On 3 May 2024, we held the first event of our new project Learning from Mangunwijaya. Besides a brief introduction to the overall project, Sergius Sutanto, author and filmmaker from Indonesia, introduced us to the life of Yusuf Bilyarta Mangunwijaya.

An Indonesian priest, writer, political activist, and architect, Mangunwijaya studied architecture at RWTH Aachen University in West Germany from 1960 to 1966, after which he returned to Indonesia. In his architectural projects, he sought to translate the universal principles of modernism into an authentic, indigenous expression. He can be seen as a forerunner in collaborative and sustainable architecture that responded specifically to the needs of the local environment.

Mangunwijaya received the Aga Khan Award in 1992 for his Kali Code River Redevelopment Project in Yogyakarta (1980–1985). In 1995, he was awarded the Ruth & Ralph Erskine Award in Sweden in recognition of his commitment to serving underprivileged sections of the population.

The lecture was part of the workshop programme hosted by the Department of Architecture, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta.

Introduction:
Avianti Armand, Museum Arsitektur Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

Lecture:
The Life of Y. B. Mangunwijaya
Sergius Sutanto, author and filmmaker, Jakarta, Indonesia

Moderation:
Johanita Anggia Rini, Ph.D., Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia