Taman Bendera Pusaka was designed to bring landscape, ecology, and infrastructure into one connected system. Instead of treating the existing stormwater infrastructure as something separate from the park, the design works with it to create space for water, planting, wildlife, and people.
The approach has now received the 2026 Australian Institute of Horticulture (AIH) Greenspace International Award. The award celebrates excellence in urban green spaces and sustainable horticultural practice, with particular attention to biodiversity, urban resilience, community wellbeing, and quality of life.
Michael Casey accepted the award on behalf of SIURA Studio at the AIH Awards Dinner at the Adelaide Wine Centre on 5 September 2026.
Taman Bendera Pusaka: Landscape as Regenerative Urban Space
Several of the qualities considered by the award are embedded in the way Taman Bendera Pusaka was designed. Biodiversity, for example, shaped the planting strategy from the beginning. The park combines trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and lower planting to create a richer and more varied habitat. Plant selection also considered species that can provide food and shelter for birds, bringing more opportunities for wildlife within the urban landscape.
Taman Bendera Pusaka also responds to Jakarta’s heat and water challenges. The canals and ponds were naturalized and integrated into the park’s blue-green network, allowing the stormwater system to continue functioning while becoming part of the landscape. Trees and layered vegetation provide shade across the park, creating cooler areas for people to walk, gather, and spend time outdoors.
These environmental considerations sit alongside the park’s role as public space. Paths, open areas, shaded spaces, and gathering areas support different activities and ways of spending time in the park. Since opening in March 2026, Taman Bendera Pusaka has become a home for community gatherings, cultural events, educational programmes, government activities, and everyday recreation.
Growing with Jakarta’s Community
Since opening in March 2026, Taman Bendera Pusaka has become a home for many community activities. Gatherings, cultural events, educational programmes, government activities, and everyday recreation have all taken place across the park.
For SIURA Studio, seeing how people use the park has become an important part of the project. The spaces we designed are now being shaped by everyday activities and the people who spend time there.
This award also acknowledges SIURA Studio’s continued work in urban greening and horticulture, and our commitment to creating green spaces that contribute to communities and the wider urban environment. We are grateful to the Australian Institute of Horticulture and everyone involved in bringing Taman Bendera Pusaka to life. Most of all, it has been rewarding to see the park become part of Jakarta’s urban community and to watch it continue to grow with the city.
