Friedrich Silaban—who had already designed both the square itself and the Istiqlal Mosque there—was awarded first prize in the competition. His proposal, however, left Sukarno and the committee uneasy about its suitability to represent the nation, as well as about its economic feasibility. By the end of the 1950s, while the government’s attention was consumed elsewhere and public resources were running low, Silaban’s design had still not been realized.Around 1961, after a long and troubled process, a new, less ambitious but radically modern design by R. M. Soedarsono was selected. This consisted of an obelisk-like tower emerging from a pyramid-like podium that has been turned upside-down, with its point sunk into the ground. Covered in gold foil, the tip of the obelisk resembles a huge flame, which rises 115 meters high. Inside the podium are the Indonesian National History Museum and the Hall of Independence, which host respectively a collection of 51 dioramas depicting key events in Indonesian history, and a collection of relics commemorating the country’s struggles for independence.
…
