Slum it or Lump it?

For the first time the urban world would over populate the earth, this rise of the urban society will increase the already large gap between the urban life and the city life. Slums are defined as impulsive settlements on the city margins that started to show up during the first years of the accelerated urbanization process, that were manifested as groups of shacks or provisional housing.

“The total number of slum-dwellers in the world increased by about 36 per cent during the 1990s and in the next 30 years, the global number of slum-dwellers will increase to about two billion if no concerted action to address the challenge of slums is taken.” (Tann vom Hove, City Mayors)

Many people who live in slums have aspirations of leaving the slum life and living a “happier” western life. This is one reason for the high rise in immigration. Maybe if this idealisation was changed, people in third world countries would prefer to make their lives better in the space that they have, rather than leaving it to be lost in a western town that does not live up to their aspirations.
I was born in Nigeria, which is apart of the third world area. I moved to the UK when I was six and still have a vague memory as to what it was like back home. I remember the village slums and the high buildings in the cities. Looking back I have been asking myself, is it the job of the people who live in the third world to help themselves? As they can build skyscrapers in the cities, why then can they not take care of the villages as well? As harsh as that idea may be, the possibility is there. If people in such situations were to design for their own, maybe the designs would become more relevant and would therefore take shape more. The above picture is of a development taking place in Nigeria, which I took part of on holiday. Another example is the slums in Bogotá, near Brazil. In 2001 urban improvement policies for Bogotá, including governmental reforms for greater efficiency began to take place.

“During the past few years, remarkably effective actions involving urban regeneration and recuperation have been conducted in the central areas. New legal instruments and tools paved the way for reforms and political transformations at the local level and improved the quality of life for many population segments.” (UN-Habitat,Global Report on Human Settlements 2003)

The government of Bogotá decided they needed to make a change to the living of their people, therefore they changed their law to improve slum life. So what can designers do? I hear you ask, well I believe not much. Designers could go as far as designing a way to improve living, but they can not bring a person out of poverty. That is the job of the government and the people themselves. The best designers for the situation such of slum living is those who live in slums, and have experienced the life. Thus it is more of a slum it or lump it situation. Designers should not stop trying to make a difference, but they should encourage those they are trying to help, to also help themselves.


Bibliography
http://www.citymayors.com/report/slums.html#anchor-some-47857

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dpu-projects/Global_Report/cities/bogota.htm

Whiteley, Nigel. Design for society (London: Reaktion, 1993)