Holcim Awards Acknowledgement prize 2011 Asia Pacific

Vertical informal settlement and waste recycling center, Jakarta, Indonesia

Type of project:	Building and civil engineering works
Start of construction:	May 2012
Main author:	Steven Brunsmann, nunc architects, Netherlands
Further authors:	Johan Krol, nunc architects, Netherlands, Tanja van der Laan, Plataan Architectural Design, Netherlands, João Bentes de Oliveira, João Bentes Architect, Portugal

Presentation of Holcim Awards 2011 Acknowledgement prize for “Vertical informal settlement and waste recycling center, Jakarta, Indonesia” (l-r): Steven Brunsmann, nunc architects, Netherlands, jury member Momoyo Kaijima, Principal, Atelier Bow-Wow, Tokyo; Associate Professor, Momoyo Kaijima Lab., University of Tsukuba, Japan, Tanja van der Laan, Plataan Architectural Design, Netherlands, Johan Krol, nunc architects, Netherlands and João Bentes de Oliveira, João Bentes Architect, Portugal.

Project description
This housing strategy in Jakarta aims to offer an alternative semi-organized structure, addressing people otherwise living in informal settlements that continuously face severe flooding. At the same time the project promotes waste recycling and thereby helps address a major problem and cause of flooding in Indonesia’s capital of ten million inhabitants, where the congested canal system is jammed with waste. In contrast to former housing projects, Jakarta Bersih focuses on the satisfaction of basic requirements of low-income settlements. The social coherence is maintained and affordable living space is offered by providing only a raw structure featuring basic electric and sanitary supply. As occurs in informal settlements, the inhabitants furnish the shelters on their own in an incremental way. The multi-layer or vertical alignment of the structure reduces land consumption, releasing central areas for open space use including fishing ponds, agriculture and parks. The community-based and integrated recycling facility serves several functions: it reduces general waste load, processing generates income for the inhabitants as well as material for their shelters, and the processing of bio-waste produces bio-gas which becomes an energy source for local electricity production.

Comment of the Holcim Awards jury Asia Pacific
The jury acknowledges the project as an innovative approach to turn problems that many cities in the world are facing into opportunities that all parties benefit from. It does not deny migration of the poor but addresses the situation in a proactive manner that accepts its specific dynamics. The semi-organized structures provide a necessary framework that safeguards basic human requirements but leaves that flexibility, which is essential for economic migrants. In addition it offers a resource stream upon which the inhabitants depend.

Image gallery
Vertical informal settlement and waste recycling center, Jakarta, Indonesia
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