Temporary Inhabitation as a Strategy to Alleviate Negative Perception of Underground Transit Spaces

This paper questioned underground transit space and its future role in the city, especially Jakarta with its upcoming underground transit scheme. The common notion of transit space as non-space due to its utilitarian and lack of identity environment seems to overshadow the space, creating certain negative perceptions and insecurities especially in underground setting. This paper will explore possibilities for dwelling in motion, creating underground transit spaces as viable public space and able to maintain their sense of selves and wellbeing. Research method used is qualitative, by literature reviews and direct observations. Case studies for this paper are existing underground transit space in Jakarta (pedestrian crossings) and proposed design for MRT Jakarta stations. Findings show that most of the spaces in our case study are conceived at an utilitarian level, although one case shows an interesting possibility in creating atmosphere that alleviate negative perceptions and encourage temporary inhabitation to happen