An innovative concept for an Integrated Floating Village has won the first Indonesia-Netherlands Water Challenge. The Indonesia-Netherlands Young Water Talent Award was presented to the winning student team from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) by Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and the Environment, Mrs. Melanie Schultz van Haegen.
Picture above from left to right: Minister Schultz van Haegen, students from team ITB, Dr. Basoeki (chair judiging committee), Mr Van Niekerk (chair Export & Promotion Dutch water sector)
The Integrated Floating Village concept is specifically aimed at the fishing communities in Jakarta. As the city is developing plans for extensive flood defence structures in Jakarta Bay, these communities need to find a new place to live.
The Integrated Floating Village offers not only floating housing for the fishing communities but also additional sources of income as the village will host a large fish market, restaurants and various aquatic tourist attractions. In recognition of the important national role of fisheries in Indonesia, the village will have a fisheries museum and an artificial coral reef to raise environmental awareness with visitors.
On behalf of the judging committee, Dr. Ir. M. Basoeki Hadimoeljono, Director General of Spatial Planning of the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works, praised the excellent work done by all teams. In his jury report he emphasized the importance of listening to the voice of the next generation and encouraged the students to continue helping Indonesia create a bright water future
Launched in November 2013, student teams from four universities - Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung and Universitas Hasanuddin – have worked on new ideas for the sustainable development of Jakarta Bay. Under the theme Ports and Coasts Indonesia: People, Planet & Profit, the teams were challenged to address different dimensions of the sustainable development of Jakarta Bay, supported by experts from Van Oord, Deltares, BAM International and Royal HaskoningDHV.
The Indonesia-Netherlands Water Challenge is supported by organisations from both the private and public sectors: Van Oord, BAM International, Deltares, Royal HaskoningDHV, Vopak, Rabobank, Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment, Netherlands Water Partnership, INA, UNESCO-IHE, CKNet, Netherlands Embassy and Nuffic NESO.
Picture: Students teams with their mentors from Deltares, Van Oord, BAM International and Royal HaskoningDHV.
