Neighborhood Unit Concept To Maintain The Quality Of Settlement’s Environment In Perumahan Menara Kudus Area

Abstract

The issue of ideal urban housing is frequently discussed in urban housing planning and development. The concept of ideal housing environment desired by urban community is comfortable and safe housing to reside and able to fulfill a well planning standard and environmentally sound. It shall have easy, safe, and comfortable access prioritizing pedestrians, infrastructure completeness, as well as enable the interaction among residents. This requirement is a universal ethic expected to be fulfilled in the housing area by its residents. This ideal condition of housing environment is then acknowledged as Habitat Bill of Rights. However, along with the urban development, housing area planning has been far implemented from the expected physical standard. This condition, in advance, will cause physical, social, and cultural quality degradation within a settlement area. Based on the high demand on ideal housing that is directly proportional to the environment quality degradation, it will be easier to find solutions by understanding Neighborhood Unit Concept, which is a concept focusing housing area planning in the smallest scope of the community. This paper aims to explain the concept of neighborhood in old settlement in Kudus – Indonesia which is characterized by Moslem religious in the area of Menara Kudus. The neighborhood unit concept implemented in Menara Kudus area has successfully united physical element of settlement with the community’s socio-cultural aspect so that the neighborhood social interaction among the residents are created by referring the similarity of the location and purpose. The residents’ capability to maintain the neighborhood unit makes the environment in this settlement better improved and sustainable. The balance between the residents’ physical and social closeness is indeed able to maintain the existence and sustainability of residents’ living quality I this housing environment to be better (comfortable, safe, accessible, and has good quality.)