Sitting on the banks of Senayan Park’s lake complete with a floating terrace, a glass-dominated enclosure and eye-catching murals by rising Jakarta-based artist Stereoflow (or Adi Dharma), it’s hard to miss the presence of Kopi Nako Daur Baur. But the coffee shop is more than just an attractive face; embedded into its design DNA, from plastic cup wall panels and re-used floorboards all the way to its recycled furniture is Kopi Nako’s mission for sustainability.
“We were always worried about our waste production. At first, we thought about just going with a waste management service, but then we met with [design firms] JKTPlay and Flab who introduced us to the idea of creative sustainability and how we can use our strong architectural background to tackle the plastic waste we produce at our outlets,” shared head creative and co-owner Robert Wanasida.
That was the beginning of the Daur Baur movement, which started off as a supplementary feature at Kopi Nako’s chain in Alam Sutera, where visitors can return their plastic cups to be cleaned, reworked and incorporated into the building’s glass panels. Pushing the message further, the coffee chain’s new shop at Senayan Park honed in on the idea of circular and creative sustainability by inviting even more collaborators to help them give new value to their plastic waste—this time, the customers’ cigarette butt waste as well.
In addition to Stereoflow who provides the design direction, collaborators include furniture maker Robries to turn plastic cup waste into tables and stools, the Kick Your Butt project for the recycling of cigarette butts and waste management company Rapel to take care of the rest. As for additional collaterals, Kopi Nako buys local, finding support from ceramic artisans Sedari Rupa for the coffee mugs and the sustainability-minded Kind by Kami for souvenirs like water canteen and cup strap.
Beyond the sustainability vision, Kopi Nako Daur Baur also showcases its self-roasted beans through classic offerings like the Magic latte accompanied by a varied lineup of non-coffee drinks such as its signature, the Blue Orange Yuzu (a combination of orange yuzu, honey and soda). As for the food, Kopi Nako sticks to the coffee chain’s well-loved range of heavy, local rice dishes such as the Balinese Nasi Jinggo and Nasi Merem Melek Dori (fried rice topped with dory fish) as well as snacks like Tahu Cabe Garam (fried tofu with spices).
All things considered, one wouldn’t be too far off to claim that Kopi Nako Daur Baur is a sustainability campaign packaged as a coffee shop. But it does so without forgetting the essentials, providing a nice space where urban café-hoppers—from office workers to families with pets—can enjoy a decent cuppa with a view overlooking the lake.
