical garden sits at one end of a slim pool, creating an oasis that helps keep the living area cool without air conditioning. The first floor is slightly elevated, concealing a service area and domestic helper's room beneath amphitheatre-style steps beside the pool.

Matin is best known for prominent public and hospitality projects including the revitalisation of Jakarta's Taman Ismail Marzuki arts centre, the energy-efficient Banyuwangi Airport — which won the 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture — and Bali's Potato Head Beach Club. Sixteen of his residential projects, including his own family home, are featured in "Tropicality: Houses by Andra Matin", a monograph published in 2024.

The third level was originally designed as a social space with a semi-outdoor seating area and plunge pool overlooking the horizon, but as more of the family's socialising shifted to the ground floor, the rooftop now also serves as a place to dry clothes. Matin said the house is "a real-life example of how architecture enables behavioural changes."

Matin and Matthew Groversam served as lead architect on the project. Additional reporting by Nina Hidayat.