Blok M is a historically significant district in South Jakarta, long known as one of the city’s busiest commercial and transportation hubs. During the 1980s and 1990s, it thrived as a centre of trade, nightlife and entertainment, with shopping malls, cinemas, small shops, cafes and street vendors. Its strategic location and connection to the Jakarta MRT have kept the area accessible. Yet in recent years, parts of Blok M have struggled to stay vibrant, overshadowed by newer malls and online shopping. Despite this, the district maintains its charm, blending traditional markets, modern retail, live music and street food.
The critical problem in Blok M lies beneath the surface: neglected or underused buildings resulting from rapid growth and shifting economic priorities. Many structures were built when neighbourhoods were considered peripheral and land values were low. Today, those same areas are prime real estate, creating a gap between land value and building use. Too often, these buildings are demolished to make way for developments seeking quick financial returns. Sporadic, profit-driven construction also leaves behind empty urban spaces that drain energy from neighbourhoods, to say nothing of the environmental footprint of demolition and construction.
M Bloc Space offers a creative response to this challenge. Opened in 2019, it demonstrates how adaptive reuse can bring neglected buildings back to life. The site was originally employee housing and a warehouse owned by Peruri, the state banknote printing company. Built in the 1970s and 1980s, these low-rise modernist blocks became obsolete as Jakarta grew. But here, recognising the opportunity, a team of entrepreneurs, artists and developers worked with Peruri to transform the abandoned housing into a lively hub with cafes, music venues, shops, co-working spaces and cultural events.
This transformation did more than preserve heritage: it sparked economic activity, attracted visitors and fostered a creative community that revitalised the neighbourhood. Building on M Bloc Space’s success, the group expanded to Yogyakarta with JNM Bloc, in the historic Jogja National Museum complex. Once home to Indonesia’s first visual art school, the site held underused spaces perfect for creative renewal. In partnership with non-profit foundation and museum manager Yayasan Yogyakarta Seni Nusantara, JNM Bloc now hosts exhibitions, workshops, live music and cultural festivals. Events like the Yogyakarta Art Book Fair celebrate independent publishing and collaboration, enhancing the city’s reputation as a cultural hub.
The M Bloc group has expanded to other cities through new collaborations: notably, its recent partnership with Pos Indonesia revitalises underused buildings under the Pos Bloc brand, which now operate in Medan, Surakarta, Surabaya and Semarang.
These initiatives highlight a broader conversation about adaptive reuse in urban design. The practice is gaining global attention as cities seek sustainable and culturally sensitive development, with prominent examples including the Tate Modern Switch House in London and, closer to home, the Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Art in Hong Kong. At its core, adaptive reuse gives old structures new purposes, preserving cultural value while meeting modern needs. It helps cities address challenges like sustainability, resource scarcity and social cohesion — three critical elements in any human space.
