Fieldwork Update: Localising Everyday Climate Adaptations in Solo, 12/2025
Fieldwork Update: Localising Everyday Climate Adaptations in Solo
As part of the diagnostic phase of PSSI – Passive Solutions in Self-Build and Incremental Housing – the research team is currently conducting fieldwork in Surakarta (Solo), Indonesia.
Working closely with our local partner Kota Kita Foundation, we are carrying out project scoping and in-depth field research in the neighbourhoods of Semanggi and Mojo. Both areas are characterised by dense, incremental housing and exposure to urban heat and flooding risks.
The current field phase focuses on identifying and localising the everyday adaptations residents implement in their homes. Rather than starting from predefined technical solutions, we are examining how people already respond to climatic conditions through step-by-step modifications of their houses.
This includes:
- documenting incremental extensions and spatial reconfigurations,
- analysing ventilation, shading, roofing, and drainage strategies,
- tracing material choices and substitutions over time,
- and understanding how knowledge about building and repair circulates within the community.
Through interviews, spatial documentation, and participatory engagement, the team is mapping how climate-responsive practices are embedded in daily routines and housing production processes. These insights will inform the next project phases, including co-design workshops and the development of practical passive design solutions adapted to local conditions.
The fieldwork in Solo represents a key step in grounding PSSI’s approach in lived realities, ensuring that future interventions build on existing knowledge, capacities, and incremental logics.