Abstract
The Design Studio from Spring 1988, “Urban Infrastructure: Planning and Programming in Developing Countries” was developed by Dr. Mona Serageldin, with students and scholars from the Aga Khan Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.
The 1988 Design Studio outlined problems and urban infrastructure programs, illustrated by maps, demographics and case study reports. Curriculum materials give particular attention to support for the urban poor, with case studies on Indonesia, Bahrain, and Zhejiang Province in China. Seven chapters address infrastructure issues in light of rapid urbanization, including unemployment and underemployment in urbanizing countries, and an increased demand for basic needs like water supply and shelter.
A final Design Studio student report, on the Kingdom of Bahrain, features 99 pages of rich spatial, social, commercial and architectural overview of the historic city of Muharraq, Bahrain. Muharraq (Arabic: المحرق or al-Muḥarraq) is Bahrain’s third largest city. See: Organization of World Heritage Cities. Section 5.0 features a paper condensed from Arabic, by Dr. Tareq Wali: “Traditional Urban Fabric and Architecture,” including a substantial list of Tables, Maps, and References. Sections cover the historical evolution of the district: 5.1: The Development of Muharraq; 5.2 Morphology of the Traditional Urban Fabric & The Organization of Space; 5.3 Commercial Element; 5.4 Residential Elements; and Annex: Notes on Building Materials and Architecture.
Excerpt
[Excerpt, Chapter 6, Paper B, The Urban Operational Perspective. “Introduction to the Course Background,” for “Urban Infrastructure, Planning and Programming in Developing Countries, p. 1.1]
“Virtually without exception in the cities and towns of the developing world, the ability to plan, finance and implement urban development programs and infrastructure programs in particular, is in a state of crisis. Severe deficiencies exist and are growing in nearly all sub-sectors. Explosive population growth, partly through immigration from rural areas and in the cases of the largest cities, natural growth, have placed pressures on city authorities for increased services. For instance, the population of the urban areas in developing countries is likely to grow by 1 billion over the next two decades. Simultaneously with growth to date, the state of existing services has universally deteriorated.”
“At the same time the governments in these countries are trying valiantly to cope with what are prime concerns; large and growing unemployment and under employment, and raised expectations by their peoples of access to minimum basic needs in water supply, shelter, etc. These pressures though countrywide, are visibly focused in the urban areas, and thus influence political, administrative, financial, and economic decisions, not always in a coherent or rational manner.”
“Urbanization involves costs to the public sector which amount to large shares of total public spending. Dense human settlement requires levels of servicing – for health reasons, if no other – which are not as essential elsewhere. Rising incomes increase demands for water, electricity, road space, telephones are similar public services. Expectations for urban amenities and appearances are high, and the costs of providing them are also high. Growth of the larger cities often involves diseconomies of scale – longer pumping distances for water and traveling distances for commuters, for example. In some of the largest metropolitan areas, geographical shape and terrain accentuate the costs of growth: Bangkok, Bombay and Mexico City come to mind. Soaring land prices add to the costs of private and public sector development.”
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Related by – Design Studio Seminars, 1981-2003
Design Studio 1981: “Housing Design in Islamic Cultures” in Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1984: “The Revitalization of a Traditional Urban Quarter” for the Medieval Darb al Ahmar District, Cairo, Egypt, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1984: “Design, Technology and Logistics for Large Housing Projects,” in Algeria, India, Iraq, Malaysia, Mali and Singapore, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1987: “Arad New Town,” Land-Fill Development Solutions for Arad New Town, Muharraq Island, Bahrain, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1988: “Urban Infrastructure Planning and Programing in Developing Countries,” Chapters 1-7, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1989: “Rabat’s Urban Fringe,” Urbanization Analysis of Rabat, Morocco – Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1990: “The Medina of Tunis,” Urban Regeneration for the Historic Hafsia District, Tunis, Tunisia, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1992: “Cairo and the Medieval City” &”Urban Regeneration in Medieval Cairo,” in Cairo, Egypt, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1993: “Rabat’s Urban Fringe,” Rabat, Morocco, Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1994: “A New Urban Center for Adjamé, Abidjan, Ivory Coast,” Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1995: “Urban Regeneration and Housing in a Transitional Economy: Lublin, Poland,” Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1996: “Strategic Urban Redevelopment in a Transitional Economy in Gdansk, Poland,” Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 1997: “Strategic Planning and Local Development,” Seminar Curriculum
Design Studio 2003: “Urban Strategies for Economic Recovery: A Revitalization Strategy for New Bedford, Massachusetts,” Seminar Curriculum
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