Design offers humane approach to urban problem

Design offers humane approach to urban problem

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Nine years ago on the Code riverbank in Yogyakarta, an architect,
the late Romo Mangun, erected a milestone in the history of
Indonesia's urban development.

For the first time, in the country that often sold its assets
to the highest bidder, an attempt to evict hundreds of urban poor
was foiled using a peaceful, yet savvy strategy.

Telling the Code residents to beautify their houses with
colorful and interesting paint, Romo Mangun rendered the
Yogyakarta administration speechless upon seeing that the
erstwhile shabby area had became an attractive place, and, later
on, a tourist attraction.

Residents of the Code riverbanks have continued to live there
without ever being threatened again with eviction.

The move has become an inspiration for people to do the same.
Challenging administration eviction excuses, some squatter
communities have proven themselves to be environmentally
friendly.

Residents of Penas Tanggul on the Cipinang riverbanks, East
Jakarta, for example, have maintained a clean environment,
including the section of river in front of their houses, for
about a decade, thanks to environmental awareness and the
assistance of non-governmental organization Institut Sosial
Jakarta (ISJ).

Nevertheless, in the name of order and clinical beauty, city
administrations still resort to eviction as a way of keeping
their cities in order.

For Jakarta, the attempt has proven to be no panacea, as the
city is still chaotic despite dozens of evictions.

Concerned at the city's perpetual squatter problem, some urban
architects have tried to offer an innovative approach that is
radically different to what the administration has done.

Living under toll roads

Led by architect Andra Matin, the group has designed
healthier, more comfortable living spaces under the Gedong
Panjang elevated toll road and beneath the Pluit toll road
intersection, both in North Jakarta. The designs were displayed
as part of CP Biennale 2005 "Urban Culture" at Bank Indonesia
Museum earlier this month.

"About two hundred people live at the intersection of Pluit
toll road. They are nice, friendly people; when we visited them
they welcomed our idea," Andra said.

"They said they had grown accustomed to vehicle noise. Due to
the strength of the wind, the place was reasonably cool," he
said.

For people in Pluit, Andra designed three housing towers that
would be supported by metal frames for advertising billboards.

"The interchange is a busy road; cars traveling to and from
Soekarno-Hatta Airport pass there," he said. "The elevated toll
roads are quite high so I have designed a tall tower."

Andra's design is unique and has the potential to become an
attractive spot in the city.

"Because of the strong wind, I think people could build a
windmill to generate power," he said.

For the Gedong Panjang squatters, Andra has designed two rows
of modest, two-story buildings.

"People there keep pets like cats, and livestock like ducks
and chickens. I have designed elevated houses so they could keep
the animals under their houses," he said.

Andra suggested the squatters construct the buildings from
bamboo and wooden planks.

The first level of the building would be more suitable for
families while the rooms on the second level would be for singles
due to the smaller size.

Andra has also designed a common area and playground for
children there.

Of course the places are no shangri-la and should not have
been living spaces in the first place, no matter how good the
design. However, squatters live there anyway and evicting them
would not solve the city's problems; indeed, it would likely
exacerbate the problems of urban poverty.

Thus, Andra's design gives light to a more humane approach to
manage Jakarta; whether the current city administration, which
evicted thousands last year, would embrace the concept willingly
is another question.