Known as one of the main batik centers in Central Java'€™s Surakarta, Kampung Laweyan is losing its identity as many heritage buildings in the area have been replaced by modern architecture.

A lack of understanding about the importance of preserving heritage buildings is reportedly the reason most building owners decide to modernize.

Laweyan Batik Village Development Forum (FPKBL) chairman Alpha Febela Priyatmono said many old buildings, mostly residences and shop-houses, had been completely renovated.

'€œAround 30 percent of some 100 heritage buildings in the batik village have been renovated, with more modern architecture,'€ Alpha, who is also a member of the Surakarta Cultural Heritage Expert Team (TABC), said on Wednesday.

He said most property owners were not aware of the cultural value behind heritage buildings, so upgraded sites did not feature elements that could serve as a reminder of history.

'€œIf only they understood, they would pay more attention to the buildings and their maintenance,'€ he said.

Apart from changing the structure of buildings, Alpha said, many buildings were completely demolished by the owners due to a lack of maintenance.

'€œThey live in a heritage area but they demolish the heritage buildings and replace them with modern architecture. If nothing is done, Laweyan will lose its uniqueness,'€ Alpha said.

The 24-hectare village has various heritage buildings featuring a unique blend of Javanese, European, Chinese and Islamic architecture, surrounded by tall fences. Laweyan'€™s narrow alleys are where the houses of batik makers from the early 20th century can be found.

Laweyan enjoyed its heyday as a batik trading center from 1900 to the early 1980s. However, it later ceased producing handmade batik fabric as it was overwhelmed by modern batik products from China.

The dark period lasted until 2004, when the area'€™s batik industry began its revival.

Today, after more than 10 years, batik has turned Laweyan into a popular shopping and tourist destination. The area now has more than 200 batik makers producing modern-style batik.

Head of the Surakarta Spatial Planning Agency'€™s cultural heritage preservation division, Mufti Raharjo, blamed the situation on the absence of a bylaw regulating the maintenance and conservation of heritage buildings.

Mufti said that although Laweyan had been declared a cultural heritage site in 2010, not all owners of buildings in the area shared the same concerns.

He admitted that there was a project focusing on turning old houses into shop-houses in Laweyan. However, he said, the houses had not yet been registered as cultural heritage buildings.

'€œBut that does not mean we will let the owners demolish the houses and replace them with modern shop-houses,'€ he said.

Local historian Heri Priyatmoko urged the local administration to be more selective in issuing building permits for the establishment of shop-houses and other facilities that could destroy old cultural heritage buildings.

'€œThe city administration has to be more sensitive as many heritage buildings need to be preserved,'€ Heri said.

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