Kevin Thompson, associate professor of landscape architecture, has been awarded an American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) Fulbright Senior Scholar award for academic year 2014/2015.
He is currently resident scholar on the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning, Department of Architecture, at the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember Surabaya (ITS), Timur Jawa, Indonesia.
At ITS, Professor Thompson lectures on urban democracy, community advocacy and resilient urban design and leads a research team under ITS’s Center for Ecological Urban Development. This team is conducting an applied research initiative, working with members of the Kampong Dinoyo community and developing plans for a multiple-functioning green network for Surabaya. This work will be presented at the Green Architecture for Sustainable Living and Environment conference in Bali and to a special council for urban development serving under Surabaya’s Mayor Tri Rismaharini, this November.
The city of Surabaya is the second largest city in Indonesia: the world’s fourth most populous nation. The city is home to over 3 million people and has a population density of 8,300 inhabitants per square kilometer (km2). By comparison, population densities for other cities in the region are: Singapore, 7,615/km2; Beijing, 1,300/km2; Shanghai, 3,800/km2; and Kuala Lumpur 6,890 km2. Sustainable urban development and green infrastructure design have been identified as top priorities in this city and others throughout the ASEAN region.