In late 2002 Gado Gado invited local and North Bay architects, landscape architects, and interior designers to a lecture/slideshow on Indonesian and SE Asian architecture. Many of our guests requested tours of Gado Gado's Sebastopol warehouse, where we maintain a large stock of antique architectural elements from Indonesia.

The owners of a recently built home in Sebastopol asked Gado Gado to build a custom Javanese-style "joglo" structure to enhance their front entrance. After settling on a design, the structure was created from recycled teak timbers and antique architectural elements salvaged from a traditional joglo house that David found being dismantled in Central Java. Each piece was carved and fitted by hand, and then the entire structure was set up in our Central Java workshop. It was then dismantled and carefully packed for shipping to California. Below are some photos documenting the installation process.

All the pieces arrive packed in cardboard. It felt like we were opening a dozen 200 pound birthday presents!

Laying out all the parts on the grass, to figure out what goes where… A traditional "joglo" is made with mortise and tenon construction, and fastened with teak and bamboo pegs. No screws or nails are used.

Preparing to erect the corner posts, which feature 100-year-old carved teak corbels (angle brackets).

One side pieced together and lifted into place. Note the lovely carved medallion in the center of the side rail section.

Both sides are in-place and pinned together. Now all we need is a roof!

Rodrigo and Bill (our customer) installing the carved teak front plate. Having just built his house, Bill had all of the tools needed to put up the joglo in record time.

Here David is installing the 120-year old "dada besih," a heavy carved teak beam mounted on top of the topmost headers. It will ultimately support a hanging lamp.

David and Rodrigo fastening on the teak shiplap roof planks. The joglo frames the upslope side of a footbridge, which inclines slightly to the house's impressive antique Chinese entrance door.

The completed structure complements the geometrically arched house design. A carved bird roof pendant protects the house from any mischievous spirits in the neighborhood.

The joglo is now finished,
installed and in use.