Integrated design concept for identifiable commercial heritage tourism in Tunjungan District of Surabaya City

Abstract

Tunjungan, a commercial district in the downtown of Surabaya, potentially becomes a commercial heritage tourism. Besides having an identity as an entrance gate during Mataram Empire era, Tunjungan has colonial artefacts heritage of unique commercial architecture typology, pedestrian shopping street, and is well-known as a historic site of heroic incident, Hotel Yamato Incident. However, over the past years, the physical-spatial of Tunjungan district Surabaya has been transforming and degrading, triggered by economic development. Key factors that support integrated development of Tunjungan district Surabaya as an identifiable commercial heritage tourism area, such as the attractiveness of historical buildings is lost, replaced by multi-storey buildings, clarity and ease-of-use in public-private transportations and pedestrian-friendly accessibility systems are no longer found, and amenity in information technology systems is unavailable. This paper aims to provide an integrated design concept solution for the revitalization of Tunjungan district Surabaya. Through a qualitative-descriptive-comparative method, this paper identifies problems, values, and proposes the possible designs of Tunjungan district Surabaya as an integrated identifiable commercial heritage tourism area. The results picture Tunjungan as an entrance gate of the commercial heritage tourism area with improved public-private transportation accessibility systems by clarifying lanes, freeing lanes from parking, accommodating special modes of transportation that connect site attractions, and providing transportation stops with digital areas for internet access and charging spots. Pedestrian accessibility system maintains its continuity in movement patterns and the elements of streetscape are provided. The benefits of this academic paper is giving contribution to the government and developers to revitalize Tunjungan district Surabaya as an identifiable commercial heritage tourism area by utilizing technology advances. The referenced integrated design concept is a form of adaption and resilience of Surabaya in maintaining the architectural order of its historic environment and continuing the spirit of fighting values in the midst of digital era.