Ridwan Kamil, born on October 4, 1971, in Bandung, is an architect, urban planner, and the founder of Urbane Indonesia. Known as Emil, he is the second of five siblings. From a young age, Emil was passionate about imagination, often reading comics and exploring images of cities worldwide. His entrepreneurial spirit began early, selling ice mambo as a child while attending SDN Banjarsari III in Bandung. A smart and active student, Emil excelled in school, participating in OSIS, Paskibra, and football, and consistently ranked among the top five in his class.

Emil continued his education at SMP 2 Bandung and SMA Negeri 3 Bandung, graduating in 1990. He then pursued an Architecture Engineering degree at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), where he was also involved in student groups and art activities. During his time at ITB, Emil demonstrated his entrepreneurial drive by making cat illustrations and models to earn extra funds for his studies. After graduating in 1995, Ridwan Kamil moved to the United States to work, but a four-month stint ended due to Indonesia’s monetary crisis. He later received a scholarship to study at the University of California, Berkeley, while working part-time in city planning. During this time, he struggled financially, even relying on a meal costing just 99 cents a day. His perseverance was tested when his wife, Attalia, was about to give birth, and he had to seek free medical assistance due to a lack of funds.

In 2002, Ridwan Kamil returned to Indonesia and co-founded Urbane in 2004, a firm specializing in urban planning, architecture, and design. Urbane has gained an international reputation, working on notable projects in Syria, China, and beyond. Ridwan Kamil is also a lecturer at ITB and a senior urban design consultant. Urbane has received numerous awards, including the BCI Asia Awards and the BCI Green Award for innovative projects like the Bottle House.