Settlement Patterns

Although the appearance of a slum community is ugly and messy, it has sophisticated participatory practices and a light way of occupying land. Because of the need to Survive, the slum dwellers have creative way of constructing their homes within limited space. There is often a misconception that they are endless seams of mud and huts, however within the community there are lots of economic activities - stores, bars, hairdressers, everything. One of the ways in which slum dwellers conserve space is to build on top of a roof of existing houses.
The average size of shack in this area is 12x12ft built with mud walls, screened with concrete, a corrugated tin roof, dirt or concrete floor. These shacks often house up to 8 or more, many sleeping on the floor.

Perhaps because of the chaos and disorder created by the arbitrary construction of buildings, the primary concern to address is to create a land system that would allow for order and organization. The most efficient way to get around neighbourhood is using the grid system. Parallel lines, each far enough apart that everyone can walk to one of them, and another set of the same limes perpendicular to them. the grid system maintains the interaction within the community and allows for good transportation flow, yet doesn't waste the amount of building space.

In a square grid system, the percentage of area of streets is 36% and percentage of building area is 64%, and ideal ration for a community.

Here are some other examples of typical patterns



Jacqueline Chow
9 November 2010

“Human Transit,” last modified February 24, 2010, http://www.humantransit.org/2010/02/the-power-and-pleasure-of-grids.html

"Residential Street Pattern Design," last modified July, 2002, http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/tech/socio75.html

"Slums and Housing in Africa," last modified December, 2003, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1309/is_4_40/ai_114007082/pg_2/?tag=content;col1

"Kiberia," Kiberia - UK, accessed November 9, 2010, http://www.kibera.org.uk/Facts.html

"Learning from slums," last modified March 1, 2009, http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/03/01/learning_from_slums/?page=5