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Even a person hungry for the open road and stricken with wanderlust needs a cozy, comfortable home to return to, said poet Sitok Srengenge of his house outside Yogyakarta. In Sitok’s case, he also wanted something fun, like a residence with a feel almost indistinguishable from that of living in a tree house.

“That’s me and that’s why I built this house. The structures and the surrounding yard have adventurous elements. You can wander inside and outside,” he said.

Born in the small town of Grobogan, Central Java, the self-taught writer left there in the 1980s and took an apprenticeship with the late poet, actor and director W.S. Rendra at his Bengkel Theater.

In addition to poetry, Sitok writes short stories, does voice-overs for commercials and runs a furniture shop specializing in antique window panels and doors. He also has a publishing house and curates arts and culture magazine Jurnal Kalam. With his hard work and savings, Sitok wanted to defy the common romantic perception that a poet must live in shambles. He bought a plot of teak forest in Bangunjiwo village, near Bantul, Yogyakarta.

On the 18,000 square meters of land, Sitok built two buildings for his working studio, a house and a kitchen. He also erected a 200-year-old joglo (an ancient Javanese pavilion) as the centerpiece of the property. “I named this place the Senthong Seni . In Javanese terminology, it means a spiritual space,” he said.

Situated on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, a trip to Sitok’s compound is quite adventurous. Residents and guests must walk a few kilometers to reach the main house, along a dirt road that can be slippery and muddy during the rainy season. There are no lights on the road, and Sitok’s wife, Farah Maulida, and his daughter, Laire Siwi Mentari, use flashlights and extra caution when returning home after dusk.

“Since the home and the environment are designed to remain wild and natural, not every guest can adapt,” Sitok admitted.

Doors in the main house are built largely as architectural accents, not as partitions between rooms. Some areas have no walls at all. “The wall is just for the bedroom, while the living room, mini bar and other areas are freely exposed to the wind and the sun. Even if a room has walls, we give it a large door and a set of windows that, once they’re opened, give the same impression: breadth of the forest,” Sitok said.

The outer walls feature bare brick, reflecting simplicity, openness and acceptance of life, he added. Eko Prawoto, the architect of Senthong Seni, wrote in the book “ Bedah Rumah Orang Beken ” (“Homes of the Famous”) that Sitok’s house is at peace with nature. The buildings are made mostly of stone and bamboo, while the front pathway is paved with stone steps.

On the top floor of the main residence, Sitok displays one of Eko’s installations, a collage-like assemblage of nearly 3,000 pieces of bamboo, titled “Aku Bambu” and dedicated to the renowned artist Affandi.

“I feel like [I’m] living a queen’s life in this house,” Farah said. “For us, it is not just a house, but a place for contemplation, expression and sharing. Sitok has devoted enormous energy and money to build this place.”

Farah and Sitok married in 1987 and initially lived in modest accommodation in Jakarta for several years. Farah said having their own house is an achievement they never imagined. “Therefore, I chose to support Sitok’s desires and dreams for the house. He works very hard for us,” she said.

For their daughter Laire, a 23-year-old graduate of German literature from the University of Indonesia, residing in the village is a precious opportunity to live and work comfortably.

“We are still going back and forth to Jakarta since my father keeps his job there, and I also have some business in the city,” Laire said. “However, when the rainy season arrives, I prefer to stay at home. I like sitting in the front bedroom window, watching the wet forest and valleys while sipping a warm drink. Sometimes I feel so lonely in the middle of nowhere, but it’s good to stir the imagination.”

The setting is no doubt an asset for Laire, who is following in her father’s footsteps as a writer.

Another unique feature of Senthong Seni is its separation of cooking from dining. The kitchen is sited in a standalone structure, apart from the main residence and its dining room, which has enough space to accommodate up to 30 people.

“I always get dizzy when I smell the odor of spices and food scraps. I have a dry pantry at home, and the rest we take to the kitchen house and cook there. We walk down the valley when we’re hungry, and have to walk back to the main house to work up our appetites again,” Sitok explained, laughing. The poet said he likes to take visitors around the valleys before meals to see the teak, mahogany, flowers, fruits and shrubs growing wild.

In addition to the main house built in an eclectic style, Sitok’s compound includes the joglo, a public library and the office of Kata Kita, a publishing venture that he pioneered with his wife. Sitok’s property also features the exhibit hall of Lawang Luwung (Empty Door), a shop specializing in antique doors and windows.

The poet Goenawan Mohamad, co-founder of Tempo magazine and one of Sitok’s best friends, said Senthong Seni is the perfect dwelling for a mind like Sitok’s: “It’s part of heaven; a space of calm teak forests and serenity treated by poetry.”