Urbanisation of Poverty

Code:

50135C5

Acronym:

50135C5

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Architecture and Urbanism

Instance: 2019/2020 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Arquitectura (A)
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Degree in Architecture

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIARQ	19	MIARQ	4	-	3	-	81
			5

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Nowadays, more than half of the world's population lives in urban areas, with around a quarter of this population living in extreme precarious conditions and an additional portion facing relevant gaps in its habitat. Estimates seem to indicate that this percentage has declined, but numbers will have increased, and the inequity of economic incomes will also have increased, especially in the economies considered as more developed.

In this way, the debate on equity is a global issue, from the countries of the North to the countries of the South, and that action in the environment built for more equitable spaces and democratic access to urban resources is, a challenge for architects and urban planners.

Given the most recent and contrasting global dynamics of urbanization and the current professional challenges placed at the international level, this curricular unit intends to create a theoretical and practical field of discussion around the spatialization of poverty and the disparities in this process of urbanization, social concerns in the disciplinary field of architecture and urbanism, as well as the limitations and potentialities of redistributive policies, social interest and fair management of the built environment.

Thus, it is proposed here the study of the disparities in the processes of production and management of the built environment, namely, discussing the visibility and role of population groups with lower economic incomes, both focusing on non-Western contexts (in the experiences of Latin America, Asia and in Africa) and in the critical areas of the Western contexts (in the evolution of social policy and in its current situation).

The aim is to establish a broad understanding of issues related to the urbanization process, not only by discussing extreme conditions of disparities and / or limiting resources, but also by framing multi-stakeholder management mechanisms. In these contexts, the professional practice of the architect / urbanist is rarely placed solely in a client - service provider relationship, but rather the actors involved in the decision - making process, recurrently encompassing entities such as public structures for territorial regulation and social interest ( at the central, municipal and / or local level), external financiers, international agencies, nongovernmental organizations, local associations and / or inhabitants, placing the architect / urbanist in the role of mediator and facilitator.

Thus, it is proposed to build an informed view of paradoxical realities, discussing methodologies and intervention tools, constraints and potentialities, experiences and strategic orientations of work in extended teams.

Learning outcomes and competences

More than a historical reading of the different approaches to urban and regional planning, this course aims to provide students with tools for reading and problematizing complex and deeply contrasting contexts, as well as practical instruments for professional practice in these paradoxical frameworks .

The aim is therefore to contribute to the individual construction of an informed position and a critical awareness of global issues, as well as to the development of competencies that allow facing professional challenges in an international context, in which situations arise in the face of abundance or scarcity of resources, with the role of mediator and facilitator.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Introduction
1.1. The intensification of the urbanization process and its global consequences, inequities and urbanization of poverty
1.2. The challenges for the architect / urbanist - his social function and the international debate between North and South
 
2. The Global South
2.1. Precarious settlements and informality
2.2. Territorial and rural development policies
2.3. Housing programs: from upgrading and (re) urbanization of existing settlements to rehousing operations;
2.4. Urgent situations - natural disasters and resettlement, refugee and refugee camps - policies and experiences with extremely limited resources;
2.5. Decision-makers and action tools in the face of precarious occupation

3. The Portuguese context
3.1. Social policies in the Western context: major post-war resettlement operations, European housing policies of social interest, the debate on socio-spatial inclusion.
3.2. The Portuguese case of housing shortages and recent dynamics: workers' islands and villages, economic houses, social neighborhoods, integrated programs for critical areas, legalization of areas of illegal genesis, urban qualification initiatives and social integration.
3.3. The Social State in times of scarcity - rethinking its tools

4. Experiences: cycle of open classes with guests.

Mandatory literature

Brenner Neil 340; Implosion, explosions. ISBN: 978-3-86859-317-4
Davis Mike; Planet of slums. ISBN: 978-1-84467-160-1
Lefebvre Henri 1901-1991; Le^droit à la ville
Turner John F.C.; Housing by people. ISBN: 0-7145-2569-3

Complementary Bibliography

Bandeirinha José António; O^processo Saal e a arquitectura no 25 de Abril de 1974. ISBN: 978-972-8704-76-6
Correa Charles; The new landscape. ISBN: 0-408-50071-9
Filgueiras Octávio Lixa 1922-1996; Da função social do arquitecto
Hatch C. Richard 300; The Scope of Social Architecture
Secchi Bernardo; La^città dei ricchi e la città dei poveri. ISBN: 978-88-581-0664-8
Serageldin Ismail 050; The architecture of empowerment. ISBN: 1-85490-493-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

A multifaceted teaching method is proposed through several complementary approaches that produce the construction of a critical and proactive look:

- oral transmission of content and information display in various formats, from descriptions to graphic and multimedia information;

- exercises in the class of case discussion and simulation of intervention situations - "role-playing exercises" - where the roles of several agents involved in the process of environmental management will be addressed and the conflicts and mechanisms of mediation and negotiation, promoting not only the active participation of students in the activities developed during class, but also the understanding and illustration of complex decision processes;

- presentation of real cases of implementation of programs by guests of recognized academic and / or professional merit, with practical experience in the topics addressed.

In this framework, it is expected that this curricular unit will contribute to the reinforcement of internationalization initiatives in the field of research and knowledge transfer, namely through collaboration with international partners.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Teste	50,00
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Frequência das aulas	30,00
Total:	30,00

Eligibility for exams

-

Calculation formula of final grade

(evaluation of the test + evaluation of the written essay) / 2

Examinations or Special Assignments

In the case of evaluation of less than 10/20, an appeal examination will be carried out.