2024 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"
18th Edition
Surakarta, known as Solo, is a major city in the Central Java province of Indonesia. The city has a total area of 44.02 km2, approximately 12.45% of which is categorized as public open space, & a total population of 523,008 (as of 2022).
In Indonesian cities such as Solo, urban development processes are conducted in a top-down manner, which often results in spaces that do not adequately address the needs & aspirations of communities. Vulnerable groups, such as low-income households & children, have been left out of the decision-making process as they are often viewed as objects of a program, rather than as actors of change.
To enhance citizen participation in urban development processes, we saw an opportunity to reclaim the process by using participatory & inclusive approaches to equip citizens with the capacity for information & participation to collectively design and develop urban spaces.
The Surakarta Inclusive City Movement is a multi-stakeholder initiative that promotes inclusive common spaces such as parks & streets in Solo through participatory design. The movement encompasses the creation of new inclusive urban spaces through a participatory, multi-stakeholder approach, aligning the aspirations of marginalized citizens & the local government's agenda.
These spaces were developed through two initiatives in 2021-2023: the Kali Pepe Riverbank Public Space project (supported by UN-Habitat), which led to the construction of a neighborhood park next to a social housing project in Mangkubumen neighborhood, & the Sukaria Street for Kids project (supported by Global Designing Cities Initiative), which created a safer & more enjoyable street for children in Kampung Baru neighborhood.
Key approaches:
- Participatory tools & methodologies to create a safe space for citizens to express their aspirations.
- Gamification such as Minecraft & toy figures to engage first-time participants such as children.
- Inclusive design principles to mainstream inclusive values.
- Partnership with local government to encourage policy adoption.
- Multi-stakeholder consultations to secure approval.
The movement reached around 380 children & 300 adults in Solo by directly involving them in the decision-making process of urban development & improving their access to safe and inclusive urban spaces. It has also prompted the Solo government's interest in participatory planning practices, including a model of inclusive public space in social housing & a blueprint for child-friendly streets.
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Initiatives like the riverside park and Sukaria Street for Children project not only create safe spaces but also encourage citizen participation through tools like video games, including https://iogamesonl.com/.
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