Indonesia's art deco hot spot, a century on

Villa Isola, designed by Java-born Dutch architect C.P. Schoemaker and completed in 1933, is one of Bandung's architectural landmarks. The Indonesian city boasts a rich collection of art deco and modernist buildings, though development pressures threaten parts of that heritage. (Photo by Oliver Raw)

BANDUNG, Indonesia -- Bandung, the so-called Paris of Java, lies about 150 kilometers east of Jakarta, a distance that translates to a dizzying 30-minute ride on Indonesia's first high-speed rail link, plus a 10-minute journey to the city center on a local train. At over 750 meters above sea level, the city feels almost balmy compared with the stodgy heat of the capital.