Assemblages of Creativity: Negotiating Temporary Appropriation and Hybrid Urbanism in Bandung City Spaces as Creative City Bregas Vikri Prayuko 1*
1) School of Future Environments, Auckland University of Technology
55 Wellesley Street East Auckland City, New Zealand
*bregas.prayuko[at]autuni.ac.nz
Abstract
In rapidly evolving cities of the Global South, urban form is shaped not only through formal planning or informal practices, but through their continuous negotiation of spaces in the city, especially in the public space. This paper explores on how Temporary Appropriation (TA) acts as an intermediary between formality and informality, contributing to the continuing usage of space where flexibility and inclusivity shape the urban identity and character. Through assemblage thinking, the study frames TA as an active process negotiated by individuals from the creative industry, community groups, and institutional actors, where spatial practices emerge through interactions among regulatory frameworks, economic dynamics, cultural expressions, and the tension between formal-informality. Bandung, as an UNESCO Creative City of Design, presents a vivid case where creative industries and activities produce lively urban spaces that challenge conventional western planning binaries. Activities such as pop-up markets, religious activities, and cultural street festivals illustrate the assemblages of creativity that drives spatial manifestation. Rather than idealizing TA, the paper will examine its potentials on fostering inclusivity and creating lively streetscapes in the context of Bandung as a creative city. Understanding these negotiated spaces provides a more nuanced lens for advancing creative urbanism beyond formal-informal dualisms, with broader implications for understanding urban process strategies and its manifestation in the urban and architectural form in Global South context.
