The Undergraduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning (PWK), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), reaffirmed its commitment to delivering globally standardized education through the ASIIN re-accreditation site visit held on February 11–12, 2026. The visit was conducted by ASIIN (Akkreditierungsagentur für Studiengänge der Ingenieurwissenschaften, der Informatik, der Naturwissenschaften und der Mathematik), an independent German accreditation agency.

This visit marked an important moment for the study program to reflect on its educational quality and institutional performance. The assessment team consisted of Prof. Dr. Frank Schwartze, Prof. Dr. Detlef Kurth, Dr. Hendricus Andy Simarmata, Aurelia Nadya Utomo, and Tamina Renner, M.A. read more

The Undergraduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning (PWK), Universitas Gadjah Mada, once again held a guest lecture focusing on the spatial dynamics of Magelang Regency. The session featured Dhanik Ernawati, S.T., M.Eng., an expert from the Regional Development Planning, Research, and Development Agency (BAPPEDA & LITBANGDA) of Magelang Regency. She delivered a presentation titled “Spatial Planning for Enhancing the Competitiveness of Magelang Regency”.

In her presentation, Ms. Dhanik elaborated on the latest spatial policy direction formalized through Regional Regulation No. 7 of 2024 on the 2024–2044 Spatial Plan (RTRW) of Magelang Regency. Often described as a “water bowl” due to its topographical form, Magelang Regency exhibits diverse spatial potentials. The western and northern mountainous areas are designated for agriculture and nature-based tourism, while the central region serves as a hub for trade and industrial activities. Meanwhile, the eastern areas are identified for C-class mining activities. This spatial framework is designed to support the regency’s vision of being safe, comfortable, religious, competitive, and prosperous. read more

On Friday, February 13, 2026, students of the Comprehensive Urban Design Studio participated in a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Spatial Planning for the Low Emission Zone (KRE) of Jeron Beteng. The activity was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Ikaputra and Prof. Bambang Hari Wibisono, and initiated by the Pusat Studi Transportasi dan Logistik UGM. This FGD served as an integral part of the studio learning process, with Jeron Beteng designated as the study object, allowing students to directly engage with real-world urban planning challenges. read more

On this occasion, the Undergraduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning (PWK), Universitas Gadjah Mada, invited Dr. Yetty Setiyaningsih, S.P., M.Eng., Head of the Economic, Infrastructure, and Regional Division of Magelang City, as a guest lecturer. She delivered a presentation titled “Understanding Magelang City: Profile and Current Spatial Issues.”

In her presentation, Dr. Yetty highlighted various development dynamics and spatial challenges currently faced by Magelang City. With a relatively small area of approximately 18.56 square kilometers, the city is confronted with limited land availability, which has driven a high rate of land-use conversion. One of the key issues discussed was the threat to urban food security due to declining agricultural productivity. This is further exacerbated by the conversion of Protected Rice Fields (Lahan Sawah yang Dilindungi/LSD), of which around 34.59% have already been transformed into built-up and other land uses. read more

The new cohort of the Master of Urban Design Program (Batch 9) conducted the Matriculation Program for Urban Design Studio Preparation from February 2–6, 2026. This activity marked an initial stage in entering the academic process for the even semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. The Salatiga City Center area was selected as the study object for the Urban Design Studio, providing students with the opportunity to directly observe the dynamics of an urban area with its unique characteristics, potentials, and challenges within the context of urban design. read more

On Friday, February 6, 2026, the Master of Urban Design Program organized a public lecture to mark the beginning of the even semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. The event was conducted in a hybrid format, held offline at Lecture Room 1, 3rd Floor, North Wing of DTAP FT UGM, and simultaneously accessible online via Zoom Meeting. Open to the public and alumni, the lecture provided a platform for knowledge exchange and engagement beyond the academic community, fostering a broader discussion on contemporary urban design issues. read more

Warid Zul Ilmi (Warid) is the first student of the research-based master’s program, known as the Master by Research (MBR), at the Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MPWK), Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada. He joined MPWK UGM in the Even Semester of the 2023/2024 Academic Year, bringing strong enthusiasm and dedication to research as a means of understanding, interpreting, and responding to various urban development challenges. He succesfully graduated with Cum Laude Honors on January 2026. read more

The Community Service Team – Building Technology Research Group, Architecture Study Program of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta, in collaboration with the Gedongkiwo Tourism Awareness Group (Kelompok Sadar Wisata/Pokdarwis), conducted a Tourism Planning Program for Gedongkiwo Urban Village, Mantrijeron District, Yogyakarta City in 2025. This activity aimed to encourage the development of community- and culture-based urban tourism through a sustainable spatial planning and architectural approach. read more

Author: Computational Spatial Planning Laboratory, DTAP, UGM

Understanding urban spatial structures is fundamental for guiding equitable and sustainable urban development, particularly in cities undergoing rapid transformation in the Global South. Conventional approaches often depend on fixed administrative boundaries or outdated planning models, which inadequately reflect the fluid and evolving nature of urban spatial dynamics. These traditional frameworks tend to overlook the complex interactions and functional linkages that shape urban form and activity patterns, thereby limiting the effectiveness of urban planning and policy interventions. To address this gap, our study introduces an integrated geospatial methodology that combines diverse spatial datasets and advanced analytical techniques to delineate urban centers and sub-centers more accurately. By applying this approach to Magelang city and region in Central Java, Indonesia, the research highlights how combining multiple scales of spatial data—such as land use, transportation networks, and socio-economic indicators—can reveal nuanced spatial structures that traditional methods miss. This multi-scale analysis not only enhances the understanding of urban spatial functions but also provides a robust framework for planners and policymakers to identify emergent urban patterns and support more adaptive, context-sensitive urban development strategies. read more

Inventory and documentation are integral parts of heritage area planning and serve as a fundamental basis for overall heritage conservation. The inventory and documentation of heritage areas aim to generate comprehensive information on existing heritage assets within a particular area, including their presence, descriptions, and assessments of significance. The compiled heritage information is then used as a reference for decision-making in planning processes.

One of the challenges faced by Indonesia is that many heritage assets: natural, cultural, and cultural landscapes, are still poorly documented or have not been documented at all. As a result, many of these assets have deteriorated or even disappeared. Village-level heritage assets, including those in villages across the Special Region of Yogyakarta, are also facing threats such as declining heritage values due to a lack of public awareness, neglect, and increasing development pressures. read more