Activating Regenerative Urbanism through Catalytic Public Spaces
Nurhikmah Budi Hartanti, Achmad Hadi Prabowo, Arief Fadhilah

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning

Abstract

Regenerative urbanism provides a paradigm in the developing conversation about urban sustainability that aims to restore, rejuvenate, and reinvigorate urban ecosystems rather than only reducing environmental impact. An important catalyst for this change is the thoughtful design and activation of public areas. This study examines how catalytic public spaces act as dynamic catalysts that promote social, environmental, and economic revitalization in urban areas rather than just being passive places for leisure. The study emphasizes the primary roles of public spaces as catalysts, including improving accessibility, promoting social cohesion, honoring cultural narratives, and facilitating active community engagement. It does this by drawing on ideas of urban catalysts and modern urban planning techniques. The study shows how deliberate public space improvements can reorient urban life towards more inclusive, resilient, and regenerative patterns by looking at several case studies. The processes of revitalizing abandoned urban areas, reestablishing people^s connection to their natural and cultural landscapes, and integrating sustainability through participatory design are all given particular consideration. The problems facing Jakarta^s riverfront, where urbanization has frequently caused residents to become estranged from their waterways, offer a useful context for discussing catalytic tactics^ advantages and disadvantages in crowded urban settings. According to the findings, regenerative urbanism^s effectiveness mostly rests on beginning with people-centered public areas that foster ecological restoration while also redefining how local communities interact with their urban surroundings. Ultimately, activating catalytic public spaces emerges as a vital method to foster livable, adaptive, and regenerative cities for the future.

Keywords: Regenerative Urbanism- Public Space- Urban Catalyst

Topic: The Concept of Livable Space