Nusantara: The Tjolomadu, Solo
Dulu, bangunan ini bukan tempat orang foto-foto.
Bukan tempat ngopi, bukan tempat pamer outfit, apalagi tempat prewedding.
Ia lahir tahun 1920,
di masa ketika kata “estetik” belum ditemukan
dan orang membangun sesuatu bukan untuk Instagram,
tapi supaya gula cepat jadi.
Namanya dulu Pabrik Gula Colomadu.
Setiap hari sibuk, berisik, panas,
dan dipenuhi orang-orang yang serius bekerja.
Tidak ada yang bilang,
“Wah, temboknya cakep ya.”
Lalu waktu berjalan.
Mesin berhenti.
Cerobong diam.
Bangunan ini masuk masa pensiun—
pensiun panjang, sunyi, dan sedikit berdebu.
Bertahun-tahun ia berdiri sambil berpikir,
“Aku masih kepakai nggak, ya?”
Angin lewat, burung mampir,
dan temboknya mulai mengelupas dengan anggun.
Sampai akhirnya, seseorang datang dan berkata,
“Bangunan ini jangan dibongkar.
Kita dandani.”
Dan dimulailah proses glow up terbesar sepanjang sejarah bangunan.
Dari pabrik gula,
ia berubah jadi De Tjolomadoe—
heritage yang gagah, rapi, dan berwibawa.
Tembok tuanya dibersihkan,
struktur besinya dipoles,
dan sekarang orang datang bukan untuk kerja…
tapi untuk kagum.
Yang dulu masuk sambil bawa karung gula,
sekarang masuk sambil bawa kamera.
Yang dulu penuh suara mesin,
sekarang penuh suara,
“Eh, foto dong di sini.”
Bangunan ini membuktikan satu hal penting:
tua itu bukan berarti jelek.
Kalau dirawat dengan benar,
tua justru jadi berkarakter.
Sekarang De Tjolomadoe berdiri dengan tenang,
menyaksikan orang-orang lalu-lalang,
sambil mungkin tersenyum kecil dan berpikir,
“Dulu aku pabrik.
Sekarang aku konten.”
Dan jujur saja…
itu pensiun yang sangat sukses.
TIM
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Nusantara: De Tjolomadu, Solo
Back then, this building was not a place for photos.
Not for coffee.
Not for outfit checks.
And definitely not for prewedding shoots.
It was born in 1920,
back when the word “aesthetic” didn’t exist
and buildings weren’t made for Instagram,
but simply so sugar could get produced—fast.
Its name was Colomadu Sugar Factory.
Every day it was loud, hot, and busy,
filled with people who meant serious business.
No one ever said,
“Wow, these walls look cute.”
Time passed.
The machines stopped.
The chimneys went silent.
The building entered a very long retirement—
quiet, dusty, and slightly dramatic.
For years it stood there wondering,
“Am I still useful?”
The wind passed by, birds stopped over,
and the walls started peeling… gracefully.
Then one day, someone showed up and said,
“Don’t tear this place down.
Let’s give it a makeover.”
And thus began the biggest glow-up in building history.
From a sugar factory,
it transformed into De Tjolomadoe—
a proud, polished heritage site.
The old walls were cleaned,
the steel structures were restored,
and now people come not to work…
but to admire.
Those who once entered carrying sacks of sugar
now enter carrying cameras.
Where machines once roared,
you now hear,
“Wait—take my picture here.”
This building proves one important thing:
being old doesn’t mean being ugly.
When taken care of properly,
old becomes full of character.
Today, De Tjolomadoe stands calmly,
watching people come and go,
probably smiling to itself and thinking,
“I used to be a factory.
Now I’m content.”
And honestly…
that is a very successful retirement.
THE TEAM
