26-September-2024

Challenges of Building Public Space in The Era of Climate Changes

Ima Yusmanita

The existence of public spaces in Indonesia is still rare. The increasing lack of public space in Indonesia is related to the increasing population predicted by BPS will reach 328,93 million in 2050. Ideally, green open spaces made up 30% of total of urban area, in accordance to regulation regarding Spatial Planning year 2007.

For example, the total area of Jakarta is about 661,5 km2, meaning that 198 km2 should be the total of area for green public spaces. In reality, this 30% is not yet fulfilled in many cities in Indonesia.

According to data published by BPS in 2018, Jakarta as both a megacity and the capital of Indonesia has open public spaces in only 214 villages from 267 villages. City Parks and Forestry Agency of DKI Jakarta in 2021 stated that green open spaces in Jakarta achieved only 9,4% from total 30% which is required or about 62 km2 out of the total of 661,5 km2.

Compared to the city of Surabaya as the second biggest metropolitan in Indonesia after Jakarta, the green open space is about 7 hectare or 21,9% of the city area. The Sanitation and Green Open Space Agency claimed it has reached the target of the minimal green open space in urban area.

Meanwhile, there’s only 8 provinces out of 38 provinces who have a lot of open public spaces. Only three of the provinces in Java Island have more than 2000 villages with public open space. Three of them also being the highest peak out of all the provinces in Indonesia.

As of now, the provision of public space is still centralized in Java Island, backed by the data from BPS in 2021, Central Java became the province with most of its villages already have public spaces with a total of 4.833 villages equivalent to 18% of total public space in Indonesia.

This number is followed by East Java with a total of 3.659 wards with open public spaces, and West Java with total of open public spaces in 2.475 wards.

Outside Java, there is South Sulawesi Province which has 1.086 open public spaces in villages/sub-districts, Lampung Province with 999 villages and sub-districts, South Sumatra Province has 966 villages/sub-districts with open public spaces. Meanwhile, East Nusa Tenggara Province has 892 villages/sub-districts with open public spaces and North Sumatra Province with 717 sub-districts/villages that have open public spaces.

Jakarta as a megapolitan and the capital city of Indonesia, is not included in the provinces that have the most villages/sub-districts with open public spaces. On the contrary, Jakarta Province is only in the bottom six. This shows the critical availability of public spaces in Jakarta and indirectly shows the problem of urban exclusivity.


Problems in Indonesian Urban Public Space
Crisis is closely related to the lack of public space. Public space problems in urban development planning in Indonesia are often due to urbanization and modernization that have displaced public space for the interests of consumerism culture and capitalist economy.

The issue of minimal public space has not been a serious concern for local governments in making policies. In fact, public space concerns community activities that can prevent various social problems in urban communities such as security crises, children playing on dangerous highways because there are no playgrounds, environmental crises such as hot urban air due to lack of trees, degradation of urban forest land ecosystems, lack of space for young people to express themselves which results in them liking to gather on the side of the roads, and frequent urban flooding due to the lack of water catchment areas and the lack of green open areas that can accommodate rainwater.

The presence of public spaces in Indonesia is regulated through Law Number 26 of 2007 and Government Regulation PP Number 21 of 2021 concerning the implementation of spatial planning. The issue of the importance of the existence of public spaces is our common concern because it is related to the availability of clean air needed by the community, ecosystems and land, as well as public facilities and social facilities that can increase the aesthetic value of the city.

Currently, changes in the preparation of the Regional Spatial Plan (RTRW) prioritize aspects of economic interests, while the greening aspect is still lacking, as evidenced by the fact that many cities in Indonesia have not met the minimum regulation of 30% of the RTHP area. Other evidence is that there are still many cases in Indonesia when public spaces are deliberately evicted to build housing areas and there are still developers who do not comply with regulations in providing public and social facilities.

Usually, the existence of public space is inversely proportional to the economic growth of a city. The more advanced a city's economy is, the more public spaces begin to be displaced because they are sacrificed for economic interests such as the construction of malls, apartments and housing as has happened in Jakarta.

Critical Need for Public Space that Meets Ideal Requirements and the Concept of Child-Friendly Integrated Public Space (RPTRA)
Urbanization is often associated and blamed as the cause of poor urban planning. The urbanization factor cannot be avoided in the development of a city and public space can be a solution to problems related to urbanization. The challenge is how to create space for urban communities to reduce city problems such as congestion, air pollution, degradation of ecosystem quality, and noisy highways. Creating a friendly and creative public space for all groups is a challenge in itself for a city. Ideally, public space development planning is oriented towards the interests of the general public and can accommodate the needs of the community.

A number of problems in public spaces in Indonesia include inequality in access and infrastructure, poor maintenance management and politicization or power struggles over public spaces.

The concept of an ideal public space according to Jurgen Habermas, a German sociologist and philosopher, public space is not just a physical building but a means of communication for the community itself. Public space must be easily accessible to everyone and be inclusive which focuses on accessibility, participation and diversity including vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and children.

Based on the increasingly urgent need for public space in urban areas, the DKI Jakarta City Government issued Governor Regulation Number 196 of 2015 and Governor Regulation Number 123 of 2017 concerning Child-Friendly Integrated Public Spaces. The regulations issued in 2017 were motivated by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) 2013-2017 concerning the strategic program of Child-Friendly Cities.

Through the RPJMD, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has designated the South Jakarta Administrative City as one of the areas for developing a Child-Friendly City. One of the indicators of a Child-Friendly City is the availability of adequate public interaction space for children. The concept of developing a Child-Friendly Integrated Public Space (RPTRA) is different from the development of parks in general because it has a main function as a place for children's education, a play area and a means of social activities. Various activities in RPTRA include services for children, community services and disaster services which become community centers or 'community center' containers. RPTRA also functions as a place for community empowerment and family welfare, including the development of knowledge and skills of PKK, efforts to increase family income, a center for family information and consultation, as a public open park with play areas and child development, a means of partnership between the Regional Government and the community in fulfilling the needs of children's rights, as a green open space and a place for groundwater absorption.

For example, the characteristics of RPTRA Bahari in the Cilandak area of South Jakarta are equipped with play facilities, sports, & other supporting facilities. Various types of children's play equipment such as slides, seesaws, mini climbing equipment and swings have safe standards for children, for example all equipment has a smooth textured handle and the basic floor material around the play equipment is sand. The thickness is deep enough and safe so that it can prevent or cushion children if they fall while playing.

 
(Photo: Document of the RPTRA Bahari Cilandak Jakarta)

Supporting facilities in RPTRA are multimedia room, library, management room, PKK Mart and multipurpose hall. RPTRA is also equipped with toilets and lactation room. In addition, for security, RPTRA is equipped with CCTV cameras at the entrance to avoid crime and RPTRA Bahari managers totaling 5 people who are tasked with supervising children while they are on site. The RPTRA environment also maintains comfort with a smoke-free area and there are trees and ornamental and medicinal plants which are part of the PKK Program.

 
(Photo: Document of the RPTRA Bahari Cilandak Jakarta)

Public Space and Green Infrastructure Trends
In the current era of climate change, public spaces are needed that are not just physical buildings but can also answer the needs of benefits for humans and the environment. Public spaces that can adapt to the surrounding climate are public spaces that apply the concept of green infrastructure with an environmental management approach based on the utilization of natural elements such as plants, trees, parks that reduce hot temperatures in the area, create cooler air and a wastewater and rainwater management system. The selection of vegetation types that can absorb water will be useful for reducing waterlogging in urban areas if there is heavy rain and also functions as a controller of water flow to drainage channels. Air pollution in urban areas will be reduced by trees and plants that absorb carbon dioxide. Public spaces filled with shady tree vegetation have contributed to improving air quality in dense urban areas.

The green infrastructure trend is increasingly echoed along with the issuance of the Regulation of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Number 21 of 2021 concerning the Assessment of Green Building Performance. Green infrastructure is becoming popular with increasing awareness of citizens about the importance of maintaining the environmental system amidst the massive development of a city. To realize development with an environmentally friendly system approach, a combination of technological innovation with sustainable natural wisdom is needed and is beneficial for humans and ecosystems. In addition, public spaces built with the concept of green infrastructure can be used as a means of public campaign about the importance of environmental preservation for citizens. Public spaces that pay attention to nature can be a place of education about citizen awareness of environmental sustainability.

Climate-Resilient Public Space Development Plan in the Segiri Market Area, Samarinda City, East Kalimantan
Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency in 2021, currently the provision of public spaces is still centered on Java Island. Then in 2022-2024, a public space project entitled "Embracing the Sun" was started through funding sourced from the Adaptation Fund managed by the Center for Climate and Urban Resilience, University of 17 Agustus Surabaya and supported by KEMITRAAN and the Samarinda City Government as beneficiaries. A public space covering an area of 2711 km² will be built in the Segiri Market Area, Sidodadi Village, Samarinda City, East Kalimantan. The Samarinda City Government welcomed the plan, especially since public spaces in Samarinda City are still relatively minimal. Choosing a city outside Java Island to build a public space is also the right decision considering that there is still a development gap between Java Island and outside Java Island. The development of this public space design uses a participatory approach by recognizing the potential problems of the Segiri Market Area, collecting design ideas from residents, vulnerable groups, regional apparatus, academics and traders in the area,

 
Public Design Space of Karang Mumus River Park (Image: Lindi Novita)
Climate adaptation in terms of physical buildings in the design of the public space of the Karang Mumus River Park includes the design of a fairly large Small and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) stand that has a dual function as a public kitchen for residents in the event of a fire. Fire disasters occur quite often in densely populated areas such as Sidodadi Village. In early January 2024, a fire disaster occurred in RT 31, Sidodadi Village, Samarinda, with 43 houses burned down and 150 people affected by the disaster. In addition to the UMKM stand, the open multipurpose space located in the middle of the public space can also function as a disaster 'shelter' for residents.

 
Design of Micro-business stand (Image: Lindi Novita)

To support the availability of alternative electrical energy used in multipurpose buildings, solar panels will be applied to the roof of the multipurpose public space building in case of a power outage. The construction of windmills is also planned to help the availability of renewable energy. Other areas in the public space will also be used as filtration pools that function to keep the water clean and free from pollution. This public space will be equipped with 'rainwater harvesting' or the creation of rainwater reservoirs intended so that residents can collect rainwater in containers that can later be used for the dry season or water reserves or increase water supplies.

Most of the public space area will be covered by snake plant vegetation that can remove toxins, such as benzene and formaldehyde from the air. The selection of Sirih Gading vegetation can also neutralize odors and clean air pollution around public spaces. The selection of certain types of vegetation can increase the absorption of rainwater which can later prevent stagnant water or flooding. In addition, the alternative choice of material from bamboo plants as a building wall in a public space can also absorb odors from the Karang Mumus River and Segiri Market around the public space. Another adaptation feature is the installation of mosquito traps on the banks of the Karang Mumus River in public spaces can also help control the transmission of diseases caused by Aedes mosquitoes.

Karang Mumus Park is also designed with a gender perspective. When involving residents living around the project area who are mostly housewives as participants in designing the design of public spaces, their needs are accommodated with a plan to build a children's playground made of natural materials that are safe for children so that this public space has various functions, including child-friendly public spaces.

The concept of a child-friendly public space tries to answer the challenge of creating a friendly and creative public space for all groups including children. In addition, the presence of a lactation room for breastfeeding mothers and the presence of toilets for the disabled also make the Karang Mumus River Park public space an inclusive public space and accommodate the needs of various levels of society including vulnerable groups or people with disabilities. Another example of an inclusive feature is a pedestrian path that is made passable by wheelchairs and other people with disabilities such as visual directions that can help deaf people with disabilities find directions.

Building Community Adaptation Patterns to Climate Change Through Public Spaces
In addition to physical design and buildings, climate adaptation patterns can be seen from community behavior patterns. By building Micro-business (UMKM) stands in public spaces, it will help community economic independence, it is hoped that 'economic resilience' will be realized for the local residents who utilize the UMKM stand. Solar panels and windmills as alternative energy sources can help in providing electrical energy for the UMKM stand so that it can also support the formation of energy-efficient consumption patterns and support 'economic resilience'.

Furthermore, with the existence of public spaces around Segiri Market and Karang Mumus River, this can be a means and trigger the growth of 'community actions', positive collective actions of local communities or residents, encouraging positive behavioral changes, for example cleaning rivers from garbage, sorting garbage, not littering, or education about zero waste families, or managing organic waste, families can foster climate-resilient family behavior or 'social resilience' or 'family resilience'.

In relation to social resilience and behavior that affects health, TOGA plants (Family Medicinal Plants) in public spaces can also be an example of inspiring residents to plant similar plants in their respective home areas and can become 'social-health resilience' for residents living nearby.

 
Front view of Karang Mumus Park Public Space (Image: Lindi Novita)

The existence of an educational corner in this public space can also be a means of educational insight in maintaining the environment for local residents and the general public who are visitors to the public space. This educational corner can be a means of increasing literacy of climate change awareness for local residents and city residents in general so that a more environmentally conscious mindset and behavior pattern is formed. By building the Karang Mumus River Park Public Space, it can teach local residents about knowledge to improve the quality of life of residents such as awareness of clean water, clean & cool air, park cleanliness, waste management, etc.

In a broader perspective, with the existence of a public space that has a dual function as a means of climate education for residents, the Karang Mumus River, which is currently in a worrying condition, dirty and smelly, is expected to change into a cleaner river due to changes in the behavior of the surrounding community who care more about the cleanliness of the river, and other stakeholders such as the Samarinda City Government who will pay more attention, be more motivated and give priority to this area by increasing other programs related to the normalization of the Karang Mumus River. The existence of the Karang Mumus Park Public Space is expected to be a trigger for the birth of government programs and other stakeholders that are useful for the progress and resilience of Samarinda City in the era of climate change whose challenges are increasingly complex. Ultimately, the formation of a climate-resilient public space requires strong efforts and commitment from various parties.