What the study found
The study found that Teras Cihempelas, an elevated pedestrian walkway in Bandung, reflects the tensions involved in formalising informal street vending. It presents street vending as part of a curated public space while also separating vendors from the street.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say the findings matter because they show the politics of formalising informality in Bandung and the broader challenges of balancing economic integration, urban design, and the right to the street. The study also suggests the project offers lessons for design-led approaches to managing informality in rapidly urbanising contexts.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used a longitudinal narrative research approach. They drew on field observations from 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2025, municipal documents, local and national media coverage, and review-based evidence to trace user and vendor experiences over nearly a decade.
What worked and what didn't
The project was intended to accommodate and regulate informal traders while enhancing public life. The abstract says it ultimately revealed the complexities of formalising informality and the ongoing struggle for inclusive post-Covid urban spaces.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not provide detailed quantitative outcomes or a full account of specific effects on vendors, visitors, or officials. The available summary also does not describe all limitations beyond the study's focus on one project in Bandung.
Key points
- Teras Cihempelas is described as an elevated pedestrian walkway in Bandung that integrates street vending into formal urban infrastructure.
- The project was designed to accommodate and regulate informal traders while enhancing public life.
- The study used field observations from 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2025, plus documents, media coverage, and review-based evidence.
- The abstract says the project ultimately revealed the complexities of formalising informality.
- The authors link the case to broader debates about economic integration, urban design, and the right to the street.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Teras Cihempelas shows the tensions of formalising street vending
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-25
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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