Kotagede Conservation Through Enterprise
Reviving Kotagede Heritage Through Community Enterprise
Overview
Kotagede Conservation Through Enterprise supports community-led initiatives that preserve the historic Kotagede heritage zone while creating sustainable tourism opportunities.
Impact At A Glance
- Heritage mapping conducted with participation from local youth
- Community-led heritage walking tours established in Jagalan village
- Tourism income reinvested into conservation and awareness activities
- Youth trained as guides and leaders of local cultural enterprises
The Challenge
Kotagede is the site of one of Java’s oldest walled cities, founded during the 16th-century Mataram Empire. However, the heritage of Kotagede has gradually eroded due to intensified development and weakening generational links between community members.
Within its historic walls stand ancient bathhouses, temples, tombs and traditional houses that reflect the area’s long cultural heritage. The district is also home to artisan communities including silversmiths and gamelan musicians.
Economic hardship have led many residents to sell or subdivide traditional houses. The situation was further worsened by the damage inflicted on historic buildings during the 2008 Yogyakarta earthquake and the 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi. Without coordinated conservation efforts, the architectural and cultural heritage of Kotagede risks further decline.
To unlock the area’s heritage tourism potential, community groups and tourism stakeholders need to work together to preserve Kotagede’s heritage while generating sustainable economic value from it. If successful, it will serve as a model for other old city restorarion projects in Asean.
The Solution
Arkomjogja launched the Kotagede Conservation Through Enterprise initiative to combine heritage conservation with community-led tourism enterprises.
With support from AirAsia Foundation, the project began with an extensive mapping exercise of Jagalan village, one of the five villages forming the core heritage zone of Kotagede. The mapping was conducted with the participation of the local youth organisation Karang Taruna and gathered accurate geographical and demographic information about the area and its residents.
Using the findings from this exercise, the team developed the Jagalan Tlisih Heritage Walks. These guided tours allow trained youth guides to lead visitors through the village, introducing them to Kotagede’s history, cultural landmarks and artisan communities.
By connecting heritage storytelling with tourism, the programme provides young residents with opportunities to lead community enterprises while generating income that can support ongoing conservation efforts.
The Grant with AirAsia Foundation
AirAsia Foundation’s grant supported the development of community-led heritage tourism as a tool for conservation in Kotagede.
- Conduct a comprehensive mapping exercise of Jagalan village with local youth participation
- Develop the Jagalan Tlisih Heritage Walks as a structured heritage tourism programme
- Train youth guides to lead tours and share local cultural knowledge
Income generated from the heritage walks is reinvested into conservation initiatives and community awareness programmes to protect Kotagede’s historical assets.
Find out more about the Jagalan Tlisih Heritage Walks @desa_wisata_jagalan on Instagram
Gallery
The Organisation
Arkomjogja
Arkomjogja is an open platform of architects and professionals working with grassroots communities in slums, disaster-prone areas and heritage sites to improve living conditions.
The group was first conceived to work in post-disaster reconstruction after the 2005 Aceh Tsunami, followed by rehabilitation projects in West Sumatra and Yogyakarta. In 2009, Arkomjogja adapted its participatory community planning approach to slums-upgrading using locally available materials such as bamboo and wood. Through its work, Arkomjogja has organised and trained poor communities in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo, Surabaya, Makassar, Kendari and Labuan Bajo.
Formally registered in 2012, Arkomjogja is part of the Community Architects Network, which connects members from 19 countries across Asia.
Team Leader
Yuli Kusworo
Yuli Kusworo is an architect and the general coordinator of Arkomjogja. He co-founded the group following the 2005 Aceh tsunami to help communities rebuild stronger after disasters.
Yuli later led Arkomjogja to undertake slums-upgrading projects across Indonesia by empowering poor communities to take ownership of changes in their living areas. His community-driven approach to architecture has been recognised by numerous awards, including the 2015 Youth Innovator Award in Indonesia.
Social Enterprise
