OPEN  SPACE  NEEDS  LOCAL  GOVERNMENTS’  POLITICAL  WILL  

By:  Mathias  Hariyadi,  UCLG-­‐ASPAC  Media  &  Communication  Manager  

Compared  with  other  nations,  including  ASEAN  neighbors,  Indonesia  has  not  provided  enough  open  spaces,  as  is  commonly  expected,  for  the  modern  urban  community.  In  the  1970s  alun-­‐alun  (town  square),  where  people  could  meet  and  socialize  freely,  were  easily  found  across  Java.      Alun-­‐alun  are  now  used  for  food-­‐stalls,  troubadour  art  and  musical  performances  rather  than  as  a  place  for  gathering.  For  years,  environmentalists,  city  planners  and  local  governments  have  been  debating  the  issue.    Early  this  month  a  conference  in  Manila  strongly  voiced  the  concern.  Co-­‐hosted  by  three  groups,  United  Cities  and  Local  Governments  Asia-­‐Pacific  (UCLG  ASPAC),  UN-­‐Habitat  (UN’s  agency  for  human  settlements  and  sustainable  urban  development)  and  the  Philippine  Housing  and  Urban  Development  Coordinating  Council,  the  international  forum  urged  all  city  stakeholders  to  address  this  urgent  matter  seriously.    

A  joint  statement  issued  by  the  League  of  Cities  of  the  Philippines  (LCP),  UCLG  ASPAC’s  members,  city  planners  and  all  Philippine  mayors  and  50  various  partners  said  political  will  to  establish  green,  safe,  inclusive,  accessible  and  “inter-­‐connected”  open  space  is  a  must.    However,  in  highly  urbanizing  cities  in  Asia,  including  Indonesia,  such  calls  are  not  easy  to  respond  to.  As  we  could  see  most  local  governments  prefer  open  space  for  commercial  purposes  rather  than  a  “melting  pot”  zone  where  people  can  socialize  conveniently  and  safely.    Manila  Conference’s  keynote  speaker  Vice  President  Jejomar  Binay  underscored  that  mayors  play  a  key  role  in  managing  urbanization.  That’s  why,  it’s  important  for  city  mayors  to  balance  growth  with  the  political  will  to  design  and  build  more  sustainable  and  livable  urban  systems.    Thomas  Melin  from  UN-­‐Habitat  shared  the  benefits  of  good  public  space.  According  to  him,  inclusive,  healthy  and  safe  public  space  promotes  social  cohesion,  which  in  turn  also  builds  a  sense  of  community  and  civic  identity.  Even  small  investments  in  public  spaces  provide  significant  returns  as  it  boosts  the  well-­‐being  of  people  living  in  cities.      UCLG  ASPAC’s  secretary-­‐general  Bernadia  Irawati  Tjandradewi  emphasized  three  key  considerations  in  designing  public  space  —  quality,  quantity  and  the  users  of  public  space  —  that  any  city  mayor  should  address.  According  to  urban  engineering  experts,  public  space  must  entice  social  interaction.    Urbanization  is  the  world’s  current  challenge  as  recognized  by  UN-­‐Habitat.  Its  2014  Annual  Report  said  the  population  living  in  urban  areas  will  reach  50  percent  in  2017  and  increase  to  60  percent  by  2030  with  the  fastest  rate  of  urbanization  taking  place  in  the  developing  world.    

As  a  developing  country,  Indonesia  will  also  face  challenges  in  urban  life,  such  as  poverty,  segregation  between  rich  and  poor,  inadequate  housing,  poor  basic  services,  lack  of  proper  means  of  livelihood  and  climate  change  risks.  Escalating  burglary  and  frequent  fires  in  most  densely  populated  areas  in  Jakarta’s  poor  pockets  reflect  these  challenges.    However,  as  UN-­‐Habitat’s  historical  economic  studies  found,  there  is  a  positive  correlation  between  planned  urbanization  and  development.  Research  shows  that  urban  economies  are  more  productive  than  rural  economies  due  to  the  proximity  of  the  factors  of  production,  increase  specialization  and  market  sizes.  Therefore,  planned  urbanization  can  be  a  powerful  tool  for  creating  employment  and  livelihoods.    That’s  why  people  are  expected  to  shift  their  mindset  from  viewing  urbanization  as  a  problem  toward  a  powerful  tool  for  development,  citing  the  UN-­‐Habitat’s  last  Annual  Report.    Prosperous  cities  must  consider  the  importance  of  the  public  realm.  Cities  that  prioritize  quality  of  life  of  all  experience  a  higher  level  of  prosperity.  Such  cities  strive  toward  social  equity  by  providing  access  to  urban  commons,  such  as  green  areas,  squares,  ample  pavements  and  streets,  recreational  facilities  and  other  public  spaces.      Public  spaces  will  also  enhance  community  cohesion  and  civic  identity  and  support  the  level  of  urban  density  required  for  environmentally  and  economically  sustainable  cities.  Cities  with  sufficient  public  space  will  emerge  as  well-­‐maintained,  safe  and  attractive  places  to  live  and  work  in.    

Public  spaces  and  streets  are  multifunctional  areas  for  social  interaction,  economic  exchanges  and  cultural  expression  among  a  wide  diversity  of  participants.  The  role  of  urban  planning  is  to  organize  public  spaces  and  the  role  of  urban  design  is  to  encourage  their  use.    Managing  urbanization  indeed  is  a  daunting  task,  but  it  must  be  accomplished  to  make  cities  livable.  Local  governments  need  to  invest  in  designing  and  building  public  spaces  as  a  means  of  social  cohesion.    See  more  at:  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/15/open-­‐space-­‐needs-­‐local-­‐governments-­‐political-­‐will.html#sthash.IIvinV86.dpuf  Jakarta  Post,  Sunday  15  March  2015    

Photos  credits:  Inti  Dohle  and  various  sources