Co-producing nature-based solutions: integrating knowledge interfaces in informal settlements in Indonesia

Informal settlements face critical infrastructure deficits compounded by climate risks, positioning nature-based solutions (NbS) as a promising yet contested approach, particularly given socio-spatial complexities in the global South. This paper investigates the socio-technical design of decentralized water infrastructure within the RISE programme across six Indonesian informal settlements, or kampungs. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including the analysis of design plans, fieldwork notes and resident interviews, the study identifies key factors – land ownership, access, social ties, water management and house layouts – that significantly shaped NbS interventions. The participatory Panrita process fostered crucial north–south knowledge co-production, iteratively adapting technical designs to local contexts. Through a model of knowledge interfaces, findings underscore the vital role of context-sensitive spatial practices in navigating technical demands and local realities, empowering communities in shaping their urban everyday life. This research emphasizes flexible, ethnographic and collaborative approaches for socially and environmentally just NbS in informal settlements.