Revitalizing and Reimagining the Indonesian Traditional Market (Case Study : Salaman Traditional Market Indonesia)

Abstract

Indonesia traditional market was one of the main economic centres in the past, where farmers, fishermen, gardener, and those whose products were connected to the natural resources could sell their products and consumers could buy them with much cheaper prices. Now, with the rise of small scale supermarkets, online shopping, door-to-door sellers, and more modern marketplace, the traditional markets are threatened to lose their customers. There are also the degrading images of traditional market in the society that further discourage consumers to visit the marketplace. Salaman traditional market is one of the traditional markets that is being affected by these changes, and has begun to lose its customers. With the size of the marketplace’s site, the location, and the economic importance it holds for its suppliers, Salaman District will face a major economic and urban problem if Salaman Traditional Marketplace is to be closed. The government has begun to take notice of the problem by trying to modernize the marketplace, but without careful analysis and full consideration of the main problems, Indonesia might lose one of its unique historic building typologies. This research wishes to evaluate the main reasons on why Salaman market is in the downwind, and using empirical study and primary data collection backed by literature and historic study, this research will try to pinpoint the problems in order to have the best approach to revitalize the marketplace. The steps that is being suggested in the Salaman traditional marketplace can become a precedent for other traditional marketplaces in Indonesia that are facing similar problems, and how the marketplace can still become a cultural and economic centre for the people that surround it.