Upgrading informal settlements : the case of Taamir.

Abstract

This thesis articulates an upgrading strategy for the neighborhood of Taamir (South Saida), one that seeks to complement ongoing titling efforts with an integrated intervention on public and shared spaces. More specifically, the thesis adapts the Green Infrastructure (GI) approach to the neighborhoods’ public and shared spaces, articulating main connectors in relation to regional circulation, introducing road hierarchies and main way findings, and integrating the neighborhood within its surrounding. The thesis then breaks down to the scale of the block where several options are explored to identify new lot boundaries, de-densify when needed, and green buildings. Given the illegal tenure of the land, the thesis pays special attention to property claims and introduces a hybrid titling approach to be adapted to both public and private spaces. The thesis builds on several sets of literature that include: (i) the property rights literature focusing specifically on informal settlements and customary titles, (ii) the green infrastructure approach that has proved to act as a remarkable tool for implementing livability in informal settlements while contributing to ecology, agriculture and socio-economic practices and (iii) urban design literature in informal settlements, specifically on-site resettlement options.