Resilience Patterns in Urban Public Spaces: A Comparative Morphological Analysis of Yogyakarta and Jakarta from the 18th to 21st Century

Abstract

This paper examines the resilience patterns of urban public spaces in two major Indonesian cities—Yogyakarta and Jakarta—by analysing how historical, socio-economic, ecological, and morphological factors influence their persistence and transformation over time. The study employs urban tissue analysis with an element-based approach through a diachronic study of public place typologies across four time periods from the 18th to the 21st centuries. Four case studies are analysed: Alun-Alun and Embung Langensari in Yogyakarta, and the Silang Monas Area and Banteng Field in Jakarta. Variables examined include transformation cycles, element persistence, building coverage ratio, block density, intersection density, and natural context. Results reveal that the natural context was the most persistent element across all case studies. Urban squares in Jakarta exhibit greater spatial persistence than those in Yogyakarta, indicating that, despite facing similar global challenges (climate change, economic inequality, social transformation), each city’s resilience patterns are uniquely shaped by its distinct socio-historical context. This comparative analysis of urban public space resilience over an extended historical period provides insights into the interaction between urban morphology and socio-ecological factors in shaping resilient cities, while offering urban planners valuable guidance for developing contextual resilience strategies that balance persistence with necessary transformation.