the 1920s and 1930s saw the advent of modernism in the dutch east indies. typical features included flat roofs and cubic forms, with minimal consideration of the tropics. art deco ornamentation was sometimes incorporated into the design. albert frederik aalbers was one of the representatives of the modern movement in indonesia before the second world war. his work is characterized by its clean-cut, functionalist elevations, which often feature curved lines, and the absence of external ornamentation and other purely decorative devices.