Architecture of informality
Why is the informality OF COEXISTENCE WITH Formality important?
Professor: IVAN Kucina Student: JACKSON PHILIP matrikel No: 4061138
DIA Elective COURSE
Understanding the relationship and coexistence between the informal (as in informal economy or informal sector and informal settlement) and formal sectors Which is mostly to Applied Control or mange the informal. It's important to explore the inherent qualities and values in modern and traditional types of 'formal' and 'informal' and what the concepts 'formal' and 'informal' mean in connection to production, use and management. The objective is to study and understand for possible coordination and synergies between formal and informal and thereby inspire a development model for the future.
"Informality today, and even more importantly Perhaps in the years to come, remains to be the dominant mode of urban production in many cities of developing nations. And for many urban informal settlements dwellers are the only viable alternative for Accessing land, services, job opportunities and social mobility. Yet, much of the planning and design practice in thesis cities disregards and / or alienates this form of urbanization. Informal Settlements, Which are Generally Referred as "slums" are oft associated with unsafe, unsanitary, badly Serviced Living Environments without security of tenure. The dominant idea Which has shaped and Continues to shape most non-western cities is based on the rejection of inherited patterns and knowledge and the pursuit of irrelevant to urban modernity. "(Malik 2001) The contradiction between informal and formal is existing for quite a long time now. For more than three Decades the concept of informal settlements have drawn a wide acceptance among scholars When Compared To similar concepts: such as unplanned, squatter, slum, spontaneous and illegal settlements. In the past, thesis concepts were employed to depict Settlements That evolved outside the official planning procedures. The approach and view towards thesis Settlements has changed considerably from Typically viewed as colonies of misery and more Generally problems of cities to considering them as potential housing areas for the urban poor. Further to this end there has a growing thought did instead of viewing informal settlements as illegal, the focus is to be Given in the process of development did characterises the evolution of the slums. The formal settlements Largely evolve from formally instituted Development Guidelines.
The lack of, or too little knowledge, on the social, Economic and Political Processes, Which shapes the physical environment has been influential to defective planning and in some instances triggered off disputes between the planning a uthorities and the stakeholders (Nnkya 1999)
Informal housing in developing countries is showing a rapid growth and change, despite the fact thatthey are very much rooted to the informal local typology. Documentation and Study of seeking informal development is lacking. Preliminary observations reveal thatthere is always a strong typology driven by Local customs of construction and manufacturing and by the preferences of Those Who Invest in houses and live in them. This type of study is rare in many cities amidst the fact thatthey Provide a Knowledge Base for understanding people's potential and preferences in the process of city building.
In the modern world we will come across modern housing models did are the strong involvement of the public sector in the production of readymade minimum standard units for anonymous residents. These where Introduced to address the problem of housing shortage in the era of rapid urbanization and So to solve the problem of the so called slums. Different views of modern Approaches have resulted in an on-going debate within the kind of Introduced Urban Development. On one side, praise for its salutary delivery of the masses from unhealthy slums, on the otherhand criticised for its involvement in oppressive practices of social engineering and the eradication of traditional urban fabric.
Modernist residential blocks are Criticized For their lack of sensitiveness to social and cultural needs of the people (eg Holston 1989). They are therefore Criticized for being unaffordable, energy-demanding, and climatically unsound and being rigid (eg Correa 1985). Dissatisfaction Enormous with the modern approach to the Housing Solutions motivated for the reconsideration of traditional methods of housing production and more increasingly in recent years many studies are being directed to understanding the production and functioning of informal settlements as did ideas for Integrating the formal and the informal Could be worked out. In the contemporary scenario there havebeen few Attempts to couple informality and formality, theyhave emphasized only one aspect -. That of the moral and entrepreneurial capacity of the urban poor in informal housing environments When approaching informality from the theoretical and designpoint of view it's important to investigate physical and social qualities of informal settlements in terms of Their capacity to accommodate hierarchically and temporally defined needs of the dwellers.
Formal and Informal
The alternative use of the terms by the measure and the alternative characterizations of the concepts in the academic and policy discourses. Ostrom et.al (eds. 2006) highlights two strands That Could serve as initial entry to a framework for capturing the many definitions did abound in the literature.
1, The Idea That informal as being outside the reach of different levels and mechanisms of official governance and formally as being reachable by synthesis mechanisms.
2. The other idea Which the author consider is important in shaping policy discourses regards nature of the informal organization where is Identified with lacking structure and the formal with structured.
In the ideas Discussed above the author argue about the two dimensions, the reach of official governance and the degree of structuring. - Which Needs to be specified and made precise Furtherwirt and a more nuanced approach needs to be developed. The argument against the tendency to associate wth informal unstructured and chaotic and arguing against the formal-informal dualism did dominates discourses and the practices, the author suggest What They consider to be a more fruitful option - the informal-formal continuum.
In the architecture discourse, the notions of formality and informality are Largely associated with two broadly defined forms of urban development. Different forms of spontaneous settlements, all types of illegal occupations, invasions, and squatter settlements are Generally Identified as informal (Hutchison ed 2010:. 268), the formal is then Considered as That Which is planned through rational processes and under legal institutional frameworks ( Caves, 2005: 130) Landscape of slums, squatter settlements, and pavement dwellings, each governed by different forms of regulation, negotiation,. and political barter Are All Considered as the spatial expression of the informal city (Hutchison ed 2010: 421)
Despite the immense similarities between them, a number of differences between each Could be Identified Of These types of settlements in the way each is FORMED, Their physical and social conditions, legal conditions They exist in and the kind of population They accommodate. Slums Generally arise from similar necessities, are indeed to find shelter and to survive despite the lack of resources availability, scarcity of land and other external threats. Because of Their similar dynamic growth, They present similar spatial morphology. HOWEVER this spatial resemblance Could be misleading. S Lums evolving from different types of social, cultural and economic backgrounds present great diversity within eachother, Which Can Be Better Understood Regarding dwellers socialization patterns, Political Organizations and Their hopes about the future.
When we look at informal settlements characteristics, They Can Be Generally Referred to as exhibiting similar features: such as lack of land tenure security, lack of basic infrastructure predominance of physically sub-standard dwellings and locations That Are Not in compliance with land use regulations and Often Are Not suitable for development. Other features of informal settlements but Perhaps maybe not common to all settlements are overcrowding, houses with high variations in types and quality of construction and Employing local building materials, design and technology, mostly situated on unsuitable land; T he majority of the structures Provide accommodation on a room-by-room basis. The majority of dweller being of low incomes and living as tenants in a single room, predominantly engaged in informal economic activities, built incrementally and on self-help basis and with informal finance arrangements, poor or lack of Infrastructure Services. O ther dimensions of informal settlements include presence of small-scale and large-scale landlords, composed of heterogeneous urban population, rental accommodation being the form of tenancy mostcommon. A bove all, thesis Settlements offer at affordable alternative for shelter for many poor.
In the first beach in Ostrom et.al informality and formality are defined in terms of Their relation with the government or legal institution. Further More the discourse as captured in this beach Mainly Focus on the soft existence of informal structure in terms of Their accessibility to Government control Which imply That soft measures: such as legalization or some form of registration Could fix the informality problem. HOWEVER in practice policies and measures taken towards the informal Demonstrates a much radical attitude did Assumes hard and intolerable existence. more Further, studies have shown That search measures are not often Sufficient in Improving conditions in and with informal settlements.
In the second beach in Ostrom et.al he Defines informality in terms of its own internal organization. The multifaceted problems and basic infrastructural and service lacks in informal settlements would make seeking independent and targeted focus on seeking relevant settlements. HOWEVER characterization of the informal as disorganized and is conceptually Could led to policy disasters as the state sought to May Provide structures where none what presumed to exist before.
Formal Informal Unity - Coexistence
When we consider informality and formality the boundary between the formal and informal housing and economy is even more blurred by overlapping co-existence of formal and informal Both conditions across the sectors. This is quite evident When We consider the examples Further, everyone living in informal housing settlements does not hold an informal sector job. Therefor its very much essential to find a more developed beach of Analysis Demonstrates That the complex interactions between formal and informal in a more practical and academic manner.
Analysing the current situation in the development discourse and the unconstructive result it has Brought about Ostrom et.al (2006) present, What They consider a fruitful option, a formal informal continuum. In this the authors represent the continuum between Relatively high and Relatively low levels of reach of official governance mechanisms Which Should be decided on case by case basis considering the self-governing structures did communities are capable of Producing within or without the reach of official structures. Based on many studies it's quite clear That no simple rule exists did Increasing or decreasing formalization Necessarily Improves or worsens the well-being of the poor or the society at large. This is a very basic and fundamental finding and a big blow to current urban and housing development policies and practices as They are Largely based on the assumption did formalization Improves living conditions. What's e Qually interesting is the understanding of the relationship between the formal and the informal as a continuum Could reframe discussions and ways of analyzing housing environments. It's important to apply this new perception to study and understand cities.
Ostrom et al (2006) in Their conclusion Suggests the Following: 1. Multi-level governance system instead of an Either-or choice between centralization and decentralization, 2. A balance between formal intervention and informal practices, 3. Interventions tailored to the capacity of the structure. 4. Intervention has multiple back-up services in terms of information, courts, large-scale contexts, social capital, etc. 5. Testing the current formalization is working or not by measuring the extent to Which people are willing to be within the net ,
Recommendations by Ostrom highlight the important areas did a functioning urban environment or system requires. The importance of multilevel governance instead of choice between centralized and Decentralized system, this is important with respect to the scale and efficiency. Scale here has got Both spatial and organizational dimensions. Balancing the formal and the informal, Recognizing and capitalizing on complementarities between the formal and informal. It Suggests the objective compromise for constructive outcomes instead of Encouraging imposition of one on the other or one Attempting to replace the other. Interventions tailored to the capacity, recognises the informal qualities rather than not considering them. Wide options for multiple back-up services and ideas about testing and measuring are ways to maintain existing qualities and THUS to Minimise Unintended Consequences Which what the net outcome of many rational planning procedures
Mushumubusi in his doctoral studies on formal and informal practices for affordable housing in urban Dar es Salaam e xplains the complementary nature of formal and informal practices. Most of the ideas from Ostrom's formal-informal continuum can be seen r epresented in a different manner. He discusses, On the one extreme case where there is a total formality the system may tend to be rigid and counterproductive. On the other extreme case where there is total informality the system may tend to be chaotic and counterproductive as well. The two extreme cases are illustrative of inherent shortfalls within each system. This Suggests a blend of the two practices, considering historical, geographical, economic, societal, cultural, and technological factors.
Conceptualization of formal-informal elements in a process Source: Mushumbusi, 2011: 22
Qualities of informality
In the present day architectural practice and researches there Seems to be a growing focus on informal architecture and urbanism. The idea did in informality there is the organic and bottom - up formation of the Built Environment is Something That The Architects are looking up to and trying to grasp. In spite of the multi-layered problem did threaten them and the dwellers informal cities have supported the poor much more than the formal cities. The informal supports the livelihood of majority of citizens in cities of low income countries. This makes us question about the qualities in the informal settlements did support livelihood of the poor. Those qualities Which are physical and social facts are depended on Particular type of physical setting are Typically available in informal settlements. Formal settlements did are very instrumental in the exploration of thesis qualities have very much compromised and even ignored them in the process of formalization. What's It That The Modernist Housing Solutions paint did informal settlements do not? What qualities in informality need the process of formalization need to consider in the process of sustainable urban development?
Holston's the modernist city: to anthropological critique of Brazilia critically discusses about modern housing practices. In his writings he criticizes the modernist residential blocks For their absence of spatiality, social life and human scale. In his book he shows how the residents CLEARLY refuse to use the space designed for them in the Intended manner, and many physical changes have taken place within so as to re-establish the vernacular qualities. He prefers the vernacular patterns found in old parts of Sao Paolo and other Brazilian towns as more Appropriate urban form solutions,
Charles Correa has shown how irrelevant the tall apartment housing blocks are in his text: The New Landscape: Urbanization in the Third World, 1989. In his texts he discusses That thesis tall apartment Housing Solutions are expensive, energy-demanding, climatically unsound, and That more indoor space is required if residents are cut off from access to outdoor spaces through living in private indoor spaces at long distances from the ground. In his writings so he discusses how thesis tall apartment blocks are not suitable to the lifestyles and practices of the poor; as seeking housing apartment solutions do not permit residents self-construction efforts or incremental house extensions Though the reproducibility and efficiency of formal solutions alongwith efficient services and amenities can not be ignored among other qualities
Spatial qualities Which are lacking in formal planned housing areas are the main characteristics of the unplanned informal housing settlements. These qualities of the informal settlements havebeen Widely explored by the Researchers examined as Correa and Kellett & Tipple. Despite the understanding of the spaces, very few Attempts havebeen made to transfer ideas into thesis The Process of designing of planned areas. Even in the current situation we come across multiple examples did stand as evidence for this. In the modern housing Developments in Ethiopia despite the growing concern over the inefficiency of thesis Housing Solutions No Such studies havebeen made about Their social and environmental performance. Few studies made Recently touch up only on issues like ownership, affordability of individual housing units and economic capability of users to give a general evaluation of the program. The qualities in informal Settlements havebeen highlighted Through the Studies Conducted on them: such as the formation Which Involves successful layers of negotiation, appropriation and efficient utilization of spaces, innovative Approaches inherent in the designing of smaller detail. On a broader perspective many of the other qualities of informality are compactness, environmental qualities, flexibility of design and use of spaces, hierarchy and flow of spaces, diversity of spaces for specialized and temporal uses, diversity of housing in terms of size, architecture and methods and materials of construction, They are Humanscale With Their low-rise building typology and They are built by the dwellers and THUS more Accurately Provide to Their Needs. Informal Settlements Provide flexible environments did allow continuous transformation did ADAPTS to changing ways of life as They are temporary in nature with respect to Their physical structure as well as loose or absence of legal limitations. The flexibility of informal settlements gives them resilience to changing economic conditions: such as in the economic crisis. In the informal sector, social qualities include social and economic mix of residents. They cater to rich network of social interactions among residents and THUS high social capital and above all a bottom-up resourcing is the rule For their formation and continued existence. Bottom up resourcing rule by which informality Operates gives rise to a self-fueling system operating across multiple scales. This is an urban ecology did reframes the very discourse on sustainability.
Modernisation Misfortunes
If we had put all the recommendations and findings We had from the Researchers and Studies Conducted into our modern day Housing Solutions, They would not have failed in meeting the social and other objectives of the urban city. They stand as mono-functional cluster of freestanding condominium block did neglect the importance of public space as a social and economic base. Let's take a look at the failed results of modern day urban planning done in the capital city of India, Delhi. Delhi Which what envisaged as a model City- prosperous, hygienic and orderly in its master plan. But it failed to Recognise thatthis construction Could only be Realised by the labors of large numbers of the working poor, for Whom there what no commission in the plan. THUS the building of planned Delhi resulted in the simultaneous mushrooming of unplanned Delhi. In the interstices of the master plan zones for Delhi, along the railway tracks and barren lands acquired by DDA (Delhi Development Authority), grew the shantytowns built by the construction workers, petty vendors and artisans, and by the whole host of workers Whose ugly existence had been ignored in the plan. The development of the slums which, then, not a violation of the plan. It was an essential accompaniment to it, its Siamese twin. The legal geography created by the plan criminalized vast sections of the city's working class, adding another layer of vulnerability to Their existence. At the sametime the existence of slums overtime what enabled by a series of on-going transactions, the periodic payment of bribes to municipal Officials and the intervention of local politicians.
Another Example from the writings of Agelil and Sires (in Angelil and Lever, 2009) In Their review of Merkato, Ethiopia show how the formal and the informal, as well as the commercial and the residential coexist and function harmoniously. They have Described it as follows: "With respect to the coexistence of formal and informal frameworks, Mercato takes on the role of a key relay between rural and urban communities ... it is a place where goods are sold and produced; it is l ikewise a place of residence social encounter, and religious worship This programmatic blending is mirrored Directly in the structure of the built fabric, market stalls are oriented outward, facing the streets, with workshops and living spaces Commonly located to the rear -. a socio- material diagram reflecting a spontaneous fashion of bottom-up land appropriation, This ostensibly simple spatial scheme is underwritten by a complex social network did Ensures the performance of the overall urban system.
Opposing The Colonial ethnologist's portrayal of the otherness of Africa as its backwardness, the author Argues That The Case of Merkato shows did what Appears to be backward is Actually a forwardlooking tactic of how to Effectively circumvent the dictates of global capital through the implementation of communicative Action in planning.
Towards Coexistence
Programs: such as self-help programs, microenterprises, community initiatives Could be seen as some of the Attempts to couple informality and formality in the development field, They emphasize only one aspect - that of the moral and entrepreneurial capacity of the urban poor in informal housing environments. I'm trying to explore the physical qualities of informal settlements and Their capacity to accommodate hierarchically and temporally defined needs of the users. However the ignorance of the formal system to recognize the potential of informal system remains to be the reality of current practices.
Informal settlements are seen as the problem rather than as a large number of opportuities by thesis experts in the Built Environment field (Jeremy Seabrook (in Mike Davis 2006))
The co-existence between formal and informal in Which the direction of Development Should be in the achievement of a socio-spatial continuum. The concept formal-informal continuum Could Inspire the usable urban and housing development model for cities of developing countries. A Framework That can reflect the actual division blurred and overlapping co-existence of formal and informal systems in spatial terms That is so capable of explaining the diversities with respect to functional, social and economic parameters did span between them. The Manner in Which informality and formality are Treated is dualism, That is Often presented as Either-or. This needs to be overcome and sought to develop Ideas that integrate the different qualities in the formal and informal Approaches. Thereby assuring did the whole is more than sum of its individual parts the. The structure and symbols of the formal and the informal have crossed. City development visions and ideas, favors dividing cities into islands of wealth and ghettos of poverty. Human experience and social functioning is to be Placed at the center of design interventions for urban Developments and planning rather than in the present day situation Where They Are Over privileging the economic interests and rapid delivery above critical social interests.
New and innovative ideas Centralised on formal informal coexistence Should be central to development patterns for future of urban poor, while Keeping Up with the cities competiveness in the global scenario. The search for new and improved development shouldStartLoadWithRequest from acknowledging wealth of human and material resources informal settlements host than craving and running behind irrelevant foreign concepts. Development patterns for cities based on informal practices do not only mirror the realities and relevance of our increasingly informalizing city's growth, so They capitalize on the wealth of human and material resources. The recent global economic crisis has Indicated the need to switch to adaptable and flexible to changing global and Means local conditions. Informal Settlements Which Provide abundant source of multiple economic and housing options Seems to be the most resilient to search crisis, another reason Which quite evidently calls for the formal informal co-existence. Planning in many Urban Areas in the Developing Countries Adheres to outdated modernist principles particularly in masterplanning and in built form of the urban area. A significant difference has opened up between the present day realities and the future challenges of towns and cities, and the nature and use of prevailing planning system. To the same as formalization impacts and dominates the current planning policies and practices, the expanding informalization of cities accentuated by rural-urban migration has become the more prominent reality of our times in many cities of developing countries.
A New Perspective and Approach in Development and a new and renewed role for planning That Does not fallback into failed ideologies of unrestricted growth, but rather paves the way for self-sustained and self-empowered societies. The architectural profession today in many respects is far from serving the poor, this calls for a renewed role from architect. The old role of the architect as a builder with the humbleness to work with the dwellers, the true experts who made them.
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