Jakarta – Mega City of South East Asia

Jakarta is the capital city and largest city of Indonesia, officially known as Special Capital Region of Jakarta with a population of 10 million. It is also the second most populous urban agglomerations in the world after Tokyo-Yokohama city region. The daytime population of Jakarta grows from 10 million to 13 million people .

Kelurahan Karet Tengsin – Site context

JL Mas Mansyur road defines the eastern boundary of Karet Tengsin, the river Kali Krukut forms the western boundary while North and south of the site is surrounded by the Muslim cemetery.

The site Kampung Karet Tengsin has developed in last four decades from open fields to a densely populated diverse urban village of approximately 12,000 people which are arguably rich in “social capital”.

The “Kampung” is surrounded by the leaning multi storey tower in the western boundary considered as Jakarta’s financial core area development. These offices and commercial reas are rented to the Multinational companies, banks and Hotels. Being part of “Golden Triangle” the land prices have increased impressively in last few years and many so-called “Superblock” developed have mushroomed in last decades or so and many more are planned or supported by the local government with the help of private developer.  The support of provincial government to ‘intent to upgrade’ this “urban village” generally viewed as “slum or deprived area by the elite of the administration to remove this “eyesore or blot” to successfully transform Jakarta into a ‘world city’.

Site Constraints

The existing street network in the Karet Tengsin administrative village is very congested with two main narrow streets running east to west. The poor road and street network is further impacted by almost nonexistent, inefficient drainage system. The poor drainage system has worst impact along the river. Large amount of water accumulates in the area during heavy rainfall mainly attributed to lack of flood control and drainage system. The existing build structure consists of heavily clustered up to 2 story’s buildings. The average dwelling unit size is 60 sq mtrs build on 43 sq mtrs plot. The site is surrounded by the cemetery, not considered as most sought neighbourhood in Islamic world.

Proposal

Since the site is less than 300meters from north to south, the proposal sought to make one of the existing road into a boulevard with the pedestrian activities along with it and also the proposal of the public transportation from site’s east to west.

The strategic plan for the Jakarta city where the central part is reserved for the commercial uses and the relocation of the houses in the outer ring of the city and most importantly to make the project self financing, sustainable in long term and considering the social and existing community’s aspects . The proposal considered the commercial towers above 20 storeys on the eastern side of the site which will also create an envelope for the residential. A urban square was created so that more people from neighborhood can come and the retail and commercial activities can be developed and make profits. To sustain the urban square the public building like library, gym, religious place, post office and other activities are provided.

The Boulevard was created from east to west with pedestrian, bus routes, cycling and even car routes connecting the east of the site to the western part thus sustaining the retail buildings. The affluent building towers are planned between the two major roads on the site. These three to 4 Bedroom flats will be for the upper middle class with an area of 150 – 220 sq meter with 8 to 14 storey high. The road is proposed along the boundary on the east, south and west side. A flood defence is proposed with the new embankment on which the road or path is proposed.

Conclusion

The site of Karet Tengsin is a complicated and complex case. It cannot have one simple plan and therefore all the stake holder’s interest needs to be addressed. The important thing is that site likes this can be developed only when the developers can and will make profit. Only then they can subsidies the flat for the local poor’s.  For a sustainable development the government and the local authority have to show more interest and to become part of it. The developer should get more area (by going higher) but they should be checked in one way or the other. The flats to the existing households should be given on the basis of Merits and existing tenure and dwelling sizes instead of family sizes.  The proposed development should be based on the multi stake partnership with the crucial and essential support from the public, private and local resident’s support.

This Mega city, Jakarta  is in process of transformation and policies of conserving and protecting the society is as important as heritage and architecture conservation.  To confront this urban poverty and social gap which is a multidimensional issue the government need to confront it with various ranges of interventions in economic policy, education & health, reforms in labour markets, investment in infrastructure, environmental and social protection.