metropolis nonformal

Landscape, Infrastructure and Urbanism in the Global South

Research Project at the Chair of Landscape Architecture and Public Space, Prof. Regine Keller

in collaboration with

UN-Habitat
Christian Werthmann,
TUM-IAS Hans Fischer Senior Fellow (TUM Institute for Advanced Study),
Professor of Landscape Architecture and Design, Leibniz University Hannover

Duration: 2011-2013

Team

Juliane Schneegans, coordinator of the symposium
Sigrid Wagner, event manager/web coordinator of TUM-IAS
Tatjana Steinberger, program manager of TUM-IAS
Asa Isacson, UN Habitat
Christina Milos, Leibniz University Hannover

Cooperation Partners:

UN-Habitat – Claudio Acioly Jr., Head Capacity Development Unit, Housing & Urban Management Expert
TUM Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS) – Director Gerhard Abstreiter
International Center, TUM
DFG - Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
TUM Graduate School - Graduate Center Architecture
Bayerische Architektenkammer
CAD-Solutions – Graphisoft
Bruns Pflanzen-Export GmbH & Co. KG
Südhausbau KG

Research Aim and Short Description

Informal urbanism is one of the dominant forces driving urban growth in cities in the developing world. During the last half-century a range of interventions were developed to improve the living conditions of existing informal neighborhoods. Less clear, however, are viable strategies for the additional projected two billion ‘slum’ dwellers by 2050. Policy makers mostly focus on the infrastructural deficiencies and illegal status of informal urbanization. In contrast, Metropolis Nonformal – Anticipation operates under the realization that self-construction is in many countries the only viable urbanization model for low-income migrants. Metropolis Nonformal – Anticipation insists that cities must shift from a negative attitude of prevention to a more positive attitude of anticipation and assistance to growing numbers of informal settlers.