Citra Niaga is a traditional covered market in central Samarinda that was carefully renovated in the 1980s under the architect Robi Sularto, who won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989 for the project. The renovation preserved the market's social function while creating a humane, well-ventilated space with a distinctive Kalimantan aesthetic — it was cited as an early example of contextually sensitive urban development in Indonesian cities.
The market today sells textiles, sarongs, batik, household goods, and local crafts. The architecture itself is worth seeing: the shaded walkways, open courtyard, and use of local materials set it apart from the generic modern malls that now dominate Indonesian commercial life. It is also a good place to buy sarung Samarinda, the handwoven silk-and-cotton sarongs made in the city and considered among the finest in Kalimantan.