After successful completion of the course, students are able to understand informal urban development processes and to react to them with strategic approaches. They acquire the competence to analyze and evaluate the effects of concepts for improving living conditions in informal settlement structures ("upgrading").

The relation between the formal and informal city presents the focus of this class. The focus is on strategies to improve the urban living conditions in disadvantaged residential quarters in emerging cities.

General topic in 2024: 

Sustainable and Inclusive (mobility-) strategies to upgrade the In_Formal City.

Practical examples from Latin America.

This class is english speaking only!

Keywords

Latin America, Arrival City, informal urban development, social inclusion, urban technologies, urban ropeways, micro-urbanism approach, neighbourhood upgrading, urban eco-systems.

Topic

The informal city often stands as a synonym for a place with high population density. Social exclusion
and segregation along with economic marginalization are all too often existing conditions that frame the
real urban life of such an informal city. The term ‚informality’, however, is by no means synonymous to chaos or delinquency, or simply something ‚illegal’. Without dispute, the future of the city depends on the extent to which we are able to synchronize the existing potentials of both the informal and formal city; it will certainly depend on how fast we learn to plan the unplanned!
By now, there exist various urban regions worldwide, particularly in Latin America, which in their development trajectory have positively influenced the interface between the informal and the formal city. What all these strategies have in common is that especially existing, grown structures – be they formal or informal – have been integrated into further urban development efforts. These upgrading projects intend to uplift dis- advantaged informal urban districts and their deficits as opposed to the formal city.
The cities and examples discussed in class mainly attempt to find answers to all those areas where the city authorities still have an ultimate decision-making authority: the public space, the mobility sector, and education!
Within that context neighborhood upgrading, affordable urban housing and mobility infrastructures are key challenges for the contemporary Latin American City. Thereby the role of architects and planners is of central importance to provide urban housing facilities and a livable neighborhood environment. It is their responsibility to go beyond the need for creative design and planning in order to create a favorable climate for dialogue and consult other disciplines from social and administrative areas. Mobility infrastructures and tactical interventions within the urban transformation of the Latin American City
and their relevance for social inclusion is the main topic of this class.

Timetable  Summer Term 2024 

• Mon March 11^th 14.00-17.00 • Kick-off, Introduction: The Latin American City: The challenge of informal 

urban development.

Teamwork / Conversation // AE U1 - 1

• Wed March 13^th 10.00-13.00 • Mobility-innovations in Latin America: from BRT’s to Urban Ropeways 

Teamwork / Conversation  // Sem 8

• Introduction to the Practical part: Research work

“Urban Ropeway Systems: A resource-saving tool for future-orientated urban 

mobility? Exchange of experiences between Europe and Latin America.”

• Wed March 20^th 10.00-13.00 • The Urbanization of the Air. Affordable mobility and integral upgrading strategies: The Medellín case.  

Teamwork / Conversation // Sem 8

• Wed March 20^th 14.00-17.00 • Urban Technologies for Sustainable Integrated Upgrading Strategies: 

Waste / Water

Teamwork / Conversation  // AE U1-1

                                               • Concepts / Research topics: Questionnaire to the Research work

• April (timing tbd)                   Supporting process of the practical part / research work

“Urban Ropeway Systems: A resource-saving tool for future-orientated urban 

mobility? Exchange of experiences between Europe and Latin America.”             

The practical part will be developed as a teamwork, 

(detailed timing and locations tbd).

• May (tbd)                   Final presentation of the practical part  

(detailed timing and locations tbd).

Additional Information

• Each of the 4 lectures consists of:

… a presentation of one or several study cases (“learning from” … around 1 ½ - 2  hrs) 

… a discussion or group work (“critical review” … around 1 to 1 ½ hrs) 

… and a following reading of recommended texts (“further analysis” … between the lectures)

• Each of the lectures consists of:

… a presentation of one or several study cases (“learning from” … around 1 ½  hrs) 

… a discussion or group work (“critical review” … around 1 to 1 ½ hrs) 

… and the following reading of recommended texts (“further analysis” … between the lectures)

• The practical part will be developed as teamwork 

with severalmeetings; the detailed schedule and the locations are yet to be defined.

• The practical part will be developed a as teamwork 

with several meetings; the detailed schedule and the locations are yet to be defined.