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Photo: Patricia Hokororo
Compact cities and informal settlements. Exploring qualities, drivers and strategies for promoting sustainable urban development
Research project
Active research
Research partners
Jaan-Henrik Kain, Professor in Urban Transformation, Chalmers University of
Tec…
Michael O. Oloko Senior lecturer in Environmental Engineering. Jaramogi Oginga
…
Patrik Zapata, Professor in Public Administration, School of Public
Administrat…
Jenny Stenberg. Chalmers University of Technology,
Sweden
Short description
Research and policy argue for more compact cities to respond to sustainable development challenges. However, there is little clarity on what actually needs to be made more compact. This is especially the case for informal settlements in in the global South, where generic, North notions of urban qualities, are even detrimental to positive urban change. This project contributes to a better understanding of the perceived qualities in compact cities as well as the strategies articulated by an array of actors in the informal urbanization processes. The focus of the project is on urban change in informal settlements in Kisumu (Kenya), but field studies in Buenos Aires, Cape Town and Havana facilitate comparative learning.