Development for people<\/p>\n
It is always a pleasure to read Your Letters, as this column
\ngives me various thoughts and information. Your readers' comments
\nshow that they do care about this country and its development.<\/p>\n
The article, Indonesia still dreams of a new architectural
\nparadigm, by Bambang Eryudhawan (April 2, 1995) raised comments
\nfrom Damien Mate in Your Letters, Jakarta's city form, April 10,
\n1995.<\/p>\n
In my point of view it is true that the market is responding
\nto the challenge but there is still the question on how long the
\ndevelopers will keep their promises on providing \"gardens\".<\/p>\n
Will they really build public, and green, spaces, or will they
\nend up providing driving ranges and golf courses? Do they really
\nplan a newly built environment, in accordance with social and
\nenvironmental issues? Or will they just ignore the existing
\nenvironment and draw their plans on a sheet of blank paper, as if
\nthey were creating a garden city from a desert, without any
\npopulation. Do they provide places for the poor in their plans?<\/p>\n
Sibylle Vincendon, in her article in the French daily
\nLiberation (January 3, 1995; Architecture sans art, architecture
\nwithout art) said that in the year of economic crises architects
\nhave lost their talent to create, as it is always money, rarely
\ninspiration that drives the achievement of architecture and urban
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
How about Indonesian architecture? Surely it is also dependent
\non the ones who have the power (money and\/or policies) to support
\nits achievement.<\/p>\n
Years later urban problems will spread from Jakarta, or other
\nbig cities to villages. As investors are seeking new places for
\nprofits and leisure, and while people still regard massive
\nbuildings as proof of development, we will loose our beautiful
\nnature.<\/p>\n
I remember three years ago, in Kerinci, a foreign tourist
\nadvised me to tell my government not to build new roads and to
\nlet the old roads stay unrepaired in order to keep the nature as
\nit was then. Thinking about the people who live there, and their
\nneeds of transportation to sell their products and to buy their
\nneeds, it was crazy advice, but thinking about the nature needing
\nto be preserved, maybe it was the brightest idea.<\/p>\n
MARIA MARGARETTA<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/development-for-people-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }