Syracuse University SURFACE School of Architecture Dissertations and Architecture Senior Theses Theses Spring 2014 Ciudad Disidente: Addressing social and infrastructural deficiencies in villa salvador-- Part 1 Victoria Brewster Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/architecture_theses Part of the Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Brewster, Victoria, "Ciudad Disidente: Addressing social and infrastructural deficiencies in villa salvador-- Part 1" (2014). Architecture Senior Theses. 277. https://surface.syr.edu/architecture_theses/277 This Thesis, Senior is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Architecture Dissertations and Theses at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Architecture Senior Theses by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CIUDAD DISIDENTE ADDRESSING SOCIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES IN VILLA EL SALVADOR TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTION I. URGENCY II. CASE STUDIES III. LIMA, PERU IV. VILLA EL SALVADOR V. WORKS CITED VICTORIA BREWSTER DANIEL KALINOWSKI DECEMBER 9, 2013 ARC 505 - THESIS RESEARCH STUDIO PRIMARY ADVISOR: SAROSH ANKLESARIA SECONDARY ADVISORS: SUSAN HENDERSON, JULIE LARSEN CONTENTION Ciudad Disidente Within the next twenty years, Providing increased agency the Global South will account through community par- for 95% of urban growth, ticipation in the design and and nearly half of that will be construction processes will within the informal sector.1 encourage residents to be The population living within INVESTED in their neighbor- slums is expected to increase hood’s future. They will be to two billion people by 2030, more likely to focus on the and if left unchecked, it may maintenance and develop- reach three billion by 2050.2 ment of their homes, busi- This extreme growth requires nesses, and public spaces. an URGENT response in order offset its adverse effects Villa El Salvador faces many on the urban environment. of the characteristic chal- lenges of a typical slum. Its Thus far, architects’ interven- periphery lacks proper infra- tions in informal settlements structure as well as social and have focused almost entirely governmental facilities. on designing housing in order to improve the quality of life, ,QRUGHUWRDGGUHVVWKHVHGH¿- and to meet the demands of ciencies, architects are mor- the growing population. This, ally obligated to develop the however, is only a temporary commercial, social, and indus- ¿[LIWKHODUJHUHFRQRPLFDQG trial sectors in addition to the social problems are not ad- residential in order to improve dressed. the HEALTH OF THE CITY. CONTENTION 5 KEY WORDS Icons LIVELIHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE The means to support oneself, The standard of living of a given one’s family and one’s community. person or persons. PARTICIPATION / KIT OF PARTS PARTICIPATORY SLUM A community is provided a kit of Inclusion of non-architects/com- A settlement on appropriated parts to use in order to build their munity inhabitants in the design land, often working outside of the BARRIO homes, businesses, and public process and implementation of a legal system and established The word for neighborhood in buildings. The parts can be project. A collaborative effort societal norms. Spanish. assembled in a variety of ways, between architect, inhabitant, FAVELA and allow for a multitude of and government bodies in order Brazilian term for a slum settle- programs. to create a functional, cohesive ment located on hilly terrain. intervention. OWNERSHIP The legal relationship between a SITES AND SERVICES person (individual, group, corpo- INCREMENTAL ADDITION Architects in collaboration with GROWTH ration, or government) and an an A community is provided a base government bodies provide basic A term that refers to an increase object. Since the objects of frame or building that allows the services to homes and businesses in the capacity of an economy to property and the protected inhabitants to add to it as their in order to provide safe conditions produce goods and services from relationships are different in every needs change and as they gain for the inhabitants. The communi- one period of time to another. culture, and vary according to the resources to do so. It gives ty can then add to and create their Generally associated with law, custom, economic system, individuals agency and control buildings around the provided site economic growth. and the relative social status of over their homes. and services. those who enjoy its privileges, it is difficult to find a common defini- tion of “ownership”.7 (SUSTAINABLE) GROWTH COMMUNITY DESIGNED / Growth measured in terms of a PROPERTY CONSTRUCTED INFILL INTO A FRAME population’s capability to sustain The established definition of Communities completely design Community members are all of its members’ well beings as property is “something that is and construct their homes, provided a frame that they then it changes over time. Advances owned by a person, business, businesses and public amenities, fill in with any type of program the notion of balance and etc.” or “a piece of land often with often with no help from architects and materials they choose. equality in society. Efficiently buildings on it that is owned by a or government officials. uses human capital and avail- person, business, etc.”8 able resources.3, 4, 5, 6, 7 CONTENTION 7 KEY WORDS Icons SQUAT The established definition of OCCUPY SPATIAL INFORMALITY INFORMALITY squat (v.) is to be or become a The established definition of The organization of small An urban condition of sponta- squatter or to occupy as a occupy(v.) is to take up (a place resident-built structures around neous growth, unincorporated into squatter. For e ample, “the or e tent in space), to take or social contacts, friends, family, the spatial, economic, and finan- urban poor squat in the aban- hold possession or control of, and the provision of a particular cial systems of a governing doned building”. and to reside in as an owner or service. For e ample, selling municipality. A territory of highly To squat is more commonly used tenant. For e ample, “this chair foodstuffs, street vendors, productive and diversified informally to describe the action is occupied” or “a family occu- tailors, mobile phone kiosks, economic activities that replace of occupying a previously pies this apartment”. printing, or offering e pertise in ta able and regulated forms of uninhabited piece of land or In an informal sense, the word mechanical repair or construc- economy with those of fle ible and , , 3 building. Over time squatters can occupy (v.) refers to the act of tion. As one service comes on negotiated agreements. begin to see themselves as the taking control or residing in a line, other related or support owners of their occupied space. previously unused space. In services will grow, building a Squatting can encourage the many cases, this occupation is network of immediate establishment of permanent or e tralegal. For e ample, “during need-based economic networks semi-permanent residences and the monsoon season, the urban that are directly tied to social businesses and ultimately has poor occupy the abandoned connections and familial the potential to generate commu- hospital”. relationships. Residents typically ECONOMIC INFORMALITY nities. own their own home/business Participating in buying, selling, structure, yet lack any legal and trading of goods or services claim to property that can be outside of governmentally used against a government structured ta regimes. entity, and subsequently lack the right to make physical changes to that property. CONTENTION 9 URGENCYI CONTENTIONCOC NTN ENNTIONN 11 URGENCY Role of the Architect “...At the same time, it is well acknowledged that architects today contribute to only 3% of the worlds built environment.”15 “State and private professions “In the next twenty years subtropical and tropical countries such as architects and engi- will account for 95% of urban growth and a large portion of neers, act as enablers, result- this growth (nearly half) will be driven by non-formal ing in a shift in thinking that architectures...”16 valorizes experience and local know how over technocratic and professionalised forms of knowledge.”14 URGENCY 13 URGENCY Urban Issues LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM UNDEREMPLOYMENT There is immense traffic Economic market can no on main highways that longer provide for, nor serve metropolitan Lima. support increase in In the informal settle- population. ments, few roads are paved, and even fewer are maintained. LIMITED SPACE FOR CITY RAPID POPULATION E PANSION HEAVY AIR POLLUTION LACK OF RAIN GROWTH Location in a valley, limited Caused by industrial zones 5 humidity throughout Large influ of refugees to the east by the Pacific and burning waste. the year, but receives from the sierras. Ocean, to the west by the almost no rain. Andes. INFORMAL URBAN PREVALENCE OF INEQUALITY UNCONTROLLED URBAN DEVELOPMENT GANGS Urban elite control much of DEVELOPMENT People settle on the land Gangs are common in the wealth, land and politi- Development of the periph- before it even has been Lima, and are causing cal power. Rural peasant ery without govern- developed, legally have no increasing amounts of population viewed as ment/planner intervention. land titles. violence, particularly in the unsophisticated. informal settlements on the periphery of the city. DIVISION OF LIMA INTO UNDERDEVELOPED SLUM CLEARANCE 44 DISTRICTS SOCIETAL NORMS INFRASTRUCTURE Massive slum clearance Each with its own mayor