19.0 Tebet Jakarta a Planned Community Organically Transformed by Residents!

Some 30 years on after its conception and execution, the Tebet district of South Jakarta should be evaluated to review how it was planned and how it ended up.  What are the lessons that can be learned. 

The district of Tebet in South Jakarta covers an area of approximately 280ha and is located a short 1.6km to the Kuningan business district and 3.8km to the Sudirman business district. It was originally master planned and developed in the mid 1960’s as a relocation area for the residents of Senayan who needed to be relocated in order to build the Senayan Sports complex where the national stadium is presently located.  One long time Tebet residents tells me when they were first moved in, roads were all unpaved and the location seemed to be far outside of Jakarta while today it sits virtually at the heart of the business district.

Tebet District stretching left to right the width of the yellow line approximately 1.5km and between the top and bottom main roads approximately 1.8km.

The original master plan as designed and executed has evolved and grown organically over the years and for a mix of good and bad, but essentially a result of short falls of the original master plan for today's needs.  (It may have been well suitable for the time it was built.)

Originally laid out with a central and west neighborhood separated by a green belt with the Tebet river.  Both neighborhoods were all residential of single story houses with amenities of schools, recreation, market and clinic. 

Tebet Dalam Market

Original Tebet house (larger type)

Public football field

Houses were basic with lots of about 135m2,  9m x 13m typical for 2 bedroom units with some even smaller single bedrooms of 6m wide lots.  Larger lots were also available of 200m2 and above.  Roads were generally one car width for the majority with larger roads 2 lanes, one for each direction. Probably luxurious for a time when personal cars were a real luxury.  

Typical single lane road in Tebet.

For infrastructure, originally roads were unpaved, not everyone had power,   water supply was from individual wells with hand pumps, no telephones and all developments still provide their own septic tanks. 

Beyond the original master plan, what organically occurred?

1.  Other than the markets, no other commercial belts were planned and hence out of necessity grew organically everywhere.  Small shops in front of houses as well as service centers for vehicles and construction materials.  Sometimes not a good mix with the residential units.

Early on, various retail and other service businesses grew organically from what used to be solely residential.  Some in houses themself and other on any sidewalk or vacant piece of land.

Shophouse have not begun to replace residential on larger roads that have become commercial. Perhaps zoning regulation changes stimulated the change?

2.  The original residents were generally of middle class and there were no “general labors” to do the manual jobs and being “so far outside the city” (at least for that time)  a shanty town grew in the northern section of the greenbelt to where other than the river flowing through the north section no green belt exists today.

An area of about 630m in the north of Tebet which was originally a greenbelt with the river running through has become a "shanty town" catering to a lot of the smaller hawkers and labors in the area.  Both businesses and housing.  This has impacted the drainage of the whole area.

3.   Trash disposal was also not part of the master plan so part of the greenbelt was transformed into a dumping site which still exists today.

4.   Perhaps originally  walking and becak (trishaw) was the mode of transportation, but now bajai (3 wheel motor vehicle) is the main local internal mode of transport so parking and servicing also grew organically.

Bajai, the local taxi are slowly becoming upgraded to a not polluting quiet version running on natural gas.

5.  We can see as the Jakarta City has grown and developed, the once far out location is now at the door step of the business district and the land price has skyrocketed due to proximity.  Along with this the new residents tend to be better off professionals and hence a demand for new commercial activities has grown and the central roads of Tebet Raya and Tebet Utara Dalam have become a bustling hang out for the young with hip cafes and shops.  The traditional trades of laundry, local foods, tailors, etc still exist, but in addition salons, spas, mini markets and bakeries are finding their way to serve a growing market.  In fact one of the busiest meeting places is the Seven Eleven shop complete with outdoor dining facilities!  This area has become a hang out not only for Tebet residents, but for people from all over Jakarta.

New luxury houses are quickly replacing the old single story houses.

Newly transformed commercial district along Jl Tebet Raya catering with lots of cafes catering to the young.

New cafes catering to the young.

6.  On the boundaries both in the north and south larger high rise condos are coming up to be close to the city, but also the added attraction is to be close to the amenities of Tebet.

7.  The Southern part of the green belt (Taman Tebet) has been refurbished into an attractive exercise and play area. The recent renovation was with the sponsorship of Honda.

Taman Tebet a vibrant recreation center since renovation with the sponsorship of Honda.

8.  Tebet name originally derived from Tebat meaning “Swamp” and the area had a number of swamps that have since been filled in for more residential development and other amenities and the land became more valuable.   

What needs to be improved for the district to reach the next level?  Probably coming to mind for most residents would be the same things.

1.   Infrastructure improvements.  Power supply is relatively stable, water supply varies and this is why a large portion of the residents still maintain their own well.  Telecom is available in fixed line and mobile service.  Sewage is managed individually by septic tanks and I would be a bit suspicious on how it is managed.  Roads and drainage are probably the first that comes to mind that need attention and improvements in everyone’s mind.  Firstly it is clear roads general need repairing and the haphazard repairing over the years creates a number of peculiar conditions where different repair works meet.  The drainage system has been manipulated over time by individuals and some drains covered or blocked, I guess “out of sight out of mind.”  In any case most drains you can see into you only see stagnant sludge!  Its no wonder the mosquito population is so great!

Roads in need of maintenance to paving and drainage.

2.   Property management improvements.  This is primarily in the infrastructure of road and drainages, but an overhaul is really necessary before some real effective maintenance program can be put in place. In addition the much loved and needed hawkers and “casual business” that roam the streets needs to be managed so they can continue to exist for everyone’s benefit.

Management of "informal businesses" such as hawkers needs to be done.

 "Informal Businesses" provide much needed services, but need to be manged.

One long time resident of Tebet described it as being “complete”, “I can find a small dress maker working out of home or a tailor down the street or a more stylish fashion house in one of the newer commercial shops and never have to leave Tebet. 

There is a sense of community, there are public amenities, there are affordable goods and services some up to your front door, there is recreation and all within walking distance or a short ride on the bajai for no more than Rp10,000 (US$1.15).  Tebet offers a lot of lessons on how to develop and what is needed in an “all inclusive living community”.  The individual clusters of residents have somehow organized them selves to take up some simple laymans management of things like security which is commendable, but far from professional estate management of todays developments. 

Tebet also offers a lot of lessons on what happens to infrastructure if professional estate management is not in place.  I think all residents imagine how the quality of life would truely improve if all inclusive estate management existed.

Jiwa Studio
Singapore, January 2012
http://jiwastudioweb.blogspot.com/