It is situated in Pasar Baru (formerly known as Weltevreden) responding
to the growth of Batavia—Jakarta’s old Dutch name—expanding rapidly to the center of the city. Following the dissolution of the VOC, the Dutch East Indies government relocated Batavia to central Jakarta.
Pos Bloc stands on a 7,000 square meters plot belonging to PT. Pos Indonesia (Persero), which is now transformed into a creative space for various arts, culture, entertainment, community meetings and Micro, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), in a spirit of business empowerment. Products on sale range from food and beverages tenants and fashion to a PT. Pos Indonesia counter selling special edition stamps.
Apart from functioning as a comfortable gathering place, the “Instagrammable” building, as Minister Thohir stated, covered with appealing interior designs, has excellent spots for visitors to take photos, YouTubers to create video contents and podcasters to record creative audio.
Pos Bloc has also prepared regular art and cultural programs, painting
and photo exhibitions, creative workshops, flm screenings, art auctions,
fashion shows, street tours to music concerts.
The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has designated it as a “protected cultural heritage building”. Remodelling will be carried out in two stages. The first phase of 2,400 square meters has now been launched and the second phase will start in early 2022, with an additional area of 4,800 square meters. The first area opened for the public includes West Veranda, East Veranda (the front), the Great Hall, West Garden, East Garden (the park), East Loading Bay, West Loading Bay to the Cultural Hall, where exhibitions will be held.
When Indonesian Observer visited the building, the atmosphere was
dynamically exciting; young crowds were enjoying Pos Bloc as a place to
rest, mingle, have coffee and work.
Tiwi was sitting in the main hall with her laptop open and mentioned
that despite its being a hundred years-of-age, the Pos Bloc colonial building is a well-preserved and imposing edifice. “This is one way to protect historical landscapes from being destroyed, and also ensures that young people will have a meaningful exposure to history,” she continued.
Pos Bloc Jakarta is opens from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and starts up at 7 a.m. on weekends. Complying with the 3M safety protocols and showing a COVID-19 vaccine certifcate (at least the first dose) through the PeduliLindung application are the only requirements to enjoy Pos Bloc. Discover the extraordinary sights of our cultural heritage and indulge your taste for art and appetite at Pos Bloc. (Freddy Wally)