Al Azhar

Al Azhar Summarecon Nusantara Islamic School is a planned integrated Islamic school in the Central Government Core Area (KIPP) of Nusantara, in Sepaku District, Penajam Paser Utara Regency, East Kalimantan. The project, worth around IDR 200 billion, is being developed by PT Summarecon Agung Tbk. together with the Yayasan Pesantren Islam (YPI) Al Azhar foundation. It will be the fifth Al Azhar school built by Summarecon, after Bekasi, Serpong, Bandung and Makassar.

Location

The school occupies a 2.9-hectare plot in Public Service Facilities Sub Zone (SPU) 1, Sub-WP 1B, within Planning Area 1 of the KIPP. The site sits on a street corner and borders a canyon, and the design makes use of the views across it. Summarecon bought the serviced land directly from the Nusantara Capital Authority and has completed all land title procedures.

Design Concept

Renders shared by the architecture studio studio.mmar in October 2026 give a more detailed picture of the school's design. According to the studio's description, the design follows Nusantara's vision as a forest city, sponge city and smart city, and brings together natural, cultural and human elements to create an interactive learning environment that responds to its surroundings.

Mosque and Hall as Landmarks

On the street corner stand a circular mosque and a 700-seat multipurpose hall, which serve as the complex's main landmarks. The lower level of the mosque is designed as an accessible public space, reached by pedestrian-friendly plazas, stairs and ramps. The school buildings sit behind it, so the mosque stays open to the public without compromising the security of the educational facilities.

Stilt Houses that Follow the Terrain

To preserve the natural topography, the primary, junior high and senior high school buildings follow a raised stilt-house concept. Classrooms start on the second floor, while the lower levels hold laboratories and support facilities. Vehicle traffic is deliberately kept to a minimum and concentrated in one area, so the campus prioritises pedestrians.

Climate, Landscape and Facades

The buildings rely on passive cooling. Safari-style pitched roofs and climbing plants around the perimeter support cross-ventilation, letting breezes from the canyon cool the complex naturally. The landscape is dominated by native trees, water features and natural stone, with a large tree marking the main entrance of each school level. The facades feature textured horizontal lines and subtle dome silhouettes that create a play of light and shadow. Glass panels are set back to reduce glare from the road.

School Levels and Facilities

The school will offer primary (SD), junior high (SMP) and senior high (SMA) education. Besides classrooms, the complex will include laboratories, a multipurpose hall, sports facilities and a mosque that is also open to the general public. Day-to-day operations will be run through a partnership between the Al Azhar foundation and Yayasan Syiar Bangsa, a foundation for Summarecon's Muslim employees.

Construction Status

President Joko Widodo laid the first stone on 4 June 2024. At the time, the first phase was due to be completed in the first quarter of 2026, so that classes could start in the 2026/2027 school year. That target was not met because physical construction has not started yet.

In May 2025, Summarecon said it was still waiting for the Nusantara Capital Authority to finish the infrastructure and road access to the site. As of June 2026, the land purchase is complete, but the start of building construction is still being aligned with the Authority's schedule and depends on the readiness of the surrounding infrastructure. No new construction start date or opening date has been announced.