Arts of Survival

I agree with P.Maschi’s argument that designers must go beyond just design; they must become social and city advocates. It has been argued that designers have no place in the slums effort but I believe they play an intimate role. Though it is true that extensive government aid, awareness and research is needed to “solve” the slum problem, designers can help put these elements of aid, awareness etcetera into practice through architecture and housing developments. For example, in Mumbai, the poor are currently being moved from the central city slums to the surrounding countryside. Though designers had little say in this relocation problem, they are responsible for the creation and composition of the outer city buildings. This implies that, in order to create successful homes, the designers must understand the social needs of the slum dwellers, and their economic situation.

Here is an example of slums in Mumbai, these houses are built dangerously close to the railroads.

The economic situation of the newly relocated has become a problem because the poor have not had a chance to adjust nor has proper consideration been given to the circumstances of their transportation. The slums in Mumbai hold 60% of the population, that is about 6 million people; because the slums are located in the center of the city they occupy “some of the most valuable real estate in Asia”. In an attempt to reclaim this land, the government has moved the slum dwellers away from central city and consequently from their jobs. These slum dwellers are the backbone India’s society and economy; moving them away from their work is not only economically crippling to them but to the country in general. P.Maschi makes the point that “citizens have to learn to be urban by improving their houses and introducing a different way of living gradually”. The hasty moment of the slum dwellers in Mumbai illustrates the devastating effects relocation can have if it’s not introduced gradually and with an understanding of the individual’s economic position.


Here: a "ragpicker" in the Mumbai slums.



So then, in the wake of government mistakes, it becomes the job of educated designers to decide where and how slum dwellers will be positioned at home and in society. P. Maschi concludes his/her essay saying ‘“We shape our buildings and then they shape us’ as changes can constrain some behaviors and encourage others. To answer the question above I can say as designers we have and can help improve the standard of living for slums”. I agree that on the personal level, it is the work done by designers that makes or breaks a slum dwellers life. Though acts of the government may not be ethical, the designer is responsible for the ethics of their projects. Because the position of the designer is one that affects the lives of many, they have an ethical standard to uphold. If a designer can understand the social and economic position of their potential inhabitants they can create an ethical piece of art that works towards pleasure and potential. When slum dwellers create their home it is a manifestation of creativity, necessity and ingenuity; who better to improve upon these elements than a designer?



Slum Cities: A Shifting World. CBC New Correspondent. CBC-TV and Newsworld documentaries. May 7, 2006. CBC 2006. March 13, 2006. http://www.cbc.ca/correspondent/060507.htmlh

Katie Brunero