MUD student, Reny Revariah, presented a conference poster

The presentation was at the 43rd Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop conference at the Broomfield, Colorado, on July 8-11, 2018. The work was part of her independent study under the instruction of Assistant Professor Sara Hamideh.

Poster Link: https://www.design.iastate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/POSTER-revised-copy.pdf

Poster Title:

Jakarta’s Giant Sea Wall: Threat and Asset of Resilient Infrastructure

Abstract

Climate change poses substantial risks to the viability and development prospects of coastal metro areas around the World. Many coastal cities are taking into account the climate change risks as a threat of more frequent future environmental hazards with increasing losses. This issue of (un)predictable disturbances has led to the emergence of resilience notion, the ability to adapt to adverse conditions, bounce back to normalcy, and bounce forward to a better state. Commonly, resilience projects sometimes focus on altering the relationship between natural and built environments. But, those also could be controversial in sociopolitical discourse. Jakarta as the World’s fastest-sinking city is building $40 billion Giant Sea Wall, started in 2010 as its resilience strategy to protect itself initially from flooding caused by land subsidence and sea level rise. However, in the process, this resilience approach has brought significant consequences, especially upon residents fishing neighborhoods who are evicted and forced to move far from their source of livelihoods, Pantai Utara Jakarta. Interestingly, this development was coupled by land reclamation project for skyscrapers, luxury flats, shopping malls and attractions which has given rise to widespread criticism and questions; whose resilience are projects like this going to enhance? Who will benefit and lose from resilience projects like these? Can resilience be a threat for some and an asset for others? To address these questions, this case study of Jakarta will examine sociopolitical issues related to Giant Sea Wall by analyzing urban fabric and spatial transformation along Pantai Utara Jakarta.