The Post Office of Medan

The Post office in Medan was recently refurbished and turned into an art and culinary centre. Some says that it is the most beautiful post office building. Here is the history behind it.

The first post office in Medan opened on March 19, 1882, located on the north side of the Stationsplein (Esplanade). It was upgraded to a combined post and telegraph office in 1887. In 1892, the post and telegraph office in Medan underwent an expansion with rooms for the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company. The space became too small and there was a discussion on a new post office.

The Medan’s Municipal Council set the location of the new post office behind the town hall, with contractor Ch. Boon, who designed the town hall. In January 1910, there was a a motion by the resident of Medan against the location and design of the Post Office. The contract with Boon was called off in September 1910 (De Sumatra Post 29–01–1910; 26–09–1910).

Finally, after a negotiation a new location was set with architect Simon Snuyf from the Department of Civil Public Works (BOW).

Here is the translation from Indisch bouwkundig tijdschrift (August 1911, volume 014, issue 008).

Among the recent construction projects, the presently under construction post office in Medan holds a significant place both in terms of its size and cost. With a built area of approximately 1650 square meters, of which nearly one-third consists of multiple floors, the budget for this project amounts to over 150,000 Dutch guilders.

The need for a new and spacious post office had been felt for a long time. The existing building had long proven insufficient, and even the additional space obtained by repurposing the chief’s residence for postal services could not meet all the requirements. Furthermore, the inconvenience of dividing a single operation into two separate buildings was evident. Since it was impossible to rent a suitable building elsewhere during the time it would take to construct a new office, it became necessary to search for a new location.

This necessity also led to the establishment of a new office for the Eastern Extension and Australian Telegraph Co. near the new government building. This telegraph company is not allowed to accept or deliver messages on its own, and this responsibility falls under the government. Therefore, it is essential for these offices to be located in close proximity to each other. The government is also responsible for providing suitable accommodation for the cable company.

These circumstances combined to create a large-scale construction project. The government saw an opportunity to invest in the architectural aspects of the building, which, even without architectural aspirations, would have incurred significant expenses. Additionally, private individuals in the vicinity of the chosen location had also taken steps to ensure their buildings had a respectable appearance. Notable recent constructions in the area included the agency of the Javasche Bank and the building for the Local Council of Medan, designed by architects Eduard Cuypers and Mr. Boon, respectively.

A concept of the new post office can be gleaned from the attached floor plan and the cross-sectional view.

The following information is provided for clarification:

Since the building will rise at the intersection of two main roads, namely Cremerstraat and the north side of the Esplanade, it was decided to position the front opposite the corner. Therefore, the designated location for the public space, conceived as a large dominant dome hall, was also in this area.

Preceding this hall is a low vestibule, treated as an open gallery. This vestibule is necessary to cover the stairs and has been kept low to provide space for the large skylight above the hall.

Architecturally, this low entrance has the advantage that when entering the hall through one of the three entrance doors, the contrast emphasizes the size of this space. The hall is an octagon with a diameter of over 13 meters, and the crown of the vault is approximately the same distance above the floor.

Regarding the entrance, it should be noted that a central staircase with a canopy has been added to provide uninterrupted access for pedestrians, while the carriages are accommodated. On the left and right, there are platforms that are free for carriage traffic.

Around the octagonal hall, various counters are arranged. Due to the peculiar niche-like solution, a result of the pillar construction, the public is separated from the adjacent counters, which also helps to manage the flow of people in the vestibule. All these spaces are sufficiently large (approximately 3.5 meters wide) to accommodate two people simultaneously at each counter, and this number can be increased to four for registered letters. This was necessary because in Medan, the crowds concentrate specifically on mail days and even at specific hours. A box system is also present, and next to it, the information counter is projected, both located in the large postal hall, where the senior official is always present, responsible for providing information.

All other offices behind the counters open onto a corridor leading from the chief’s room to the treasury room, keeping this traffic separate from the large postal hall where locals and lower-ranking staff handle regular mail. This corridor also serves as the entrance for European staff, who enter through the chief’s room, allowing for easy supervision. This is facilitated by metal mesh partitions separating all offices from each other and from the corridor.

To the north of the central area, a wing is attached, exclusively for the handling of letter mail and parcels, each with its own space and covered entrances, interconnected. The floor plan allows for the potential extension of both spaces.

Adjacent to the large postal hall are the mailbag room and the space for mail carriers. Above the parcel area, a storage loft is projected for storing printed matter, undelivered mail, etc.

The eastern wing is entirely two-storied. On the ground floor, apart from the mentioned chief’s room, there is an adjoining archive accessible from the corridor, a combined rest and dining room for European staff, and necessary toilets. The rest of the area is designated for telegraph equipment storage, accessible only from the outside, intended solely for line staff. A separate area is reserved for telegram delivery bicycles.

The chief’s room is deliberately not accessible from the vestibule, as experience has shown that allowing the public access to this official frequently leads to disruptions for trivial matters.

On the upper floor, the telegraph service is accommodated, allowing for quiet work without disturbing others. Telegrams are presented in the hall at the designated counter and are transported upstairs using an automated system. This system has been in use in The Hague, Amsterdam, and Groningen for a long time. Upstairs, there are separate telegraph rooms for the Government Telegraph and the Eastern Extension, along with a shared battery room. Other rooms include accommodations for the English Telegraph Company’s management, a dispatcher, storage, and necessary facilities.

Access to the upper floor is via a spacious staircase in the east facade, also marked as a stairwell, or through an indoor staircase that begins near the chief’s room.

Regarding the construction, the entire structure has been developed to meet the demands of the climate and the building’s design. The climate necessitates protection from direct sunlight and rain, even with sufficient lighting. This requirement led to the adoption of a pillar system, evident in the side facades of the postal hall, where vaults connect the protruding columns to provide shade for the window openings. To gain space, the walls have been moved outward on the ground floor, creating niches suitable for cabinets while enhancing external shadow play. The pillars have been externally treated as freestanding mural columns above.

The same pillar system is found in the vestibule, where, once again, niches were created on the ground floor, while large, stained glass windows are entirely situated on the inside. The double pillars serve as freestanding mural columns, enhancing the perspective effect.

Although the walls were extended to a total of 140 meters, calculations revealed that sunlight would not be completely blocked. Therefore, horizontal stone plates have been added to function as awnings.

The same pillar system can be found on the telegraph wing. Here, the pillars have been further adapted upward with brackets to form a necessary gallery.

For the exterior, white plastered walls have been selected, along with a roof of round glazed European tiles. The rich detailing of the walls will create sufficient dynamic shadow play to prevent dullness. Delft-style tiles in fresh primary colors have been sparingly used in some areas, such as the band around the dome, the clock face, and a panel in the large postal hall’s main peak.

Concerning the interior, emphasis has been placed primarily on the hall. The walls rise from a plinth and columns made of silver-gray polished granite from Penang. Above the arches, there is a circular frieze made of the same Delft-style tiles as on the exterior. The chosen motif depicts a flying postal pigeon with a letter in its beak against a backdrop of green mountains and a blue sky. Light enters through two large, opposing windows adorned with stained glass in primary colors. The main motif here is a postal horn within a radiant circle.

The hall’s covering consists of a vaulted iron ceiling, a composition of a cross and a cloister vault.

The counter walls have been closed with simple decorative molding, and more detailed grilles have been placed in front.

The hall will also feature electric lighting, including a ring of wall sconces and a large central chandelier with wrought ironwork.

The tilework has been manufactured by the “De Porcelijne Flesch” factory in Delft, the wrought ironwork by the Braat firm, also in Delft, and the stained glass by the Gips studio in The Hague.

Construction began at the beginning of the previous year and is expected to be completed this year. Much time was lost initially because the work had been subcontracted, and the contractor displayed little energy until he ultimately terminated the contract himself.

The beautiful and clear drawings accompanying the article on the Medan Post and Telegraph Office are a gift from our contributor, Engineer Snuijff, for which we express our heartfelt gratitude. His article about this building makes it even more interesting for us, and it allows us to form an accurate idea of the new structure.

In Medan, it appears that private individuals are starting to invest more in the appearance of their homes, which is encouraging. However, it is somewhat disheartening to hear that this has forced the government to invest in the architecture of the new Post and Telegraph Office. In other countries, there is generally a great deal of care put into the appearance of government buildings, and it seems that Holland and especially the Dutch East Indies have only recently started to deviate from the old Dutch architectural style, which consisted of “everything square, paint and tar for the rest.”

The Post office was officially inaugurated on 12th February 1913:

Late Medan residents saw their new Post Office illuminated until the late hours of the night (SP 13–02–1913).

With a brief speech in the midst of the employees, the chief inspector, Mr. Stieltjes, yesterday evening, declared the new office officially open with a glass of sparkling wine. The inspector of this region, Mr. Aernout, responded to his speech. The local staff inaugurated the new building with dances and a reception — the neighbors could hear it well. And this morning, the service continued. It still feels a bit empty, and there is a sense of hesitation and stiffness due to the newness, but otherwise, it is a feast for the eyes. (Deli Courant 13–02–1913).