TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sky lounges have become a favorite hang-out place for some youngsters in Jakarta. Maulana Akbar for example, likes to visit ‘Lucy In The Sky’ (LITS) that is located on Sudirman Central Business District.
He admitted that he likes to spend the afternoon in the shady garden in LITS to enjoy the view of sunset. He even prepared sunglasses to be able to face the sun in a more comfortable way. The ‘monotone’ food and beverages served by the lounges doesn’t really bother him as long as he can have a relaxing moment after a working day.
“Being in the middle of green plantation gives me calmness. Moreover, the air is relatively cleaner than ‘down there’,” said Akbar.
Besides Lucy In The Sky, there are several other sky lounges that are favored by visitors. Among others are SKYE, SHY Rooftop Kemang, S.L.A.M, and Karumba Rum Bar.
The panoramic view from the height of Hermitage Hotel, Menteng, Central Jakarta, has attracted four University Students Silvia, Vivi Nilsi, Tiara Dita and Rahmalita to take selfies with their phone. According to Silvia, the view has kept them hanging out there longer. The wind breeze and soft music played in the La Vue lounge gave them more comfort to stay around on the 9th floor.
Same reason has brought 29-year-old Glend David and his girlfriend Widya Mayeri to visit Hermitage that day. Both claimed themselves as a sky lounge ‘hunters’. When they are abroad, they are also looking for similar places such as Chill bar in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam; Kudeta in Singapore and a sky lounge in Sydney, Australia.
Nirwono Joga, a landscape architect in Jakarta, said that utilization of rooftop of skyscrapers as a hang-out place is currently trending. Sky Lounge is a development of roof garden, a vertical garden on top of building that has been developed since 2007. At that time, there were not many developers apply the concept as it is expensive.
In 2010, the roof garden started to thrive, especially in luxurious apartments and residential. Most of the gardens are built side by side with pools and relaxing spots.
“Garden on the rooftop start to be developed since it represents luxury and exclusivity. These kinds of impressions existing on many sky lounges in Jakarta,” said Nirwono.
“Now, developers see the roof garden as a new business space. Moreover, Jakarta has limited open space while most of the people are craving for natural garden to relax.”
The price for the luxurious relaxation on these rooftops is higher than a cup of coffee in Starbucks. SKYE for example, charge people Rp60,000 for a mocktail. Awan Lounge also offers its mocktails starting from Rp55,000. If you are looking for some alcoholic drinks, you have to pay more starting from Rp150,000 a bottle up to millions rupiahs.
ISMA SAVITRI | SUBKHAN
