The Role of Informal Activities for Sustaining Urban Life

Wahid, Julaihi and Karsono, Bambang (2011) The Role of Informal Activities for Sustaining Urban Life. In: Proceedings of Environmental Talk Toward Better green Living, 9 - 13 March 2011, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning, Mercu Buana University, Jakarta - Indonesia.

Preview

Text Peran PKL.pdf Download (11MB) | Preview

Abstract

Throughout history, communities have developed public space according to their needs, be it market, a place for sacred celebrations or sites for local rituals. Public space such as streets, squares and parks create a form in tandem with the ebbs and flows of human exchange. Public life within public space can be extended into two interrelated activities, i.e. ‘formal’ and ‘informal’. The most significant in urban design is informal public life, which occurs beyond the realm of formal institutions and entails choice. Informal activities basically occur spontaneously through collective agreement that result in fetive atmosphere of the place. This paper attempts to explore the informal public life and activities in the city which contributed to sustaining the urban life in the cities. Three cities in IMT-GT region has been observed along these years, i.e. Medan – Indonesia, Kangar-Malaysia, and Hat Yai-Thailand. The research applied various techniques in gathering the data and presenting findings in line with the various socio-spatial dimensions. The paper also delves into the unique informal social movements and interactions of public space in each city which is enhancing the sustainability of urban life. Keywords: informal activities, public space, urban life, urban sustainability

Actions (login required)

View Item