SURAKARTA CITY: CONFLICT OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES AND HERITAGE AREA

Abstract

Surakarta as a city of Culture is one of the old cities in Indonesia which is still keep the historical heritage buildings and cultures from ethnic both in history and pre-history era and passed by the Bengawan Solo River. One of the basic development of the city is from commercial activities that cover the life of the local people. As the economic growing, Karaton Kasunanan Surakarta as an orientation point of the urban center faces problems caused by modern movement, privatization and commercialization of public space, and changing land use that follows activity growth. Economic interests or commercial activities interests dominate the urban center meanwhile social cultural interests eliminate it. Two keys holding economic trading in the city are Pasar Gede as a traditional food market and Pasar Klewer as a traditional clothes market. Location both of them are near the Karaton Surakarta where the first commercial activities of the city and the first Monarchy authority grew. The issue arises when the priority to make profits override the priority to conserve. In this stage, it will expose some new commercial buildings which located at four cross road section; East West Axis; from Jalan Slamet Riyadi to Jalan Mayjend Sunaryo and North-South Axis; Jalan Jendral Sudirman. The analysis will be develop to clarify the conflict between Keraton Kasunanan and its community with the new commercial buildings by giving some practical recommendations in order to have alternative development in the city center. As the end of this study, there will be some conclusions that commercial activities and conservation area cannot be separate, but need control in balancing the physical appearance and become the specific character of city center because both are driving factors in supporting the economic of the city centre.