TOWARDS A LOWER IMPACT URBAN HOUSES FOR THE INDONESIAN MIDDLE CLASS

Abstract

While the Indonesian government has been providing public housing for low income household, both the provision and the financing of house ownership for the middle class has been somewhat lacking, resulting in a vacuum in the housing market for affordable urban houses. As Indonesia faces an increasing rate of urbanisation and significant growth in both the numbers and purchasing power of the middle class, this housing typology increasingly constitutes a significant proportion of future development and land use, establishing the significance of the middle class in the wider discussion of sustainability in the built environment. This paper will examine the local context of existing building practices in Indonesia against case study projects by local architects that attempt to address the demand for such houses by combining the needs for minimising both cost and environmental impact using certain alternative materials and design strategies. The findings firstly illustrate that it is possible to provide housing that addresses both concerns simultaneously and will subsequently be used in proposing adaptations to the Greenship Home rating tool to widen its appeal and applicability to establish a local standard and eventually guiding the direction of the urban housing market towards a wider adoption of lower impact designs for future housing developments.