Inside the Jiwaraya (NILMIJ) Semarang Building

The PC tile floor, formed a word "NILLMY" on the front terrace of Jiwasraya office Building, Kota Lama, Semarang.

A foggy morning on the beginning of December, and my friends invite me accompany her visiting the Jiwasraya office, or NILLMIJ, on the old town. She wanna make a coverage about this, and since I like this kinda activity, she wishes I could enrich the information. Messed up with the assignment of Economic International subject, I nearly refused this invitation, but after all with a little struggle finishing the assignment with an extra effort, Finally, I could go, and even the rain are make us wet, I have no regret at all ;)

A stained glass on the main hall, looks
so fascinated around the circular stairs,
and the artistic lamp.

I have posted abouth this building before here, but I haven’t entered the building and saw how inside. My friends, named Kuni was a campus journalist, so she have a press card as a legality to access any  information, what a smart card! Then we welcomed by floor structure formed word “NILLMY” in the terrace. Moving inside to the building, we accepted by Mr. Sis, a Jiwasraya employee then he showed also explained us about the story inside. Begin with the main hall, its already stacked with the new floor, continued with the fascinating circular stairs, with its artistic lamp, but actually its added on 1983. But we could see the original floor, on the 3rd floor, and on the balcony. I don’t know why, the floor on the old building always stacked with the brand new ceramic tile beside let it use the PC tile which for me, its more artictic then the ceramic tile.

Moving to the 2nd floor, Mr. Sis showed us the location where the elevator is “lying”. This was the first elevator in Indonesia, and this elevator, since Mr.Sis is in service in this office is already not active, even another source Mr.Mukidi a guard of this office told that on 1974 according the story of his senior, the elevator is already unactived. I looked nearly and found this elevator are OTIS Elevator product, one’s of the leading elevator company in the world until now. 

An old elevator, on the 2nd floor, this
was the first elevator in Indonesia (1916)

Then moving to the highest level, on the 3rd floor , the floor since the staircase is still in orginal form, with the PC tile. And yap we moving to the top balcony, and woooow! The scenery is so great, the view of old town from the high level. But also we saw, a real threat facing by this building on the next couple years. Due to the rain, and its hasn’t been renovated for a long time, the rainwater are absorbed in the structure, and made its fragile, and maybe the worst is the structure could be torned down.

Back to the inside, and prepared to get back, I asked my last question, is there any inauguration plaque in this building? Then Mr.Mukidi replied yes, it is, and he showed us the location, in the wall in front of the cashier. Its demolished on 1995, together with the works to stacked the floor. Mr.Sis also testified, that its formed like a small altar, and its made from the marble. Well its placed in the corner of the building and seems like it will make no interruption among the people who walks through this, so, why it must be demolished? At last once again I just only said, what a pity!

Looking down from the top floor (3rd floor), the main hall circled with circullated stair,
and on the left side of the sofa, below the stairs is where the inauguration plaque situated.

The NILLMIJ Building, The First Modern-Style Buliding in Semarang

The office of Nederlandsch-Indische Levensverzekering en Lijfrente Maatschappij (NILLMIJ) in 1920.
(source: tropenmuseum)

Yesterday, my Friends, who coming from outside Semarang city and have studied here said, ‘I love this city very much”. When I asked why? He just replied that He felt such an unique atmosphere that he dont get it in his hometown, thats the power of acculturation, the blended between the old and modern. Well, that was totaly true. I also really love this city and the stories inside this city. Like here, in Kota Lama (old town) and its surrounding are interested to be investigated, hehe…though i’m not an professional historian, but i’ve tried to seek an information about the building in Kota Lama, even the building itself its already changed or broken down.

(source: skycrapecity)

So, now i’m gonna share about the first modern-architecture bilding that bulit in the Semarang city, that is the NILLMIJ Building or now known as Gedung Jiwasraya . At that time, in the early of 1910’s, there is a changed of building style, from indisch architecture into tropic-artdeco style architecture. The Office of NILLMIJ (Nederlandsch Indische Leven Sverzeking De Lifrente Maatschappij) is the first building in Semarang that built by its tropic-artdeco style architecture. Built by architect named Thomas Karsten (famous architect at that time) in 1916's.The buliding built in the front face of Koepelskerk (Blenduk Church), and Parade’s plein (Srigunting Park).

The NILLMIJ building has a typical of tropical-artdeco architecture with a small dome in the middle of the roof of the building. The building was symmetrical with the entrance located in the middle. If we observe closely, this building not facing the highway, but the oblique facing the Koepelskerk and Paradesplein, its just because karsten want to get the impression that this building oversee both the building (the church and park). The building was the first building in Semarang city with concrete material to form it, so its also one of the reason that this is the first modern-style buliding, beside viewed from its architectural design. Here's also the first building who using lift in Dutch-Indie.

The NILLMIJ or now known as Asuransi Jiwasraya
building taken from the north side.

Following the nationaization of the colonial assets, the building become the ofice of PT.Asuransi Jiwasraya after the Independence of Indonesia around 50's decades, but its still preserve as the first time been built. The open space in the front without wall, and open corridor in the form of a window, adorn the entire front facade of the building with the amount of 8 windows in each building wing, 4 windows at ground floor and 4 windows on the first floor. The window is protected cantilever to reduce incoming sunlight into the room. Above each window there is a big bouven with ornaments in the form of concrete orders. In front of the building there’s an open space in front of the bulding and there is a small park to reduce the harsh impression on the landscape surround it.

In 2002 the renovation of repairs and repainting damaged walls to make this building looks more clean and beautiful. Its already more than 90 years, but the building still strong existed in the old town, and become the eyewitness about the journey of insurance bussiness in Semarang city.