Spatial negotiations in domestic space of the home-based garment industry in Kampung Tambora, Jakarta

With a population of around 260.100 and covering an area of 5.4 km², Kampung Tambora is one of the densest urban areas in Jakarta. The area is well known for its home-based garment industry, which supports the livelihood of the community. Typically, several houses in one alley run the garment industry business, where both men and women work and live under the same roof. The study aims to understand how all actors in the home-based garment industry negotiate with the limited space to fulfill domestic and working needs. Three houses were selected for observation to understand how all involved actors maximize the use of the limited space through spatial interruption in domestic space. The study found that the actors define the activities through the utilization of space, the allocation of spatial functions, and symbolizing objects. Multi-story houses were built to expand space and enable the owners to work without disrupting the privacy of domestic activities. Although the actors of the home-based enterprises found ways to cope with the issues of crowding, alternative ideas are needed to increase their well-being and improve the environmental quality of similar high-density urban settlements in many parts of Jakarta.