Bandung City is one town in Indonesia's most fortunate to still have one witness to his past history that can be read through the old buildings with various forms of architecture. Through one's wealth, everyone can browse the travel history of the city and the people of Bandung, depending on its interests.In terms of architecture, Bandung once dubbed the most complete architecture laboratory because it has many architectural riches that until now the source of inspiration and research materials are endless to be dug. Various old buildings are not only able to tell how the early city was built. However, from another perspective-especially in relation to the commemoration 400 years VOC-can be known how the nails occupiers began gripping areas that have been dubbed the Earth Parahyangan to exploit natural resources and human.
Priangan Highlands region as one of the plantation since the year 1870 with the center and at the same place they live in the city of Bandung. Embryo of the opening of the plantation area still can be seen through the old building is now used as the administrative center of Bandung. The building was built in 1819 by Governor General Van Der Cappelen Dutch East Indies at the suggestion of Dr De Wilde, who then became Assistant Resident Priangan (Center for Research Jarahnitra, 1998). The building was formerly a warehouse to store coffee. Because the form of a flat roof, the building society building flat dub
THE golden age of the physical development of the city of Bandung was marked by rampant construction of modern buildings from the late 19th century. The period was marked by the transfer of the capital city of Cianjur Priangan to Bandung in 1864. However, the positive impact of socio-economic progress of this city then showed remarkable progress since planned as the capital of the Dutch East Indies, Batavia replace the sanitary considered less supportive. The proposal was conveyed by the transfer of the capital of HF Tillema (1916) and approved by the Governor-General Van Limburg Stirum.
As an emerging area so the city, the city of Bandung has a more comprehensive restructuring since the 1920s. Marked by the construction of buildings which is conducted simultaneously with the transfer of the capital plan has invited the attention of city planners and building. One of them leading designer, Ir Thomas Karsten, who designed the Bandung so that his ideas became known as "Plan Karsten". EXCEPT known as the Garden City which gave birth to a variety of praise for her beauty, in the fields of architecture, the city of Bandung bequeath wealth of architectural style. Through the old buildings Sate Building, which until now remains a landmark of Bandung, the campus Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB) who try to integrate modern and traditional architectural styles, the city is still storing wealth art deco style of architecture.
Art art deco revival in Bandung reached its peak in the 1920s. One of them is the Earth Building is now used as office Siliwangi Rector Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI). Building that almost resembles a ship that is the work of designer Prof. Wolf P Schoemaker. This building was originally a villa owned by DW Barrety dedicated to his wife. In 1964, the government purchased the building and then used for the educational activities of Higher Education Teacher Education (PTPG), the precursor to the Institute of Teacher Education (Teachers' Training College) in Bandung. Style art deco style of architecture that is not less in number can be found along Braga street, one of the most prestigious street in Bandung, in addition to other architectural styles style. Understandably, at that time in Bandung, there are more than 70 designers of the building. In fact, no less than Ir Soekarno, the first President, had to give color and richness of architectural buildings in this city. The building is characterized with two-story roof and upper part there is a kind of cudgel.
Unfortunately, some buildings that could be told about the city's history, culture and art of architecture began to be torn down a lot. Some of them do exist who were rescued thanks to persistent efforts by the managers of Cultural Preservation Society of Bandung (Bandung Heritage). However, some others are not clear anymore because it was razed to the ground. With the power of economic regime, on top of already established a new building. So, many are worried about Bandung will lose one of its cultural identity and also wealth.
Dari tahun ke tahun banyak bertebaran FO (factory outlet) di sekitar kawasan jalan Cihampelas, sehingga jalan Cihampelas yang sempit semakin sempit dan padat dengan pengunjung yang ingin berbelanja. Selain berjualan busana berbahan jeans yang kualitasnya bagus dan harga terjangkau, para pedagang FO juga menjual busana sisa ekspor dengan harga terjangkau. Semua didapat dengan mudah di Cihampelas. Perubahan-perubahan di kawasan Cihampelas memang drastis dalam satu dasawarsa terakhir. Jika 10 tahun yang lalu kawasan Cihampelas banyak ditemui tempat perdagangan busana jeans, tetapi kini sudah ada hotel, kafe dan tempat-tempat wisata kuliner khas kota Bandung juga bermunculan.
Selain Factory Outlet, Cihampelas juga sudah ada sebuah mall yang dinamakan Cihampelas Walk (CiWalk) yang menawarkan sesuatu yang berbeda dengan mall yang lain karena mall ini didirikan di tengah-tengah areal terbuka (open air), sehingga merupakan perpaduan antara gedung perbelanjaan modern dengan suasana alam yang asri dan menyegarkan. Cihampelas Walk didirikan di atas lahan seluas lebih kurang 3.5 hektar, dengan kontur agak bertebing, 1/3 area digunakan untuk bangunan pertokoan, dan 2/3 lainnya digunakan untuk areal parkir, sedangkan sisanya dipergunakan sebagai taman. Berjalan-jalan di Cihampelas Walk pada siang, sore atau pada malam hari akan terasa berbeda suasananya, karena adanya lampu dari tiap gerai dan bangunan utama pada malam hari membuat suasana yang sangat berbeda. Area parkir kendaraan yang berada di basement gedung dan sisi kanan bawah area luar tidak akan mengganggu pengunjung yang sedang berjalan-jalan maupun bersantai di kawasan belanja dan kafe yang ada di Cihampelas Walk.
