THE SPIRIT OF PLACE KOTA GEDE PASCA GEMPA

Abstrak

Abstract
"The Aspects of the existing natural and environmental condition of an area, a cultural expression
with historical background, the experience and interaction between the existing nature and culture
of the local community, produce an unique concept in describing a specific character of a place". [1]
This unique concept is known as the Spirit of Place.
When the earthquake hit several areas in Yogyakarta (2006), including Kota Gede, there was a
condition where the community was threatened of losing everything, such as their old houses (Joglo
houses), the urban spaces and the community activities. Even the condition of the community from
losing job aftermath the earthquake led to the buying and selling cases of the Joglo ruins, to the
demolition and removal of the joglo out of Kota Gede. This threat expanded not only from lossing
physic material but also could changed the character of Kota Gede as a heritage site. Post
earthquake is an opportunity to realignment of urban spatial in maintaining the Spirit of Place of
Kota Gede, an area which was a capital of the Mataram Kingdom in its era, before moving and
devided into two kingdoms, the Kasultanan of Yogyakarta and the Kasunanan of Surakarta. By did
exploration of Kota Gede character using the Pattern Language theory from Christopher Alexander,
through tracing the history of this area, patterns of events, patterns of spaces, which then formed
Kota Gede’s pattern language. This pattern language was the characteristic and the identity of this
area, and used as a basis of preparing the Urban Design Guideline of Kota Gede Heritage Site Post
Earthquake