Informal settlement

Jungmi Won


Slum/getto and squatter district have some different primary perceptions to me.
In order to begin our conversation about the contemporary city and read it’s behind logic as well as avoid preconception, I think we need rearrange the meaning of these vocabularies at the aspect of urbanism. We need words for urban phenomenon, broad enough to disciplines we want to address. Slum, getto, squatter district and economically depressed area are some narrow downed words in terms of possibility of its nature. Especially, those words are not appropriate to cases of Asia or Latin America large cities. Janice Perlman mentioned the nature of informal settlement. I would say the word ‘informal’ which has opposite meaning of ‘formal’ is a better word to read nature of the settlement. Because ‘informal’ means ‘not done, not made according to a recognized or prescribed form, not according to order, unfinished and something that arises from within itself and its makers.


‘Despite their visual disarray and special distinction from the rest of other urban grid, squatter settlements have both highly organized within themselves and highly integrated into the rest of housing system’ (page2). The urban poor have to solve a complex equation as they try to optimize housing cost, tenure security, quality of shelter, journey to work, and sometimes, personal safety. (The prevalence of slums: page27)
Therefore, income, occupation, size and material of dwelling units are highly transparent in ‘informal’ settlement whereas its appearance is enormous heterogeneity. Also, it is not a hopeless pool rather it is a flexible body achieving the ‘highest and best use’. Living in informal sector is precarious and unpredictable. (page4)


Janice Perlman says that people who live informal sector have the aspiration of the bourgeoisie, the perseverance of pioneers, and the values of patriots. What they do not have is an opportunity to fulfill their aspiration. As persons who have that opportunity, the image of ‘standard housing’ is a result that people narrow down our view toward informal city and take an attitude as a governor, activist or developer. What we need is how we read the informal settlement.