In her research, Halim Lim will look at the use of concrete in post-independence Indonesia by investigating several case studies of architectural practices by local contractors and workers, especially in cities or regions outside of Jakarta. Other case studies will examine the extraction of natural resources to produce concrete and the distribution networks this created. By looking at concrete as a medium, material, and heritage, this research will challenge the view of concrete in Indonesia as a ‘foreign’ building material, symbolizing modernity and globalization. Instead, it aims to provide a more differentiated history of concrete as a building material that has both universal and local qualities.  

Halim Lim is a researcher, curator, and architectural designer. She studied architecture at Universitas Tarumanagara Jakarta and then received her MA Heritage Studies from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her previous experience includes working as a project architect on the conservation of Jakarta Old Town. She was the co-curator for the exhibition “'ndonesia and the Amsterdam School' at Museum het Schip Amsterdam (2022-2023) and Erasmus Huis Jakarta (2024-2025). She is also part of the curatorial team at Museum Arsitektur Indonesia.