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lready the fourth-largest country in the world by population, Indonesia continues to grow in size. According to a 2010 census, Indonesia'€™s urban population has reached nearly 120 million, almost half the country'€™s population. The National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) has predicted that the urban population will reach 152 million by 2025, about 67.5 percent of the total projected population. As urban population grows, urban planners have to find ways to ensure a good quality of life. One of those ways is to incorporate eco-friendly architecture into spatial planning. The Jakarta Post'€™s Hans Nicholas Jong talked recently with award-winning architect and urban planner Jason Pomeroy, founder of Singapore-based eco-architecture firm, Pomeroy Studio, to find out how a sustainability agenda could prevent Indonesia'€™s mega cities from crumbling under pressure from the growing number of city dwellers.

Question: What do you think of the current state of Indonesia'€™s urban development and how does a city like Jakarta compare to other cities in Southeast Asia?

Answer: Indonesia, like many post-colonial countries, is experiencing rapid urbanization. As the country develops and its people get richer, its cities have emerged as centers of wealth creation and as a result, more and more Indonesians are moving from the countryside to the city in search of jobs and opportunities. While this is a normal phenomenon '€” every developed nation from Great Britain to Australia has experienced this '€” rapid urbanization also brings with it many issues and challenges that are now being played out in many of Indonesia'€™s towns and cities. The most obvious challenge is infrastructure and public services, and ensuring that they keep up with the demands of a rapidly growing population. Jakarta has struggled on this front, and a lack of public transportation has caused an almost unsustainable growth in vehicles. In 2013, there were 4.1 million automobiles and 11.9 million motorcycles on Jakarta'€™s streets, resulting in massive congestion, noise and pollution.

How important is mixed-use development to Indonesia? Does the country already have enough of it?

Mixed-use developments can have many benefits for communities and cities, especially developing ones such as Jakarta. By integrating commerce, residential and leisure in one place, you increase social interaction and create a sense of community. Furthermore, by co-locating multiple destinations (shops, hairdressers, offices, sports facilities etc.) you end up reducing traffic, as there is less dependency on vehicles '€” especially important in a congested city such as Jakarta. On top of this, commuting times become much shorter as there is less distance to travel to work. Again, for many in Jakarta who cannot afford to live near the city center, traveling to work in the morning can take hours. Time spent sitting in a traffic jam is time lost. Additionally, mixed-use developments can spur revitalization, especially important in run-down areas of the city, and you put less strain on the environment, as one tall building suddenly has multiple uses.

Do you think that is the solution for cities like Jakarta with an ever-growing population and limited space?

It is certainly a solution. As land values grow and prices increase, buildings will become taller and taller in order to maximise return. As such, it will become more necessary to stack multiple uses on top of one other.

There are cities like Jakarta where high-rise modern buildings are juxtaposed with slums. How do you bring these two different worlds together with architecture?

I would say look to your past for your answer to the present and the future. If we consider the traditional kampong house that is indigenous to Southeast Asia '€” whether in Malaysia, Indonesia or even in the Philippines '€” we find a series of homes in and among the greenery and open space. These homes are flexible and adaptable. They can grow and contract according to the needs of the occupants. So a small family of three may grow in size as mom and dad have more kids, and the house can expand to accommodate them. Once the kids leave home, the house can contract again. They are environmentally sensitive '€” you could say they were the original eco-buildings. This is exactly what I did in an earlier project of mine in Malaysia. The Idea House, situated just outside Kuala Lumpur, employed many of the passive design techniques used in ancient Malay kampong houses.

Is it something that you see often in Indonesia?

It is certainly not common place.People still assume that traditional means boring, rooted in the past and irrelevant for this modern age of technology and progress. Our understanding of sustainable design is one that draws on the essence of culture and tradition to create built environments that positively impact peoples'€™ lives. Some of the best lessons are in the past and if we can draw on these and blend them with modern technology then we can achieve zero-carbon public realms that are liveable, pleasant places to be. I have designed Asia'€™s first carbon-neutral home, and Pomeroy Studio has now designed Singapore'€™s first carbon-negative landed property (the B House, due for completion in Q4 2015) '€“ both of which draw on lessons from Malay kampong houses and Singaporean black-and-white bungalows respectively; and incorporate solar panels and other green technology. We are exploring this carbon-zero development idea for high-rise buildings as well. We are going beyond just a simple one- or two-story house and are starting to look at 30-story high-rises that can be constructed along similar principles within 6 months.