Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Pacific Motor Company Building; an Old Building in the Center of Bodjong Street


Currently, the building looks as an empty building that remaining stand still in the side of the Pemuda Main Steet Semarang. Total length of Pemuda Street is about 2.3 km that is stretching out from Tugu Muda Area and is ended at Berok Bridge that connecting it to "Old City" Area. This former Pacific Motor Company Building is approximately situated in the center of the street length at about 1.1 km away from Tugu Muda.


The building itself is a single storey building with curved metal deck roofing and an arch shape masonry facade. The using of metal deck seem uncommon in typical tropical architecture detailing. But it might be relevant within the building functions. A vintage photograph taken during Dutch Colonial Era have identified that building originally was one the old shops on Bodjong Road. Facade text signages originally are found on two shop front canopy at both left and right sides of the building. From this old photograph, it was identified that one of the facade text signage at the right side mentioned a word of "Woningbureau"


Nowadays, the building appearance is still elaborate from the street because the building is situated directly in pedestrian side and the neighborhood new high building is properly set back in a distance. The remaining aged and damaged facade is covered by the existence of pedestrian trees. But the appearance of remaining elaborate arch shaped facade at the upper side is still highlight the building existence and featuring it as a building that prominently placed in the center of old Bodjong Street. The name of Pemuda Street during Dutch Colonial Era, an important and famous main street in Semarang City.



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