A Landscape Framework for the Urbanization in Balikpapan Bay
A landscape-based approach to urban development for integrated water management, ecological regeneration, and climate resilience
K.R. Trauschke (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
S. Nijhuis – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Sophia Armpara – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
This research explores how landscape-based design can serve as a framework for the rapidly urbanizing region of Nusantara, East Kalimantan. Located within an ecologically and culturally diverse and sensitive region, Balikpapan Bay faces increasing environmental pressures caused by deforestation, monoculture eucalyptus and oil palm plantations, mining concessions, infrastructure expansion, and urbanization. These developments disrupt hydrological systems, fragment habitats, intensify flooding, erosion, and drought, increase water pollution, accelerate biodiversity loss, and risk displacing local livelihoods. The construction of the new capital city, Nusantara, risks intensifying these challenges. This emplifies the need for a landscape-based approach to urban development that integrates flood safety, ecological regeneration, climate resilience, and social equity.
The study begins with a broad analysis of the landscape structures and systems. A set of landscape-based design principles and strategies is generated from fieldwork and precedent studies. From this, a regional strategy for the Balikpapan Bay region is developed. Local design explorations at strategic locations illustrate the strategies’ applications at a more detailed scale. The research is entirely grounded in theories of Landscape-Based Urbanism, climate resilience, watershed approach, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).
The research and design outcome illustrate that a robust blue-green network of water and ecological gradients can serve as a strong backbone for future urban development. Regenerating and preserving the upstream forests, lowland rainforests, river corridors, and mangrove forests improves infiltration, groundwater recharge, flood mitigation, biodiversity, and climate resilience, while strengthening ecological connectivity throughout the region. Furthermore, Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge provides valuable place-based insights into adaptive water management, settlement structures, and climate-responsive living and sustainable income-generating alternatives.
The thesis concludes that landscape-based design offers an adaptive and multifunctional framework for shaping Nusantara’s urbanizing landscape as a water-sensitive, ecologically regenerative, and socially inclusive urban landscape in which water functions not only as a resource but also as a guiding spatial structure for future development.