Puzzle pavement : a competition project for better streetscapes in unpaved informal settlements

Abstract: The developing world’s population is becoming more and more urbanized in a very rapid pace. The urbanization combined with a too normative city planning and use of inefficient approaches from governments has in many cases led to the formation of informal settlements, where 860 million people lived in the year of 2013. Public space in informal settlements is often limited and of poor quality. This is also the case of the streetscapes, where many informal settlements lack proper paving, which leads to problems concerning transportation and health. By improving the streetscapes a number of problems can be solved. Furthermore it can also consolidate the informal settlement and integrate it with the surrounding formal city. Our purpose with this master thesis is to engage in how design can contribute to better streetscapes in informal settlements. This thesis aims to inspire landscape architects and other designers to involve in this matter. Our intention is to create a general design concept and through a small intervention improve the streetscapes of informal settlements. In order to explore this subject we formulated the following questions: How can we design a concept concerning streetscapes in informal settlements within the framework of the idea competition DENCITY 2017? What aspects need to be considered when landscape architects involve in the issues of informal settlements? To reach the answer of these questions we used three methods. We studied literature to relate our project to facts and to explore the subject of informal settlements. By analysing previous entries in the competition DENCITY we gained inspiration to how to approach this competition. Design as a method was used to create a concept to submit to the competition. The competition DENCITY 2017 states that entries can either be site-specific or be designed as a general concept. We have developed a general concept where a product is developed. The way towards our product is explained in a design process explaining decisions and approaches. The submission presented in this thesis is called puzzle pavement. Puzzle pavement is a product in form of a plastic slab, aiming to supply informal settlements with a pavement, replacing the current dirt roads. Some of the key features of puzzle pavement is to manage rainwater, prevent the spread of airborne dust and to facilitate transport. The production of the puzzle pavement is also presented in this thesis. The puzzle pavement is produced using recycled plastic and the production phase involves the residents in the informal settlement. In this thesis we have discovered that the lack of planning and bureaucracy in informal settlements leaves a creative gap which can be filled with the wide range of knowledge that landscape architects hold.