THEORY
URBAN FLOTSAM
A reflection on how the two skins of the Earth affect urban development
URBAN FLOTSAM
Stirring the city
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Chora / Raoul Bunschoten
EXPLANATION
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In the first part of Urban Flotsam the author explains how there are two skins that wrap the Earth. The first one being the skin of the Earth itself and the second one the skin of cities, which includes urban areas, infrastructure etc. These two skins are like plastic environments that undergo constant change and these changes have an effect on each other.
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Bunschoten also explains how while geological events affect the Earth skin, what affects the skin of the cities are emotions. He describes these emotions as proto-urban conditions ... These proto-urban conditions bring change to the constant changes in urban fluxes.
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The author also writes about the phenomenon of succession in cities etc.. .
REFLECTION
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I think the approach of Bunschoten towards this two layered composition of cities as a dynamic environment is very interesting. Further, in order to understand better urban environments and design them, I think what is really relevant about this theory is the understanding of the relationship between the Earth and the Urban skin.
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In most cases, cities have been built with a lack of understanding of these relationship. Big cities and urban developments are often built modifying the Earth skin in order to build the city (terracing, covering rivers etc.). These approaches defy the Earth's skin. In other cases, such as many suburban developments, the Urban skin is developed in the easy areas, while the complicated elements of the Earth's skin are turned into a park or just left empty. This approach avoids the Earth's skin. In both cases there is a lack of conversation between both skins. Thus, there is a misunderstanding of the systems and fluxes that form both skins. While this has a negative effect mainly on the Earth's skin, it also has an effect on the Urban skin. A better conversation between both skins could turn challenges in one skin, into opportunities for the other one.
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The main challenge faced worldwide in the Urban skin is mass urbanisation. And with this, how to achieve a lesser impact on the Earth's skin and a coexistance between both skins. This could be accomplished by having the Earth's skin guiding the Urban skin.
An interesting case about this relationship between skins are informal settlements. Informal settlements are considered parasites that take advantage of the cities existing structures. Nevertheless, they are not a different entity, they are still part of the city, while a parasite would be a different matter. Informal settlements are just a response of the city, a change in behaviour.
In informal settlements the dynamics and succession processes described by Bunshcoten are extremely rapid. Buildings appear wherever, but these are a permanent conversation between skins. Through a trial and error approach, the inhabitants build a house somewhere, if it falls down, they just don't build there anymore. If it doesn't fall down, they keep on building around it. This becomes a very active conversation between the Urban and the Earth's skins. Consequently, these urban structures become very flexible and with a very strong community network, which gives them potential to become very resilient. This conversation, however, comes at a cost.
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The fact is that these communities know how to build a house and how to plan and build a community. However, they need a further understanding of the landscape they are built on. Thus, the role of landscape architecture in upgrading, planning and framing the development of informal settlements is necessary.