Temple of Renewal

Temple of Renewal is a small monument inspired by the pyramidal terraces of Borobudur. A stepped stone form rises from reclaimed rubble, like a hill emerging from the ground. From a distance, it reads as a quiet stone presence; up close, its mineral and organic layers reveal My-Stone, a material cultivated from construction and demolition waste through fungal growth and biomineralisation.

The monument gives form to my vision of a compostable city, where materials cycle through use, reuse, change, and renewal. Each layer represents a generation of material transformation: from original limestone, to My-Stone made from the city’s construction waste, and then to a new generation formed again from discarded My-Stone. The monument itself is not permanent. After use, the stones can be taken apart, crushed, and regrown: built, unbuilt, rebuilt.

The project connects Indonesia, where I come from, with Belgium, where I conduct my
research, bringing together cultural memory, scientific experimentation, and care for the built environment. It is a humble monument for our time, one that values repair, circularity, and the possibility that what we discard today can become part of tomorrow’s city.

More info: 

https://designmuseumgent.be/nl/programma/common-ground

https://arch.kuleuven.be/nieuws-agenda/design-fest-gent-temple-of-renewal-by-tria-amalia-ningsih

https://cit.kuleuven.be/biotec/Team/00153704