Cosmo Park is a village in the sky, perched 10 storeys up on top of a shopping centre and car park, a world away from the heaving megalopolis below. It is a surreal urban bubble, where normal life unfolds at an abnormal altitude. To access ground level, resident drive their cars down a ramp. A tall metal fence runs around the perimeter to make sure no one falls or drives off. Peer beyond the fence and you can spot the city’s landmarks below. Cosmo Park was built 10 years ago but was largely unknown outside Jakarta until last month, when a drone photograph broadcast its oddness to the world.
- Home to 10 million people and almost three times that including the greater Jakarta area, the Indonesian capital is buckling under the weight of its problems, from chronic floods and unbelieveably bad traffic to severe pollution, overcrowding and the fact that it is literally sinking. So severe are the city’s problems the president has once again raised the idea of moving the capital. Is Cosmo Park some kind of postmodern dystopia or, in a city beset by perennial woe, an ingenious use of urban space? While some outsiders are unconvinced, those who live at Cosmo Park offer glowing reviews. Situated amid a cluster of mega malls in Jakarta’s centre, Cosmo Park is one of two such developments in Jakarta by the Indonesian property developer the Agung Podomoro Group, and was built according to regulations. The second is above the Mall of Indonesia in the city’s north.
I mean I know it’s Jakarta and all, but still. It’s a pretty upper class development, I’d imagine something like emergency service access would at least be considered. Obviously slums aren’t going to consider it but this is clearly an organized, well thought out development.
Seems like an awful lot of weight... But neat idea. For those that have the HBO channel the new movie of the week opening where the suburban houses are on top of buildings, I always thought that would be cool and this is a similar version.
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Seems like an awful lot of weight... But neat idea. For those that have the HBO channel the new movie of the week opening where the suburban houses are on top of buildings, I always thought that would be cool and this is a similar version.
Not sure what the houses are built with, but I assume two floors of woodframe construction is not that much compared to the weight of 10 floors of concrete construction.
Not sure what the houses are built with, but I assume two floors of woodframe construction is not that much compared to the weight of 10 floors of concrete construction.
Plus appliances, people, cars...
__________________ Right before your eyes you're victimized, guys, that's the world of today and it ain't civilized.
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