Street Network Configuration and Vacancy in Inner-City Informal Settlements: A Space Syntax Analysis of Surabaya’s Kampungs

Inner-city settlements are not free of risks such as vacancy and abandonment despite their importance in providing housing for citizens and migrant workers. This paper explores the vacancy issue in informal inner-city settlements and examines it through the street network configuration using syntactic measures such as connectivity, integration, and choice. This research studied 16 kampungs in the inner-city area of Surabaya, which were selected based on a set of criteria. Field observations were conducted to collect vacancy data alongside the Space Syntax Analysis, using DepthmapX to analyze angular connectivity, Normalized Angular Integration (NAIN), and Normalized Angular Choice (NACH) at global and local distances. A regression analysis with SPSS was also conducted to understand the significance of each value to the existence of vacant properties. The result shows that a vacancy is more likely to occur where the street has a lower value of angular connectivity but a higher value of NAIN and NACH, both in global and local distance. However, only angular connectivity and NAIN in the global radius are significant in this occurrence. These findings have practical implications for urban planners, policymakers, and community organizations, highlighting that excessive permeability threatens residents’ sense of privacy and safety while accessibility is vital for sustaining the link between kampungs and the broader city.

Inner-city; Kampung; Space syntax analysis; Street network; Vacant properties

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