Indonesia: ‘Historic Urban Landscape’ Quick Scan Workshop

Banjarmasin (Borneo) is famous for its floating markets and was once widely known as the Venice of the former Dutch East Indies. Its impressive historic urban landscape consists of numerous settlements near and on the water and several historical kampungs each with their own distinctive cultural and socio-economic signature.

Contemporary urban challenges

Contemporary daily urban life is closely connected with the rivers, canals and streams in the city. At the same time, Banjarmasin is facing rapid modernisation, extensive road-oriented urbanisation and its riverside settlements suffer from pollution and urban degeneration. How can Banjarmasin maintain its unique water-related identity and how to revitalise its historical riverside kampungs? This was the focus of a HUL workshop organised by the Municipality of Banjarmasin, Heritage Hands-On, IPB University, Trisakti University and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.

The HUL method

Students and young professionals from several cities in Indonesia and local stakeholders worked on proposals ranging from heritage preservation, public transport, housing, cultural tourism and waste management. They followed a Quick Scan method developed by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands that is based on the principles of UNESCO’s HUL approach. A small exhibit with the results of the workshop is currently making its way through town and a report will soon be published.