Thirty-two years of landscape architectural education in Indonesia: a retrospect and prospect

Abstract

Study programmes in landscape architecture have existed in Indonesia since the establishment of its first educational institution in 1963. This article presents a retrospective assessment which, hopefully, will encourage all those who arc concerned with landscape architecture in Indonesia to think about its future development. For the author, the article updates a previous paper about the status of the educational practice in Indonesia, delivered as a supporting document at the 4th IFLA Eastern Regional conference in Singapore in 1981, under the theme of 'Education'. The article begins with a systematic review of landscape architecture in Indonesia, and then presents results of six interviews with individuals chosen to represent a range of views from government, private practice, and educators. From both the review and interview results, questions are considered about people's perception and appreciation of landscape architecture in Indonesia as a branch of education and professional practice. Two specific priorities are highlighted. One is the recognised need for landscape architecture to make meaningful connections between people and the places they live in. The second focuses on the relationship between landscape education and the service and industrial sectors, with regard to the availability of job opportunities for its graduates. The article includes a profile of the profession in Indonesia and asks whether the profession is able to apply environmental approaches and techniques for community involvement in the planning and design process. Ideas arc discussed regarding the improvement of the quality of university graduates to produce educated human resources who will meet the current requirements of national development and the industrial sector.