The Department of Regional and Urban Planning at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Hasanuddin, and Walkable Placemaking Indonesia to Host the Indonesia Placemaking Summit 2025
Gowa, September 8, 2025 — The Faculty of Engineering at Hasanuddin University (Unhas), in collaboration with Walkable Placemaking Indonesia, officially hosted the Indonesia Placemaking Summit 2025 on September 8–9, 2025, at the Unhas Faculty of Engineering Campus in Gowa, South Sulawesi. The event is themed MAPAN: Makassar Placemaking for Academic Network, serving as a platform for collaboration among academics, government officials, and international practitioners to build academic networks and advance urban development based on the concept of placemaking.
The event opened with remarks from Dr. Iderlina Mateo-Babiano, Walkable Placemaker Program Lead at the Melbourne School of Design, The University of Melbourne. In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of creating cities that are more inclusive, pedestrian-friendly, and sustainable—cities that not only promote physical health but also improve mental well-being for the community.
Additionally, Dr. Alex Stephens, a representative from the Australian Consulate General in Makassar, served as the keynote speaker, presenting on “Placemaking in an International Perspective.” He highlighted how experiences from various countries can serve as a reference in developing a more people-centered urban planning concept in Indonesia—one that features high accessibility and is accessible to all segments of society, including people with disabilities.
From the perspective of local authorities, the Mayor of Makassar, H. Munafri Arifuddin, S.H., shared his views on “Placemaking in a City Context.” He noted that attending this event is one of our efforts as policymakers to address the urban governance challenges currently facing Makassar.
Meanwhile, from the academic community, the Rector of Hasanuddin University, Prof. Dr. Ir. Jamaluddin Jompa, M.Sc., also served as a keynote speaker, presenting on “Placemaking in a Campus Context.” He emphasized that, in addition to serving as an academic space, a campus must be able to provide public spaces and green open spaces. In his presentation, the rector also noted that Hasanuddin University’s current focus is on becoming Makassar’s urban forest—one that supports sustainability and contributes to providing quality public spaces for the community.
Meanwhile, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Hasanuddin University, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ir. Muhammad Isran Ramli, S.T., M.T., IPM., AER., expressed in his remarks the hope that this event would inspire us all to think innovatively about providing public spaces, mobility solutions, and urban environments that better serve the community.
This event serves as a crucial milestone in building a global academic network, particularly in the fields of urban design, spatial planning, and sustainable transportation. Additionally, the event involves several international partners, such as the University of Melbourne, as well as national partners from various communities, associations, and local governments.
Furthermore, this event is the result of extensive collaboration with international, national, and community partners. Organizing partners include:
- Australia Awards Indonesia
- The University of Melbourne
- Place Agency
- Kota Kita Foundation
- GAUN (National Public Accessibility Movement)
- Women on the Move: Transforming Transport in Asia
As well as collaborations with various universities and national associations, including:
- Gadjah Mada University (UGM)
- Brawijaya University (UB)
- Makassar State University (UNM)
- Andalas University (Unand)
- Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS)
- Mataram University (Unram)
- Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat)
- Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI)
Attended by academics, practitioners, government officials, and students, the Indonesia Placemaking Summit 2025 is expected to produce concrete strategies for the development of urban spaces in Makassar, while strengthening the role of Makassar and Unhas as centers of academic innovation in the field of community-friendly urban planning and design.