Mangunwijaya biography channel

project

Learning from Mangunwijaya, 25 years after his death, focuses on the architectural work of the Catholic priest, writer, political activist, and architect Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya (1929–1999).

In his architectural practice, which was strongly influenced by his studies at RWTH Aachen University in West Germany in the 1960s, Mangunwijaya sought to translate the universal principles of modernism into an authentic, indigenous expression.

He was a forerunner in collaborative and sustainable architecture that responded specifically to the needs of the local environment – an ethos that remains relevant today. Significantly, his architecture embodies his socially conscious approach; his architectural legacy is inseparable from his commitment to the common good.

A critical analysis of his work, focusing on its potential for the future, can therefore provide crucial inspiration for a more sustainable architecture, not only in Indonesia and the region but also on an internationa