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POTENTIAL OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES:A POSSIBILITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?87ExclusivityIt is in the nature of master planning to engenderan exclusivity that eliminates diverse groups ofpeople. Planners aim to reach their goal via theshortest and fastest route, without interventionsand diversions. A limited number of participantssuch as investors, developers and planners areinvolved in the process. There is usually littleeffort to listen to residents.RigidityThere is always a risk that a project may be heldup by an investor or a government. Since masterplanning always has single fixed goals, it rarelyincludes the provision of alternative possibilitiesor options. This means that if difficulties areencountered, projects may be suspended orabandoned. Surabaya now has various wastedcentral urban spaces as a result of projects beingabandoned during the Asian Financial Crisis.HierarchyMaster planning generally works on a tree-typemodel of chain of command and workflow. Thismodel is highly rational and economical inrelation to task management, but given the largenumber of segmented and specialized elementsinvolved, there can be inflexibility when aproject runs into challenges or trouble. 3MeasurabilityThe data in master planning includes mainlymeasurable information such as cost, area, ratio,and period. The data rarely acknowledges thateach city has its own character, history andmemories. This character is in fact a veryimportant aspect to be taken into considerationin urban planning.Kampung in Surabaya, and the concept of “Micro-Projects” and the “Platform/Network” SystemA kampung is at the tail of a great tree structure orofficial administrative system. Yet kampung alsoinvolve village-type systems in which people help eachother and share activities and ceremonies. Such jointactivities are often carried out by small communalunits such as neighborhood associations, RukunWarga (RW) and neighborhood organizations RukunTetangga (RT).In the real-life setting of the kampung, we see thegeneration and cultivation of many informalinnovations. Various small “settings” or micro-projectsas well as “activities” exist and are linked in networksor webs. Creativity and solutions for local needs indaily life can be found everywhere in shared spaces,such as in alleys, in small dead-end streets surroundedby houses, in open spaces at the end of alleys, and inresidences and gardens or other spaces owned byinhabitants. Residents are highly aware of public/common spaces, especially those for which ownershipis unclear. Residents create all kinds of informalsettings for their own enjoyment and convenience.Activities include setting up food stalls, selling basicnecessities, using spaces to chat with neighbors,hanging around, playing chess, watching children play,taking naps, avoiding the rain and sun, hanging outlaundry, enjoying greenery or listening to birdsong.The important point is that these micro-projects arenot stand-alone. They support each other. The settingup of one micro-project is intertwined with othermicro-projects or activities and each impact on theother. The networking processes of these microprojectsare open-ended. 4Study ApproachesThe following research approaches were taken:Approach A: Internal MeasurementThe kampung urban environment is developedand maintained through the resident’s daily livesand their personal motivations. The project setup a base camp for research activities throughparticipation in various local activities as amember of the community.Approach B: CooperationA “platform/network” is defined as aspontaneous environment development system.This study set up such a platform, whichoperated via a cooperative work style andthrough exchanges of views on city issues withgroups such as residents, media, corporations,government organizations and civic groups. Thisapproach made us very aware of the importanceof achieving wide cooperation in order toinstigate urban projects.The Work of the 2010/2011 API Fellows