Nusantara: Building Indonesia's Legacy And Future

Indonesia, a land of immense beauty and cultural diversity, has always embraced progress and innovation. As we look forward to summer 2024, a transformational shift is on the horizon, with Nusantara preparing to assume the mantle of Indonesia's political centre.

Located in eastern Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, Nusantara will sprawl across 256,000 hectares in East Kalimantan province. The city is an amalgamation of industrial forestry concessions, indigenous customary lands, and transmigrant agricultural communities. This ambitious project will see the construction of government buildings and housing from scratch.

Government agencies and ministries are working tirelessly to finalise the details of this monumental relocation. Plans suggest that over 1.5 million civil servants could be transferred to Nusantara, shaping a new era of governance. The project’s timeline is both ambitious and well-structured.

Stage One, scheduled for completion by the national Independence Day on 17th August 2024, includes building national government central institutions such as the presidential palace, houses of parliament, and armed forces headquarters. According to projections, by 2034 all government offices and public servants will reside in the new city. Jokowi, demonstrating his hands-on approach, supervised the initiation of the construction of 34 ministerial residences in February 2023, set for completion by June 2024.

But Nusantara is more than just a political centre; the city is an amalgamation of industrial forestry concessions, indigenous customary lands, and transmigrant agricultural communities. Nusantara is set to be a leading example of contemporary urban planning in Southeast Asia. The city’s design is a blend of high-tech innovation and environmental sustainability. Environmental consciousness lies at the heart of this development with 70 percent of the city consisting of green space, with the remaining 30 percent being built form.

This new metropolis, about twice the size of New York City and four times that of Jakarta will embrace innovation, harness renewable energy resources, employ ‘smart’ waste management, and feature cutting-edge green buildings. The energy will be 100 percent renewable, public transport will run on autonomous electric vehicles, and an impressive 10 percent of the city’s land area will be utilised for growing food with 100 percent recycled wastewater.

Nusantara envisions a city that harmonises with nature, boasting vast forests, sprawling parks, and sustainable food production. It will be where communities thrive, connected to the environment and each other.

Jakarta, a bustling metropolis that has served as the heart of Indonesia’s governance, has faced its fair share of challenges. But today, Indonesia stands on the precipice of change, ready to build a future that will inspire future generations.

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