Jakarta's Kampung Akuarium Rebuilt Itself After Being Bulldozed
Evicted in 2016, residents of a North Jakarta fishing kampung came back, organized, and — with an unusual governor's help — rebuilt.
They Came Back
In April 2016, the Jakarta administration bulldozed Kampung Akuarium, a 300-family fishing settlement in the shadow of Sunda Kelapa harbor. Residents were told to move to distant rusun towers. Most refused.
The rebuild
Under Governor Anies Baswedan, the city signed a first-of-its-kind agreement in 2018 to rebuild in place. Architects worked with residents. Ground floors were kept for fish drying and net repair. The upper floors are homes.
What worked
- Community land trust structure prevented resale to speculators. - On-site consultation — 40+ workshops — meant the buildings actually fit the work of fishing. - Provincial funding carried construction; residents supplied labor and design.
What's fragile
A future administration could unwind the trust. Jakarta politics is not known for its long memory. But for now, seven years after the bulldozers, the kampung is louder than ever.
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