Changing the Function of Residential Space to Trade in Terms of The Occupant Aspect (Case Study Kambang Iwak Area Palembang City)

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‘‘Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Learning, Research and Community Service in Covid-19 Pandemic Constraints’

Changing the Function of Residential Space to Trade in Terms of The Occupant Aspect (Case Study Kambang Iwak Area

Palembang City)

Endang Sri Lestari

Architecture Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Indo Global Mandiri University, Palembang

*Corresponding Author: Endang Sri Lestari, [email protected]

Abstract

Increasing population growth in urban areas is generally accompanied by increasingly narrow job opportunities, causing many urban residents to carry out activities in the informal sectors, such as small-scale trading activities. These activities are generally carried out by most residents living on the side of the main road. More than 50% of the residents’ houses on Jalan Merdeka Street of Kambang Iwak Palembang have changed their function to a commercial building; thus, it is necessary to conduct research on the trade public space that grows in the area. This research is field research that collected visual data and interviews with related parties. Research showed that the emergence of commercial public space in housing is caused by the proximity of the house and the relationship between the house and road space. The trading space functions as a public space, forming attributes in the form of accessibility, visibility, sociality, and adaptability. Commercial public spaces take place in the house and yard because they have proximity, visuality, adaptation, and activity related to public spaces.

Keywords: Residential Space Function, Side of the Main Road, Merdeka Street of Kambang Iwak,

1.Introduction 1.1. Background

The increasing number of populations in urban areas and decreasing employment opportunities have resulted in the increasing number of small-scale trading activities.

Strategic places are used for small-scale trading activities, such as street vendors, kiosks, stalls, and shops. This is in line with what Suparlan (1996) said that high urban population growth and limited employment opportunities will result in the occurrence of small-scale commercial businesses that are in demand and easy to be run by the community.

A number of rules regulate urban space so that it can function properly. However, many of them are unethical; one of which is because it does not refer to human behaviors and needs that can change at any time. There are two things that are not getting the attention of city managers, namely the remaining city space that can be used by retail traders and trade activities which are potential support for city life. Trading activities in urban space do not only require cash in a functional manner but also require an interesting appearance of a trading platform.

Cities have various types of roads; each of which has its own specific function, such as shopping street, toll road, monumental street, bazaar street, access road, and many others.

According to Lang (1985), roads are intended for humans to traverse, either by vehicle or by foot. The real and latent function of the road as a property of the setting greatly influence human activities and vice versa, allowing new activities to be carried out there, including trading activities. The space located on the side of the road is the most strategic place for these activities.

The residential neighborhoods along the Kambang Iwak Area were originally the settlements designated for civil servants. Kambang Iwak Area, particularly the area that is

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located along Jalan Merdeka, is a road that connects the downtown area with the surrounding settlements. Over time, the houses located in Kambang Iwak Area change their function to become a commercial building. This eventually makes the main street of the area look like a trading place. The growth of trading activities in this settlement cannot be separated from the strategicness of the neighborhood area, and this opportunity is taken by the local residents to convert their houses and yards to trading places.

The change in the building’s function has led to several problems, including the penetration of public spaces to housing sites, roads used for parking spaces, trading spaces getting closer to the road, etc. Roads have various roles for human life; however, humans also have needs, motivation, understanding of their surroundings, and the ability to change them to meet their needs. Due to these reasons, it is, therefore, necessary to conduct research on the trade public space that grows in a residential area located along Jalan Merdeka, Palembang.

The research issue will focus on the opportunities owned by the housing on the edge of Kambang Iwak Palembang, especially along Jalan Merdeka, and the behavior of residents in conducting trading activities.

1.2. The Scope of Research.

The scope of this research is the change of residential space to trade space in terms of the occupant’s aspect with the case study of Kambang Iwak Palembang, especially along Jalan Merdeka

The objectives of the research are:

1. To find out the model for the formation of trade public spaces on the main roads in residential neighborhoods

2. To determine the characteristics of the trade public space as an environmental element (properties) and attributes that support trade activity in housing located on the side of the road.

3. To find out the residents’ perceptions in residential housing streets.

1.3. Literature review.

Basically, the urban design component consists of two categories, namely hard space and soft space. Hard space is the spatial space created by the city as a result of architectural elements, while soft space is a space that is mostly formed by natural elements which are more widely discussed in the local environment in village areas or natural recreation areas (Budihardjo, 1998). The components of hard space are broadly divided into three types.

First, the three-dimensional framework is a three dimensional impression of space formed by the degree of enclosure, causing shade space to be limited by the wall. The impression that the space formed will affect the characteristics of the vertical and horizontal masses and is related to human times.

Second, the two-dimensional pattern is related to the treatment and manifestation of the built environment which includes the material, texture, and composition of environmental elements. This is particularly useful for assessing the shape, processing the design, and maintaining the spatial environment. The placement of objects in a space is environmental elements, such as statues, monuments, dominant structures that will provide a focal point and a sense of space. The created objects are able to make humans users or connoisseurs of these objects.

In urban design, the two-dimensional spatial pattern identify elements of city elements or parts of the city that are related to the quality of the spatial environment (Shirvani, 1984).

According to Spriregen (1965), the basic principles and techniques of urban design are guided by three main issues, namely Scale, which relates to circulation, vision, and the formation of human activities. Space is the main element of urban design and is very important in forming the scale and dimensional impression of the space itself. Mass order,

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includes buildings, the shape of the land surface which is an object to form a pattern of activities in an environment or city. For example, the use of open space based on a survey conducted in the city of San Diego in 7he Urban Design Process (1984), includes:

- Controlling open space means being able to control the development of space towards the negative

- Open space can be used as a public space - Open space can be a conservation area

- Open space in areas where humans pass a lot will tend to become trading areas

According to Tantakel (1963) in The Importance of Open Space in the Urban Pattern, the existence of open space is not due to its quality but depends on how it is structured in relation to its development goals. The use and activities of a city space depend on how much support is obtained, it can be caused by the shape, location, and activity characteristics of an area that reflect the specific functions and uses of urban space. The design results of a city space may or may not have functions and activities. Therefore the use of urban space will be an important issue in urban design.

Several studies have been conducted with communal spaces or public spaces as objects. Anwar (1997) conducted research on public space as a means of social interaction for the residents of the flats with research cases in the Pekunden Semarang and Sombo Flats Surabaya. The analysis was carried out qualitatively and supported by quantitative data. It was found that 8 models of housing settings for public spaces were often used by residents in social interaction. Wijayanti (2000) conducted research on public spaces or communal spaces as a means of student interaction at the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, with the results of this research that the formation of communal space settings is influenced by setting conditions, activities and attribute demands. Besides, it was also found that the public space forms patterns, such as patterns of setting for social interactions and patterns of social interaction with settings.

2. Method

2.1. Research sites

The research location was the housing located along Jalan Merdeka, which is the main distribution in the neighborhood. This location was chosen because it functions as the main collector line for residential neighborhoods, with more than 50% of the existing residential buildings have been converted into commercial buildings. Only the houses used for trading activities were selected because they have an additional function, namely to partly or wholly accommodate the trading activities.

Figure 1. Research Sites, Merdeka Street of Kambang Iwak Area

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Figure 2. Changes in Research Sites

2.3. Research Samples

The respondents of the research are the residents who carry out trading activities in housing located on the side of the road and the people who interacted with the residents in the trading activities. The following criteria are what was taken into account in the research:

- Residents have a house with a public space due to the penetration of activities from the road space.

- The public space, trading in a group of residential buildings, has been converted into commercial buildings.

- Road space serves as a catalyst and supports the trade activities in the neighborhood.

. The topic of observation and interviews is related to the function of houses, yards, and street spaces as potential places for trading activities. The respondents were selected purposively and their information is expected to shed a light on the situation, purpose, and sequence of trading activities. It is also expected to answer the research problems.

2.4. Instrument

The topic of the research is the setting of the public space used for trading activities as a side effect of the adaptive residential environment. The data collected were physical data, spatial settings, types of activities, components, and properties as well as integration and conflicts that might occur. There were three main components of the research:

- Physical setting or place

- Activities undertaken by consumers to buy/see the merchandise.

- Attributes arising due to the interaction between settings and actors in activities

According to Harjadi (1995), these three components can be used to examine events, certain actions, a series of activities, objectives, meanings of places, and behaviors and experiences. The tools used for data collection were maps for place-centered mapping and a list of questions for unstructured interviews. A site plan map was used for the settlement environment along with photo recording tools and stationery. The research materials and tools used were the basis for recording the field phenomena.

2.5. Data Collection Technique

Data collection was carried out using a phenomenology approach to determine the situation of the physical space setting, ongoing activities, and the underlying reasons.

Unstructured interviews were conducted with the occupants of the commercial buildings.

Observations through behavior mapping were also carried out. In doing the observations, a camera was used to obtain detailed and reliable descriptive data, carried out by descriptive and explanation techniques as well as observing behavioral characteristics using focused observation methods on certain topics.

Spatial characteristics were carried out using place-centered mapping, by conducting field observations using maps and photos of field conditions. According to Harjadi (1995),

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behavior mapping is carried out using maps so that the frequency and type of behavior can be identified and shows the relationship between the behavior and the spatial space built.

The application of this method is fundamentally used to determine an individual’s behavior as the information on phenomena in research locations. The procedure was as follow:

- Making a basic sketch of the spatial space used for The Observing Physical Traces.

- Creating a definition of behavior to be observed, calculated, described, and tabulated.

The time used for the research depended on the time given by the respondents.

2.6. Data Analysis

Table 1. Independent Variables

Indicator Element observed Source of Information Tool Type of Activity - Types of Activity

- Nature of Activity

- Respondent - Field Observation

- List of Questions - Photo

Behavior - Respondents to the environment

- Behavior of residents of commercial buildings

- Respondents - Field observations

- List of Questions - Photo

Table 2. Dependent Variable Indicator Aspect indicators

observed Method Tool

Physical - Function Setting

- Setting conditions - Construction - Conditions - Trade markers

- Sketch - Notes - Photography

- Stationery - Camera

Spatial - Area of the Room

- Building distance - Space Orientation - Relationship Space

- Sketch - Notes - Photography

- Stationery - Camera

Activities - Activity Attribution - Occupant action - Visibility - Availability of

containers - Suitability for

activities

- Interview - Observation

List of questions

At the analysis stage, the data obtained through verbal interviews were transformed into content and communication messages using descriptive and exploratory analysis. Analysis with a content analysis approach is an analysis that looks for certain trends from various events occurring during certain periods of time (Haryadi, 1995).

The tendency is obtained through the analysis of the selected settings, the activities carried out, the intensity of activities, and the reasons for choosing the setting as a place of activity so that an understanding of the latent functions and manifestations of the settings under the study can be obtained. The analysis is aimed at knowing the relationship between public spaces, trading, and human behavior, in order to obtain a deep understanding of the attributions required by environmental elements and activity actors. Analysis of the activities was assisted with tables, photos, and notes to help define situations in the location. The research was conducted based on the indicators in the independent and dependent variables as in Table 1 and Table 2.

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3. Results and Discussions

The discussion section aimed at describing the issue, associated with the qualitative formulations possessed by experts in the field of behavioral science and other related fields.

The purpose of the discussion is to describe the research findings quantitatively and qualitatively. The objectives of the discussion are links and elements of setting or property elements, namely the public spaces used for trading trade – each of which requires attributes so that trading activities can take place. The function of the property and the characteristics of trading activity plays an important role, both of which have latent functions and activities that are able to change physical and non-physical environments. This research is thus necessary and can be used for the development of behavioral science and input for urban environmental designers and policymakers.

Trading activities that take place cannot be separated from the residents’ needs, perceptions, and the characteristics of the physical environment. Physical environment and administrative environment provide opportunities for the trading activities to happen, and humans take action in response to their environment.

The housing located on the edge of Kambang Iwak has the opportunity to grow into a public space for trading. It was originally used as a residence, but now many houses in the area have been converted into commercial buildings. The residents do only convert their houses into trading places, but also use the street space as a parking lot to fulfill their needs and desires. Trading activities are public activities, which are very contradictory to housing activities that are more private. Activities that take place in the housing are, therefore, a mixture of trading activities and residential activities. The two of them form a mutual relationship so as to form a compatible unit of activity. The type of trade that takes place in the form of trade in services, goods, and mixtures, requires face-to-face interactions between sellers and buyers. The trading space that was built by residents made use of the house and yard, this happened because the space in the housing location for a container for trading activities was very limited. The action of the residents giving up part of the house or for the trading room was based on their goals and experiences while living in that location. The attributes possessed by a commercial building are the ease of access between the commercial building and the road, the visibility that most of the roadside housing has turned into a commercial building.

The growth opportunities that are owned by roadside housing which is used ad a place to trade also have a negative effect, the roadside is used as a parking area and causes traffic congestion or a decrease in the speed of vehicles passing on the road, The effective width of the road can be reduced by 30-40% during peak hours of activity, in the afternoon and evening when trade and traffic activities occur simultaneously. The convenience of vehicle traffic on the roads is also reduced because most of the commercial buildings accommodate trade activities and residential activities.

4. Conclusions

From the results of the discussion and research findings, it can be concluded that:

1. The main residential neighborhood road along Jalan Merdeka is undergoing a development process, with most of the residents build a commercial space as a venue for conducting trading activities. Penetration of commercial public spaces in housing takes place in the house and yard because they have proximity, visuality, adaptation, and activity relations with public spaces.

2. Housing located on the side of the road has a close distance to the road space so that it has the opportunity to be converted to public space for trade. It also forms the perception of the residents that houses on the side of the road can be monitored as commercial buildings or places for trading.

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3. Residents use the front yard more than their house for trading.

Acknowledgment

The author would like to thank the Institute for Research and Community Service, Indo Global Mandiri University, which has provided financial support for the realization of this research.

References

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