Built as part of the residence since the late 1970s, the Pendopo grew alongside Habibie and Ainun’s decades of public service. Its most defining chapter came during Indonesia’s Reformasi era, when this 106-square-metre hall hosted the final informal cabinet meeting of the New Order, a gathering that marked the beginning of the country’s democratic transition. In a room that had long been the site of family meals and quiet evenings, the weight of history settled in.

The Pendopo’s tall carved pillars bear Masjidan ornamentation, continuous with the carvings found throughout the Library, giving the two spaces a shared architectural language and a shared sense of gravity.