One of Jakarta’s profound architectural legacies from the era of Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is the RPTRA, or Ruang Publik Terpadu Ramah Anak (‘Child-Friendly Integrated Public Space’), for which the government targeted the construction of 300 facilities spread throughout Jakarta. And one of the projects’ most interesting aspects is its choice of locations. Instead of choosing strategic sites, the governor opted to utilise underused land near low-income settlements and slums. The hope was that these facilities would serve as symbols of community empowerment, helping to improve their surroundings and create more liveable environments.
One of the first RPTRA facilities to open was RPTRA Kalijodo, which attracted wide public attention due to its urban context. Kalijodo, an area in North Jakarta, was historically known for its nightlife, including prostitution. However, it also held cultural significance as the site of the Peh Cun dragon boat festival, celebrated by Jakarta’s Chinese community. Peh Cun is of course a water festival, and before Chinese celebrations were prohibited in 1958, young people from the Chinese community would mark the occasion by rowing dragon boats along the Angke River. The festival concluded with a matchmaking ritual from which the area derived its name, cari jodoh meaning ‘matchmaking’ in Bahasa Indonesian.
After the prostitution business was shut down by the Jakarta government, Purnama initiated the RPTRA project in Kalijodo, funded through corporate social responsibility contributions from companies in Jakarta. The site was revitalised into a vibrant public space and playground for children in collaboration with prominent Indonesian architects Yori Antar and Tan Tik Lam.
The design is intentionally straightforward. According to Antar, this approach was meant to create a low-key architectural presence that would emphasise the plaza and playground over structural elements. The space is located on a triangular site near the river, with its most prominent structure being a planar roof supported by slender steel columns, which keeps the space open and unconfined. The skateboard park and the plaza serve as the focal points, creating a dynamic and inclusive urban space.
Currently, however, RPTRA Kalijodo faces maintenance challenges, vandalism and a decline in programme activation, raising concerns about its long-term sustainability. This issue is not unique to Jakarta. Similar public spaces, such as the Cheonggyecheon stream park in Seoul and the High Line in New York, have also struggled to maintain their vibrancy. However, these spaces have remained successful through active community participation, structured funding and strong institutional management. To ensure Kalijodo and similar spaces continue to thrive, the Jakarta government could take a leaf out of its counterparts’ books. It could encourage local businesses and community groups to take part in the space’s upkeep, while also organising regular cultural and recreational events itself, and strengthening public-private partnerships in a broader sense. These are critical to sustaining this type of meaningful urban space.
