THEORY
PLANNING AND DESIGN FOR FUTURE INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS
Applying landscape urbanism to informal settlements
PLANNING AND DESIGN FOR FUTURE INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS
Shaping the Self-Constructed CIty
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David Gouverneur
EXPLANATION
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In his book “Planning and design for future informal settlements” David Gouverneur suggests the use of landscape armatures as a tool to frame and plan the future expansion cities through informal settlements in the cities of the Global South. This piece of theory challenged the common perception
of informals settlements as negative parts of the city and instead acknowledges the fact that the expansion of these cities will inevitable
come from these forms of housing. Gouverneur also argues that these expansions don’t need to be planned in the conventional way that we understand of planning cities, but need to be framed, through landscape.
REFLECTION
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The theory of Gouverneur is veryforward-looking and presents a very innovative form of understanding these cities. However, I think it fails in completely integrating these informal settlements within the city as a whole. These landscape armatures should connect the city from its cores towards the areas of expansion and into the hinterland. Not only this will unify the city, but encourages a democratisation of green and public space.