The impact of the characteristics of riverbanks settlements on the sustainability of Kali Pepe Surakarta

Surakarta City is one of the cities in Indonesia that has experienced the effects of urbanization and rapid development. This is evident from the slums along the banks of the Kali Pepe. This river intersects the city of Solo and stretches for about five kilometers from Sangkrah Village to Gilingan Village. This river used to have an important role in accommodating urban mobility. In 2016, Kali Pepe received attention for its pedestrian segments, parks, and riverbank development. This study describes the settlement characteristics along the riverbanks in relation to the sustainability of the Kali Pepe. Descriptive-qualitative methods accompanied by in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Moreover, the study exploration of field conditions was recorded in the form of sketches and photographs. The results of the study show two prominent potentials from the characteristics of the Kali Pepe riverbanks in relation to its sustainability, i.e., (1) nature characteristics that can be developed through integrated water transportation tourism; (2) The emergence of home-industry that is backed by the potential of employment in the informal sector and accommodated riverbank tourism.