Being located in Depok, conducting various community service activities in Depok, even some of its “citizens” live in Depok, of course makes Universitas Indonesia (UI) have a deep emotional bond with this city. One form of contribution made by UI, in this case through the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, in collaboration with the Government is a plan to develop a historical tourist destination in the Depok Lama area. The program is focused on the Depok Lama Heritage Area, which in the future will become a historical tourist destination in Depok City.
Heritage Area development plan Depok Lama was conveyed by the Deputy Mayor of Depok, Imam Budi Hartono at a meeting with the Dean of Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Ir. Hendri D.S. Budiono, M.Eng. on October 28, 2021. “All the plans that are being prepared also involve the Dutch Government through the Dutch Embassy in Indonesia. In the future, we want Depok City to establish cooperation in the form of sister city with the Netherlands. It is hoped that with the construction of this historical tourist destination, Depok can become a cultural tourist destination for foreign tourists and can boost the economy in the city that is the base of UI,” said Imam.
The plan to develop tourist destinations has the support of the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Lambert Grijns. At a meeting with Engineering Faculty and the Depok City Government on November 11, 2021, he said, “The Dutch community has a very close relationship with its old relatives in Depok. We hope that a strategic cooperation with the Depok City Government will soon be realized where Engineering acts as a collaborator with qualified experts.”
“The city of Depok has several ethnic groups that inhabit, there are Dutch, Chinese, Sundanese, Betawi, and many others. This makes the city of Depok has a diverse cultural history. This diversity left an imprint on various historical buildings that can be seen today. One of the traces of its history can be seen on Pemuda Street. In this collaboration, Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia plays a role in preparing studies related to the revitalization of historical heritage in the Depok Lama area,” said Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, ST., M.Sc., Ph.D., Professor of the Department of Architecture, Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia who is also an expert on socio-cultural aspects in Architecture-Heritage and Cultural Conservation.
“The city of Depok during the Dutch colonial period became one of the strategic areas that connected Batavia with other areas on the island of Java. Due to the very strategic location of Depok, Depok has many historical relics, especially from the Dutch colonial period. In addition to involving Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia and the Dutch Government, later this revitalization program will also involve communities and entrepreneurs. So, Depok City can perfectly present the cultural tourism destination area of Dutch historical heritage in Depok. Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia and Depok City Government will also design a Historical Tourism Museum that will contain Depok’s cultures from an Islamic religious perspective and historical culture in the form of historical relics in Depok City,” said Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia Dean, Hendri.
“I think the plan to revitalize the historical buildings of the city of Depok is good enough because it involves educational institutions in this case the Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia and the Department of Architecture, the community, observers of the development of the city of Depok, observers of the history and heritage of the city of Depok, and also the Dutch Embassy. Thus, planning and implementing the revitalization of the old city of Depok can be done together and the benefits are shared by the whole community. So far, the Depok City Government has also collaborated with Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia, especially with the Department of Architecture, for various studies or studies related to the development of the city of Depok in general, not only the heritage area,” said Head of the Architecture Department of Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Ing. Ir. Dalhar Susanto.
On a different occasion (18/11/2021), the FEngAlumni Association (ILUNI Engineering Faculty) together with the Fusi Foundation and Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia Global handed over Digital Surface Model (DSM) and Digital Terrain Model (DTM) Technology Grants which function to conduct 3D mapping of the Depok Lama Heritage area. This technology grant is a form of full support from Engineering Faculty of Universitas Indonesia alumni for the planned revitalization plan.
