Self-Organization, Urban Transformation, and Spatial Planning in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia

This study aimed to identify the role of spatial planning in facing self-organizing processes as evidenced by a complex urban transformation in Greater Jakarta. Greater Jakarta is one of the mega urban-regions in Southeast Asia that are undergoing a rapid urban transformation process. This urban transformation has been developing through a non-linear transition. Unfortunately, the current spatial planning system in Greater Jakarta is not yet adequately adapted to respond to this transformation. This is proven by the unsynchronized condition between spatial planning documents and urban land-use changes that have been encouraged by the processes of self-organization. The discrepancy between the empirical situation and the present spatial planning documents has resulted in a mismatch between the spatial planning system and the urban development process in Greater Jakarta. This mismatch has occurred because the current spatial planning system does not consider future uncertainty. This situation indicates that there is a 'fuzziness' in the implementation of the spatial planning system and process, while the urban transformation happens at a rapid pace and needs a quick and appropriate response. In order to counter this mismatch, the spatial planning system in Greater Jakarta should pay more attention to the non-linear way in which the urban system is evolving.