Students of Universitas Gadjah Mada researched the decolonization of science in urban and community development in the Special Region of Yogyakarta.
Their research began from their concern about the condition of buildings, which tend to overlook local knowledge, using Western paradigms, thus resulting in the loss of cultural heritage in the form of local philosophical values and aesthetics.
“This condition affects the sustainability of the environment and buildings, which are not adaptive in terms of function, topology, and climate,” mentioned Rafi Choirurrozikin, a Philosophy student at UGM.
Choirurrozikin, along with his peers Mahastri Laksita Sam Widita (Urban and Regional Planning), Raisal Ahmad (Internet Engineering Technology), Maya Vineta Perlitasari (Architecture), and Teresa Ajeng Sang Pradnya Trahutami (Philosophy), conducted this research using a grant from the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Student Creativity Program in 2023.
The research, which took place from July to October 2023, was conducted under the guidance of Rangga Kala Mahaswa.
During the observation, the research team met with an academic philosophy informant, a philosophy activist informant, an ethnography activist informant, an architecture department lecturer, and a community planning and development informant.
“The interim results of this research show that the decolonization of science holds significant potential in understanding and designing urban and community development by integrating local knowledge in neo-vernacular architecture,” explained Choirurrozikin.
“Neo-vernacular architecture is a response to the colonial and modern style that neglects the surrounding environment.”
Through interviews with local communities and experts, field observations, and document analysis, this research has identified various ways local knowledge becomes key in respecting cultural heritage, improving quality of life, and strengthening community identity in urban development.
These findings support the importance of community-based approaches in urban planning and architecture that consider broader cultural and social contexts.
Author: The UGM Neo-Vernacular Team
Editor: Ika