Since opening its first café three years ago in the sprawling Indonesian capital, Tanatap has become known for its evocative design-led venues, if not, for its coffee concoctions. But then again, its affiliation to architecture practice RAD+ar has a lot to do with it. The inauguration of Tanatap‘s latest branch isn’t in Jakarta, for once, but a five-and-a-half hour car drive to the East, in Semarang, the largest city in Central Java. Similar to the other Tanatap cafés, the newest branch is concepted as the ultimate refuge from the urban hustle and bustle, allowing patrons a chance to experience nature within a distinctly urban environment. The venue, baptised with the moniker Wall Garden, stretches the boundaries, and quite literally so, if not, the general perception of what a café is. Originally a commercial garden project which aimed to repurpose an old parking space smack in the middle of a commercial pocket of the city’s densely populated Tawangsari neighbourhood, the new spatial design couldn’t be more different.

The chosen aesthetic is based on three straight walls, each with a different height, while three additional walls meander through existing tropical trees, collectively creating a series of welcoming spaces—an entrance garden, an indoor air-conditioned area at the very core, a back garden, and an amphitheatre. Interestingly, given the unusual yet ingenious design, all spaces are visually interconnected and seamlessly adapt to the outside. An important element which contributes to the sense of being in a tranquil oasis is water, and the design sees waterways intricately woven into the Tanatap café layout. Mind you, the waterways double as reservoirs of process water and rainwater to be used for the vegetation of the venue’s expansive grounds. An elevated walkway further adds to the dynamic configuration of the café. The menu at Tanatap‘s newest outpost lists various coffee concoctions, including, believe it or not, coffee cocktails, in addition to mocktails and softdrinks. As for bites, there’s various savoury Indonesian dishes, pasta dishes, sandwiches, light bites, salads and desserts. © superfuture