1. Streetscape Connectivity
and the Making of
Urban Identity
• Nurhikmah Budi HARTANTI
• Widjaja MARTOKUSUMO
4th Arte-Polis International Conference
CREATIVE CONNECTIVITY AND THE MAKING OF PLACE
Living Smart by Design
Bandung, 5-7 July 2012

2. Introduction
Street as the element of urban identity
 Each city needs identity to be seen as a distinct entity
 Street is the most influencing element of the urban identity
 Streetscape is a manifestation of city’s identity, a city’s showcase
which create the first impression of a city
“Streets and their sidewalks, the main public places of
a city, are its most vital organs.Think of a city and
what comes to mind? Its streets. If a city’s streets look
interesting, the city looks interesting; if they look dull,
the city looks dull.
Jane Jacobs, Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961)
Allan Jacobs: Great streets are usually iconic streets
tempatberlibur.wordpress.comTeachmefinance.compps.org

3.  Urban identity changes due to development & urbanism
 Streets are products, witnesses & victims of the urban growth
 Economic growth vs loss of local characters
Problems of Bogor City
From a botanical & resort city built by Dutch Collonial in 18th
century, named “Buitenzorg” (means “no worry”)
Now : Multi-function, tourism & shopping city, with “new”
urbanized streetscapes character
Problem Statement:
How is the influence of development along the streets in Bogor
on streetscape connectivity and the making of urban identity?

4. Streetscapes: definition, character & attribute
• Streetscape is the visual representation of three dimensional urban
space that span from the building façade of one side to the other
side of the street. It includes of three layers, : the private frontage,
the public frontage, and the vehicular lanes (Aurbach, 2005)
• The streetscape character generally deals with the appearance
and relationship of the exterior features of a town or element of
the streets that determine its character (Wibisono, 2001).
• Streetscape elements consist of:
a. Static system, the physical attributes of street that comprises the
building envelope, the open space, the road lane, the street
furniture, and the green infrastructure.
b. Dynamic system, the activities in the street spaces, including
the movement of people on vehicles or as pedestrians and their
activities around the building which are connected or oriented to
the street)
Building Private
Frontage
Public
Frontage
Vehicle lane BuildingPrivate
Frontage
Public
Frontage
1
3
2
3
2

5. Urban Identity
Definition:
• Urban identity = Place identity (identity of place) in the urban
environment
• Attributes which provides place’s individuality or distinction from
other places and serves as the basis for its recognition as a
separable entity (Lynch, 1960)
Attributes
• Urban identity is a complex interaction of 3 components :
1. Physical setting or appearance
2. Function or observable activity
3. Meaning and symbols
• Identity of place is the experience of eye, mind, and intention of
the observer to the physical appearance of the place (Relph, 1976).
• Human being are more likely to recognize distinctiveness or
uniqueness of the environment as the attribute of imageability and
identity.
• Urban identity is seen from the insider (residents – collective identity,
and outsider (visitors – distinctive identity)

6. Discussion
Historical Perspective On Bogor Street Pattern
Before 1973
Botanical garden & de Groote
postweg as orientation of the city
growth (linear)
After Toll Road (1973)
The main access & city
development shifted to Jl.
Pajajaran - Tajur

7. The Street Connectivity
Economic
development
creates in-
connectivity of
streetscape
characters :
• Jl. Pajajaran (3
segment),
• Jl. Suryakencana
(2 segment)
Some old street still
have maintained
streetscape
connectivity :
Jl.Jalak Harupat,
Jl.Juanda, Jl.

8. Jl. Juanda Jl. Sudirman Jl. A. Yani
Jl. PajajaranJl. Tajur Jl. KS Tubun
Jl. Suryakencana Jl. Siliwangi

9. The Making Of Bogor Urban Identity
The most imageable street:
Residents:
1. Jl. Pajajaran
2. Jl. Suryakencana
3. Jl Juanda
Visitors:
1. Jl. Pajajaran
2. Jl. Juanda
3. Jl. Suryakencana
The most identifiable elements:
1. Physical elements: Big trees &
Colonial buildings
2. Activities : FOs, Speciality
Restaurants, culinary activities
Imageable street & connectivity:
• Resident : Strong visual &
physical character
• Visitor : Traffic & circulation
connectivity
Residents
Visitors

10. CONCLUSION
• Streetscape character will define the urban identity, where a
distinct character or perceivable differences of the street
environment visual arrangement creates a strong imageability
of the streets.
• Streetscape development driven by new economic activities
creates new characters that resulting in lack of visual
connectivity of the streetscape and will affect the urban
identity.
• The most important physical attribute of Bogor streetscapes are
the big trees and the old colonial building, especially the Bogor
Palace
• The combinations of distinct natural attribute, historical
significance, and tourism have strong contribution to the street
imageability to define Bogor urban identity
• Streetscape connectivity formed by physical attributes of the
streetscape, functional connectivity created by on going public
activities, and traffic connectivity determined by accessibility
and legibility, is likely to have a significant contribution in
creating urban identity.