Yogyakarta, 31 July 2026 – Huda Prasetya Utama, a student in the Master Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada, was one of the participants in the 3rd International Jogja Field School. The event was called “The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and Its Historic Landmarks”. The event, “Living Heritage for the Future – Building Sustainable Conservation and Management Strategies for the Cosmological Axis Buffer Zone”, took place from 6-11 July 2026, at the Gelanggang Inovasi dan Kreativitas (GIK) UGM in Yogyakarta.
This yearly event is a joint effort between the UGM-UNESCO Chair in Heritage Cities Conservation and Management, the Kanki Laboratory of the Graduate School of Architecture and Architectural Engineering at Kyoto University, the Yogyakarta City Government, and the Jogja Heritage Society. The field school uses the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach to help people understand the historical value of the city and use good sustainability practices for both historical and contemporary practices. This area is part of the buffer zone of the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta City.
For this field school, Huda was in Group B, which was called Architecture – Urban Space for Traditional & Contemporary Handicraft & Visual Arts. The group was led by Assoc. Prof. Laretna T. Adishakti from UGM-UNESCO Chair. He’s working with his colleagues, Shoichi Mori (an architecture master’s student at Kyoto University), Kartikya Ishlah Utami (from PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko), and Dian Haerani (Dinas Kebudayaan DIY). Group B studied the urban space for traditional and contemporary crafts and visual arts along the Cosmological Axis in Yogyakarta City, starting from the Tugu Yogyakarta area to the Panggung Krapyak.
This group’s strength is its interdisciplinary collaboration. Huda from the PSPSR UGM is an expert in visual arts, Shoichi from Kyoto University knows a lot about architecture, Kartikya has experience in the cultural heritage tourism industry, and Dian has insight from the local government. This mix of backgrounds lets the group develop a comprehensive approach to analyzing and creating conservation strategies for the area.
Reviving the Creative Ecosystem of Kampung Taman
Group B picked Kampung Taman, the area around the Taman Sari complex, as a strategic study location. Kampung Taman is in the Yogyakarta Cosmological Axis and right next to the Palace, which makes it special because it mixes heritage architecture with living residential areas. It’s also a center for a creative ecosystem of traditional and contemporary arts and crafts.
The group’s presentation, called “Saujana Kreativa,” showed how Yogyakarta’s artisan communities are all over the place and not very connected. We’ve identified a few key challenges, like a lack of interpretation of Yogyakarta’s arts and crafts heritage and weak connections between heritage sites, artisan communities, and the creative economy. On top of that, traditional craft production is spread out in different neighborhoods, which makes it hard for visitors to find it. There’s also no central spot to introduce broader creative networks.
Three Key Ideas: Exhibitions, Signage, and Regulation
In response to this challenge, Group B formulated three strategic ideas:
First, there’s an arts and crafts exhibition to show off the amazing talent in Yogyakarta City, and it’s also to celebrate National Batik Day. The exhibition is going to be at three different spots in Kampung Taman: Gedung Carik is the indoor area with installations that interpret traditional crafts through batik textiles and carved wood and bamboo structures. All exhibition components are freestanding and reversible to maintain the authenticity and integrity of the cultural heritage site. Then there’s Ledoksari, which is the open area, and Garjitowati, which is the harmony area.
Second, road signs and markers are public art. The murals not only guide visitors to the exhibition location but also introduce the history of Taman Sari and Kampung Taman, allowing locals and tourists to gain a deeper understanding of the heritage site. The kampung markers get a makeover, turning into works of art that reflect Yogyakarta’s modern art scene and local flavor.
Third, we need regulations to maintain a balance between conservation and local use. Right now, there are a few residential buildings right next to heritage buildings, which could mess up the site’s authenticity. Group B suggests keeping the current residential communities the way they are, setting aside some distance between new buildings and heritage ones, and creating guidelines for conservation design. One idea is to set back 1 meter and turn the space into a small open area.
Experience and Benefits for Academic Development
For Huda, this field school was a great opportunity to learn a lot and see cultural heritage in a new light. “I gained new experiences, new friends, and relationships across departments, especially with friends from architecture who have different perspectives on reading cultural heritage spaces and areas,” he said. Working with Shoichi Mori from Kyoto University, Kartikya Ishlah Utami from PT TWC, and Dian Haerani from the Dinas Kebudayaan Yogyakarta made the learning process more interesting. We got to hear about different topics, like performing and visual arts studies, architecture and urban planning, the heritage tourism industry, and local government cultural policies.
As a follow-up, Group B plans to realize the exhibition idea that has been designed, as a form of real contribution in introducing and preserving the heritage of Yogyakarta crafts and visual arts. “Traditional crafts preserve our identity, contemporary creativity shapes our future, and living heritage connects them both,” was the message conveyed in the closing of the group’s presentation.
Huda Prasetya Utama’s participation in The 3rd International Jogja Field School is in line with PSPSR UGM’s commitment to encouraging students to be involved in international academic forums and cross-disciplinary collaboration, while supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in the following points:
- SDG 4 (Quality Education): in terms of sharing knowledge related to conservation strategies in the Yogyakarta Cosmological Axis area.
- SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): in terms of developing science for the sustainability of a region, especially Yogyakarta.
- SDG 17 (Partnerships for The Goals): in terms of participation in social activities between UGM and partners to achieve the goals. (HPU, IH)
