by Soraya Mirza
The recent debate in developed countries on environmental degradation is focusing on the impact of urban development to global environment. Even though the urban problems are generally known, there are still complexities and differences of urban experience from each cities contributing to the environmental issues. Many scholars argued that a sustainable urban form is a key to achieving a sustainable development. Cities appear as important locations for setting up actions to help the goals of sustainable development (Jenks et al, 1996). Developed countries have elaborated regeneration policies to tackle the decline of their inner city areas. These policies may include tax and financial incentives, loans, grants and land use regulations to promote development and attract new economic activities or to reinforce existing ones; new housing schemes and the rehabilitation of existing ones; environmental improvements and policies to promote the conservation of historic buildings (Nobre Cuce, 1994). In general regeneration takes place in the inner city area where the economic activities are concentrated.The study of inner city regeneration had been recognized in Europe from the late 1960s and gradually the western European cities moved from tackling the problem of obsolete housing through policies of mass slum clearance and replacement to more sensitive programs of housing renovation and area improvement (Couch et al, 2003). Jenks et al (1996) mentioned the significance of the developed countries efforts to find solution should also be concentrated in developing countries which have such overwhelming problems. As one of the most populous developing and one of newly industrializing countries in Asia, big cities in Indonesia are facing many urban problems such as rapid growth. The consequences are that Indonesia’s local government has to deliberate the urban issues such as an increasing demand on urban space for housing facility as the basic human needs and also open spaces. Related to all these issues, there is still limited capacity from the local government to manage the urban problems. One of the challenges and problems due to the rapid urbanization are the social problems in the inner city whilst the social exclusion of the middle and low-income community for housing facilities in the inner city is occurring. Bandung, as one of Indonesian’s major and metropolitan city is affected by the issues mentioned above. The case of Bandung’s urban problems depicted situation such as the homogeny use of land for offices and commercial development leads to increasing high value of land and gentrification in the inner city. This situation poses a challenge to strategic urban planning and design as development tools.
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| A streetscape of Bandung, Indonesia, by paularps |
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