Public space privatisation: The experience of Indonesian cities

Abstract

Context: The privatisation of public space has been triggered by a thematic and aesthetic approach planning, increasing control over urban inhabitant’s activities, commercialisation for economic interests, and the presence of virtual space. Globalisation and neoliberalism play a vital role in encouraging the privatisation and homogenisation of the public space concept. This privatisation has eroded the publicness values ​​of public space, which is aligned with previous studies in developed countries (Western Europe and the USA). Studies examining this phenomenon in developing countries, especially in Indonesia, are limited and tend to use Western perspectives as a basis for analytical approaches. Meanwhile, every society has specific local values ​​that cannot be generalised, which has the potential to create a different perspective.Objective: This study aims to understand the privatisation of public space and its implications for people in the context of Indonesia cities. In addition to fill research gaps for the developing countries, this study is also beneficial as a reference for all stakeholders in producing a contextual public space.Method: The study uses a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. Data is collected through in-depth interviews with respondents from various backgrounds who experience and interact directly with public spaces. Interviews with parties representing developers, planners, users, experts, observers, and researchers related to public space provide balanced and accurate information. Reviews of historical documents, journalistic reports, scientific studies, and government documents are carried out to complete the primary data. The cities of Surabaya and Bandung were chosen as study locations because they are currently considered successful in public space planning. As metropolitan cities that interact directly with global trends, both display similar images to other world cities. It is interesting to examine whether privatisation also takes place there, what the impact is to the community, and how the community reacts to it.Results: Indonesian cities also experience the privatisation of public space as other cities in developed countries, however, the Indonesian society responded relatively different from existing theories. Local values have played a substantial role in shaping people perspective. People who hold religious and local ethical values produce permissive responses to control in the public space. People who are familiar with the flexibility of communal space to accommodate various activities, including economic activities, make commercial activities in public places as an attraction. Political transformation plays a vital role in introducing formal public space as a social space. The issue of privatisation has not been able to dampen public attention to attractive formal urban open places. However, criticism of the non-contextual concept of public space began to sound. The dominance of the authorities and investors in the production process has commodified public space for the elite benefit.Conclusion: Each society has local wisdom that is unique from the others and is very instrumental in shaping the way people think. Therefore, planning for public space needs a more contextual concept, not just following global trends. Political reform must be realised through a more participatory planning process to accommodate the aspirations of urban inhabitants.