Chair of the Kagama Central Executive Board, Basuki Hadimuljono, officially inaugurated Guyub Café, located in the Flat-E area of Blimbingsari, Sleman, on Saturday (Dec. 13).
In collaboration with Filosofi Kopi, the former faculty residence within the UGM campus area has been transformed into a Culture Creative Hub as one of Kagama’s business units.
The inauguration was marked by Hadimuljono ceremonially cutting a tumpeng, attended by UGM Rector Professor Ova Emilia and members of the Kagama Central Executive Board.
Hadimuljono explained that the establishment of Guyub Café represents a strategic step in strengthening the Kagama organization. According to him, the management of this heritage building will serve as a new Kagama business unit, professionally managed through a cooperative.
“This is not only about generating revenue, but also about ensuring that shared assets of alumni and UGM can deliver sustainable economic, social, and cultural benefits,” he said.
Regarding the development of Guyub Café, Hadimuljono added that Kagama has partnered with Filosofi Kopi to create a creative space while revitalizing an area that had long been underutilized.
CEO of Filosofi Kopi, Handoko Hendroyono, stated that Filosofi Kopi’s involvement in Guyub reflects its commitment to growing together with the community.
“From the beginning, Filosofi Kopi has believed that coffee is a medium for meeting and dialogue. At Guyub, we truly want to be ‘guyub’ (connected) with the cultural ecosystem around UGM, becoming a space to exchange ideas, create, and build creative collaborations rooted in local culture,” Hendroyono said.
Professor Emilia emphasized that Guyub Café’s presence in the Flat-E Sekip area is expected to serve as a creative cultural space that encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration, bringing together the academic community, alumni, creative practitioners, and the wider public within a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem.
“Flat-E is not merely a physical structure, but part of UGM’s history and collective memory,” said Professor Emilia.
The rector further expressed hope that Guyub Café will be developed into a multifunctional space that accommodates a wide range of activities, from discussions, exhibitions, and art performances to the incubation of creative ideas.
The establishment of Guyub also stands as an example of an adaptive, productive, and relevant use of heritage areas that respond to today’s generation’s needs.
Author: Salwa
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian