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“Urban Planning Guide for City Leaders,” Research for UN-Habitat Report, 2014

Abstract

In 2014, Mona Serageldin, Elda Solloso, and Gil Kelley contributed to background research papers for an edition of the UN-Habitat publication “Urban Planning Guide for City Leaders.” The 188-page report sought to help local leaders to develop and communicate urban planning initiatives and to follow best practices in light of rapid urbanization.


[Excerpt:] Table 4.1, Adapted from research by Dr. Serageldin (page 97):

Project Year:2012
Project Type:Development Strategy
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:Urban Planning Guide for City Leaders (Final Report, September 2014)
Authors:Mona Serageldin; Pablo Vaggione; Carolina Morgan; Elda Solloso; Gil Kelley
Sponsors:UN-Habitat; Siemens; Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:2012_00_002
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“Municipal Finance of Urban Development,” Background Report for UN-Habitat Global Report on Human Settlements, 2005

Abstract

In 2005, staff at the Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design prepared a research background paper, titled “Global Report on Human Settlements: Financing Shelter and Urban Development,” for the UN-Habitat Global Report on Human Settlements for 2005, Financing Urban Shelter.

The report emphasized new approaches developed by emerging economies and poorer countries, where challenges are the greatest and resource constraints are most acute. The chapter discussed the wide range of problems that faced municipal authorities in financing urban development—based on extensive research and a review of more than 40 case studies—as community leaders responded to the challenges of major shifts in their economic base resulting from falling trade barriers and a globalizing economy. Case studies document sources of municipal revenues, the evolution of spending patterns as result of decentralization, and the impact of privatization of public services.


[Excerpt]: INTRODUCTION: This report was prepared as a background paper for the UN-Habitat Global Report 2005: Financing Urban Shelter and a summary was included as Chapter 3 of the Global Report under the title: “Municipal Finance: Conditions and Trends.

“It addresses the wide range of problems that face municipal authorities in financing urban development as they respond to the challenges of major shifts in their economic base resulting from falling trade barriers and a globalizing economy. Concurrently in, the devolution of administrative and financial responsibility from central governments has forced them to finance a growing proportion of their recurring and capital expenditures at a time when, in most countries, migrants constitute a growing proportion of their population. Local authorities have had to: (1) enhance their economic competitiveness; (2) meet the demands for public services; (3) expand and diversify the local tax base; and (4) generate funding for capital investments.

“Municipalities are but one actor in the financing of urban development, but in many ways they are the pivotal one because of their statutory powers and their ability to act on all sectors in a defined geographic space. Households and private enterprises are the developers and builders of urban communities and the owners and operators of economic activities. But unless the municipality can deliver to them the support infrastructure and services they need, orderly development will be impaired.

“In emerging economies, the rapid pace of urbanization and large migratory flows have increased the pressure on local government spending for urban development. In most of these countries decentralization laws were enacted in the decade of the 80’s and 90’s amid fiscal deficits, financial crisis and political unrest, eroding local revenue and disrupting access to funds for capital investment. In this report, the emphasis is placed on emerging economies and poor countries where the challenges are the greatest and the resource constraints the most acute. They are the areas targeted by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and associated 2015 targets adopted in 2001 (The Millennium Project, 2003). Reaffirming the world commitment to address the growing disparities in income and wealth among countries and within countries, multilateral and bilateral development organizations are placing a priority on poverty reduction.

The success of these efforts hinges on democratic local governance, partnerships involving communities and stakeholders in urban development initiatives, and strengthening the capabilities and resources of local governments as the pivotal partners in the development process.” [End Excerpt]

Project Year:2004
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:
Authors:David C. Jones; Mona Serageldin; Elda Solloso; François Vigier
Sponsors:UN-Habitat
Categories:Urban Finance
  
ID:2004_07_001
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Seminar on “Protecting Cultural and Natural Heritage in the Western Hemisphere: Lessons from the Past, Looking to the Future,” World Cultural Heritage Convention 30th Anniversary, Conference Materials, 2002

Abstract

The Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design hosted a seminar in December 2002 titled “Protecting Heritage of Western Hemisphere,” organized as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the World Cultural Heritage Convention. The seminar brought together international policy makers, public officials, practitioners, and academics involved in the protection and management of national and cultural heritage sites.

Documents include a substantial list of conference materials, including lecture presentations by guest speakers, memos, conference addresses by participants, transcripts of individual panel contributions, and a conference booklet containing a schedule and list of participants.


[Excerpt: CUDS Internal Memo, Francois Vigier, June 2002, p. 1]

“Open to the general public, the Seminar [was] attended by senior officials of UNESCO, the World Heritage Center, The World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Organization of American States and bring together policy makers, public officials, practitioners and academics involved in the protection and management of natural, archeological and urban cultural heritage sites in the Western Hemisphere.

“Key participants include[d] international organizations and foundations, bilateral and international development agencies and representatives of the major institutions and foundations active in promoting the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage in multiple regions:

Ecuador — Peru National Park — Colombia — Venezuela — Upper Amazon (Peru and Brazil) — Cuna language regions (Central Panama) — Galapagos Islands

“The objective of the Seminar [was] to review past and present experiences. An open discussion of the economic, social and managerial issues in the designation, conservation and use of cultural sites [addressed]:

▪ Disseminate cutting-edge approaches;
▪ Allow an exchange of successful practices; and
▪ Help the participants address emerging challenges in the preservation of the natural and manmade cultural heritage.”

Project Year:2002
Project Type:Conference
Geographic Regions:Cambridge, Massachusetts, US (Seminar Location) / Latin America / United States
Reports:
Authors:Francesco Bandarin; Mounir Bouchenaki; Orestes del Castillo; Francesco di Castri; Belia Contreras; Maureen Finnerty; Silvana Giaimo; Pamela W. Hawkes; Maria-Valeria Junho Pena; Roberto L. Klabin; Vincent J. Lujan; Claudio C. Maretti;Colonel James G. May; David Maybury-Lewis; William Moss; Bernie Perley; Eduardo Rojas; Peter Rowe; Ismail Serageldin; Bradford H. Sewell; Anthony Stocks; François Vigier
Sponsors:Center for Urban Development Studies, Harvard University Graduate School of Design; United States Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (US-ICOMOS); UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Categories:Evaluations and Assessments
  
ID:2002_12_001

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I2UD Photograph Collection, Gallery 4: Chile: Santiago, Concepción, and Talcahuano (1992-1993)

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IEP 2002: “Strategic Planning for Local Development & Urban Revitalization,” Program Overview, International Education Programs, 2002

Abstract

The 2002 International Education Program “Strategic Planning for Local Development & Urban Revitalization,” addressed the range of strategies adopted by public and private organizations active at the local level to promote economic growth and urban revitalization. The course covered the challenges faced by professional urban developers, focusing on designing programs to address increasing levels of urban poverty, income inequalities and the lack of urban services. Participants explored strategies that create a supportive environment for development including:

  • Expanded access to services and economic opportunity for lower-income households;
  • Improved efficiency in the management of infrastructure and urban services; and
  • Enhanced access to financing, technology, and managerial expertise.

This document is an overview of the seminar, including overall scope, a list of guest lecturers and speakers, program faculty, and seminar components.

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:2002
Project Type:IEP; Education
Geographic Regions:Cambridge, Massachusetts, US (Program Location)
Reports:IEP 2002 (Information Document)
Authors:CUDS Team
Sponsors:Center for Urban Development Studies, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Categories:International Education Program; Education
  
ID:2002_01_001

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Beginning in 1982, the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design hosted International Training Programs (ITP), an annual series of 2- to 4-week summer seminars designed to strengthen the decision-making skills of senior professionals in public and private agencies responsible for urban development.

The I2UD Digital Library holds curriculum materials for ITPs from 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998:

The tradition of ITPs continued after 2000, when the Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS) (a re-organization of the Unit) continued training seminars as International Education Programs (IEP) from 2000-2004:

Programs included inter-linked modules, lectures, case studies, interactive computer simulation models, site visits to urban projects, discussion groups and networking with professional counterparts from international metropolitan regions. Sessions had a modular format and structured team teaching, taught by a team of senior faculty and guest lecturers. Programs ended with a synthesis presented through a project evaluation exercise. Participants used case projects to examine strategies from the viewpoint of both public and private partners — to assess the feasibility and potential impacts of policies and projects on the community and the city. Presentations by guest speakers, representing U.S. and international agencies, NGOs, and community groups, were also integrated within the pedagogic framework of each module.

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“Decentralization and Urban Infrastructure Management Capacity,” Research Paper for UN-Habitat’s Third Global Report on Human Settlements, 2000

Abstract

The Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design produced a research paper in 2000 that provided an overview of decentralization and infrastructure policy throughout the 1990s. The study noted the expanding scope for private sector involvement and the growing role of non-governmental organizations and civil society in the delivery of infrastructure services for informal settlements. The report served as a background paper for UN-Habitat’s Third Global Report on Human Settlements.

[Excerpt: Background Paper, August 2000]

1.0 Overview: This background paper is based on an extensive review of infrastructure initiatives implemented since the early 1990s in different economic, social and cultural settings. Recent trends are assessed and creative approaches presented. In each case, the challenges faced and the context within which infrastructure problems have to be addressed determined the range of options and the choice of strategies. The remarkable results achieved by Best Practices are highlighted with a special focus on the ingredients underlying their success.”

[Excerpt: Table of Contents, Background Paper, August 2000, p. 2 of 31]

  1. Overview
    • Decentralization and Infrastructure Policy
    • Decentralization of infrastructure services
    • Expanding the scope for private sector involvement
    • A growing role for NGOs and civil society
    • Challenges in the decentralization of infrastructure
  2. Decentralized institutional frameworks, participatory processes and capacity building
    • The role of regional and intermediary institutions
    • Strengthening local government leadership and initiative
    • Partnerships between municipalities and NGO
    • Community-based approaches to infrastructure services and neighborhood revitalization
  3. Financing investments in infrastructure services and neighborhood revitalization
    • Public/Private partnerships to finance infrastructure
    • The role of intermediary institutions in infrastructure finance
    • Privatization of infrastructure services: public utility companies
  4. Equitable Access to Infrastructure and the Empowerment of Poor and Marginalized Communities
    • Community-based financing of infrastructure projects
  5. Concluding Remarks
  6. List of references
Project Year:2000
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:Decentralization and Urban Infrastructure Management Capacity (Background Paper, August 2000)
Authors:Mona Serageldin; Suzanne Kim; Sameh Wahba
Sponsors:UN-Habitat
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading
  
ID:2000_08_003
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“Preserving the Historic Urban Fabric in a Context of Fast Paced Change,” Research Essay by Mona Serageldin, 1998

Abstract

In this 1998 essay, Mona Serageldin responded to the Getty Conservation Institute’s “Agora Values and Benefits Inquiry” by examining the challenges of preserving historic centers in societies experiencing fast-paced political, economic, or demographic change. Documents include the 1998 report and a draft report with reference list. Contributing authors included Sameh Wahba.

Serageldin’s 1998 essay laid the grounded for the Institute’s ongoing directives from the late 1990s onwards. Her research drew clear links between the need to bolster urban populations during politically challenging periods and the need to protect historic cultural and architectural districts during times of unpredictable change. This dual approach attempted to navigate a cross-disciplinary approach to solving these issues, offering in-depth social and economic analyses. This perspective continues to be relevant in the present global environments, where the stressors of climate change and migratory upheaval necessitate complex planning to preserve valuable urban spaces.



[Excerpt: Mona Serageldin, Final Report, “Preserving the Historic Urban Fabric in a Context of Fast Paced Change,” p. 2]

“This essay looks at cultural heritage from the viewpoint of addressing the challenge of preserving historic centers in societies experiencing fast paced change. This situation is commonly encountered in newly independent states, countries undergoing economic restructuring and nations charting a course through difficult political transition. The cultural heritage contained in the historic cores of urban settlements is subjected to the interplay of two major forces:

1. The dynamics of development and transformation as they affect population movements and real estate markets.

2. The perceptual and practical links between people and their architectural and cultural
heritage.

“Rapid economic and institutional transformation subjects the built environment to varying degrees of strain which expose cultural heritage to risk. Concepts of preservation transferred from countries enjoying prolonged stability and growth often prove to be unaffordable and ineffective in preventing the onset of decay in historic cores. National development policies focused on economic issues do not adequately support conservation objectives and may even clash with them while the dynamics of real estate markets reinforce disparities in valuation between the old and the new. They create situations where the value of the land in accessible sites is depressed by the historic buildings standing on it because of their condition or use.”

“Appreciation of the built environment is partially conditioned by participation in the network of interlinked organizations underlying the social order: family and kin groups, ethnic, religious and political associations and even occupation and business interests. Rapid transformation causes strains and dislocations in these structures. Restructuring of production opens new fields and opportunities to acquire status and wealth independently of old systems. Reshaping the institutional and legal frameworks within which new and surviving organizations have to function creates new channels for upward mobility as well as new symbols of achievement and status. The mechanisms of self improvement and the experience of personal fulfillment are more or less profoundly altered.”
___

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Project Year:1998
Project Type:Cultural Heritage Essay
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin; Sameh Wahba
Sponsors:Getty Conservation Institute
Categories:Historic Districts
  
ID:1998_11_001

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Design Studio 1997: “Strategic Planning and Local Development,” Seminar Curriculum

Abstract

The Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design hosted a Design Studio in Spring 1997, “Strategic Planning and Local Development,” led by Mona Serageldin and John Driscoll. The studio focused on strategies for urban and regional development for less developed nations, within the context of a globalized economy with cities being the engines of growth.

Documents include a workshop overview with objectives and schedule, a reserved materials list, and a bibliography.


[Excerpt: Syllabus Introduction, ‘Strategic Planning and Local Development,’ Spring 1997]

“The seminar will examine strategies for urban and regional development within the context of a globalized economy where cities are the engines of growth. Fierce competition, unavoidable interdependence, fast paced technological change, widening income disparities and environmental degradation are creating new challenges that urban development strategies must address.”

“Concepts and methods of strategic planning as a framework for participation, decision making and resource allocation will be examined focusing on the complementary roles of public and private actors in planning, financing and managing urban development activities in different economic, institutional and cultural settings. Case studies will illustrate proactive strategies to promote urban development, regenerate functionally obsolete areas and revitalized marginalized neighborhoods.

The seminar will examine the expanding scope of public/private partnerships and discuss the changing role of public agencies, private investors, NGOs and community based organizations in the rehabilitation of the built environment and the provision of housing and urban services. Case studies will illustrate sustainable initiatives focusing on the structure of the interface between city, community and the local business sector. The case studies will also highlight critical roles for urban planners and designers in leading and nurturing initiatives relying on empowerment.”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1997
Project Type:Urban Design Studio
Geographic Regions:Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States (Seminar Location) / Cairo Metropolitan Area, Egypt
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin; John Driscoll
Sponsors:Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Categories:Design Studios; Education
  
ID:1997_01_001

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Galleries 6-7: Egypt: Cairo and Helwan (1986, 1990)

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“Introduction to Local Finances,” Teaching Monographs and Case Studies on Finance Management, by Visiting Lecturer David C. Jones, 1994-1999

Abstract

Between 1994 and 1999, David C. Jones was a visiting lecturer at the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Jones lead seminars in the Unit’s International Training Programs for urban development practitioners. His contributions from I2UD’s records include the following materials:

Teaching monographs:

  • “Municipal Government and Public Utilities: Financing and Management of Public Sector Infrastructure”
  • “Financial, Economic and Social Impacts of Operational and Development Activities in Urban Communities”
  • “Cost Definition and Recovery for Infrastructure, Land and Property”
  • “Cost Measurement and Pricing of Local Public Services”

Case studies:

  • “Harvardia”
  • “Harvard Yard Development Enterprise (HYDE)”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1994-1999
Project Type:Teaching Monographs
Geographic Regions:Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Reports:
Authors:David C. Jones
Sponsors:Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Categories:Urban Planning; Urban Finance
  
ID:1994_07_002

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“Financing Infrastructure Upgrading Programs,” Two Urban Development Research Papers, Mona Serageldin, 1989-1991

Abstract

In 1989 and 1991, Mona Serageldin authored two related papers on financing urban development for the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design: “Financing Upgrading Programs” and “Financing Infrastructure Upgrading Programs.”

The papers assessed the exchange components of local and foreign currency as cost factors in urban development upgrading projects, using municipalities in Jordan and Tunisia as examples. Serageldin focused on three main needs to establish effectively-financed upgrading programs:

  1. Construction of new infrastructure networks,
  2. Building and improvement of community facilities like schools and health centers, and
  3. Creation of homeowner credit mechanisms to improve residential properties.



[Excerpt: “Financing Upgrading Programs, November 1989”]

“…Upgrading is widely held to be the most effective mechanism to expand the supply of housing for limited income groups and improve living conditions for the urban poor. By providing the support infrastructure, it opens up opportunities for new economic activity.”

“Despite highly publicized haranguing by U.N. Habitat, housing is no longer viewed as a priority for public expenditure by international funding organizations and bilateral aid agencies. The debt situation in developing countries implies a widening gap between urgent needs and potential resources. Demographic pressure and the economic crisis have concentrated efforts on economic development and employment generation rather than social infrastructure.”

Project Year:1989-1991
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin
Sponsors:Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design; USAID
Categories:Reconciliation and Development
  
ID:1989_11_001
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“Geographic Information Systems: The Spatial Dimension of Urban Information Management,” Early GIS Research Paper by François Vigier, Jonathan Corson-Rikert, and Joy Hecht, 1989

Abstract

The paper “Geographic Information Systems: The Spatial Dimension of Urban Information Management” was written in July 1989 by François Vigier, Jonathan Corson-Rikert, and Joy Hecht under the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

The report reviews the emerging field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in 1989, and summarizes its administrative and technical applications. It discusses the use of information systems in urban management, the development of computer mapping and geographic information systems, the management of streets and utilities, and potential system expansions for the technology.

A history of using GIS systems in urban development is related to I2UD’s latest focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) geographic imaging systems. Early concepts from 1989 can be compared to—or demonstrate the origins of—modern GIS mapping technologies.


[Excerpt: “Geographic Information Systems: The Spatial Dimension of Urban Information Management,” July 1989, p. 2]

“The evolution of computer technology over the past ten years offers new opportunities in this field to Third World cities. Software that integrates management systems with geographic data offers municipal officials new ways to approach technical problems, by addressing directly the spatial dimensions of the issues.

Conventional tools allow the development of quantitative estimates of future trends; only the ability to visualize their probable impacts in space allows a realistic conceptualization of growth or of changes in the quality of urban life. Planning strategies that are responsive to the pressures of rapid growth, effective in the management of the physical plant, and sensitive to the need to allocate scarce public resources depend on the merging of analytical techniques and spatial decisions.”

[Excerpt cont’, p. 8]

“Geographic information systems, linking maps and data base management systems make the storage and management of a wide range of spatial information possible. No longer an isolated component used to display results or store geographic data, computer mapping has become an affordable integral part of urban management.”

See related I2UD projects below

Project Year:1989
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:Geographic Information Systems: The Spatial Dimension of Urban Information Management (July 1989)
Authors:François Vigier; Jonathan Corson-Rikert; Joy Hecht
Sponsors:Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Categories:Reconciliation and Development
  
ID:1989_07_002

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“Environmental Health Factors in Housing,” Design Study for the Rapid Urbanization of Low-Income Settlements in Urban-Fringe Districts, 1989

Abstract

“Environmental Health Factors in Housing” was a study from 1989 by the Unit for Housing and Urbanization (the Unit) at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design that addressed the link between rapid urbanization and rapid densification of low-income housing settlements in economically struggling cities.

The report addressed the environmental hazards, poverty, disease, and housing conditions emerging in areas around housing developments that had been built recently but lacked adequate infrastructure for socio-economic longevity and community health. The Unit presented its aim to form a model for affordable, practical design criteria, attuned to both economic and social factors for urban-fringe districts.

Documents include working reports from April, July, and August 1989, a study summary, and a research strategy and methodological guidelines document by Rafique H. Keshavjee and Orville Solon from December 1989.



[Excerpt: Study Summary, I. Overview, July 1989, p. 2]

“Most urban settlements in lower-income countries, whether they are new settlements built by the government, established informal communities or new squatter areas, are subject to tremendous pressures of population growth and economic and physical change. The greater the pressure for development, the more rapid the transformations brought about by this maturation process. This continuous growth and change can rapidly transform their original physical forms beyond recognition and alter the community’s social and economic functions. The process is further intensified when governments introduce improvements such as water, sewerage, basic services and housing. For example, carefully planned housing projects designed according to standards which assume a segregation of commercial and residential activities will find that, overtime, these activities will occur simultaneously in the same area.

The need of low-income families to generate additional income and living space results in the construction of new rooms and apartments which were often not anticipated in the original design of the site or its infrastructure. In such cities as Karachi, Dhakka and Cairo, where housing shortages are high, additions to structures can reach over six stories in less than five years, raising densities from under 400 to over 1,000 persons per hectare. The most dynamic aspect of transformation within a community affects housing, small scale commercial establishments and the disappearance or overuse of communal open
spaces.”

…..

[Excerpt: Study Summary, III. STUDY DESIGN, July 1989, p. 7]

“The purpose of the Study is to develop practical, affordable design criteria which are responsive to the social and economic dynamics of low-income settlements. It will focus on aspects of housing and community design which have received little attention in the past. Most notably, the long-term impact of rapid growth in low-income urban settlements and the effect of the resulting transformation of housing and environmental conditions on the health of the residents. The definition of this linkage and the development of appropriate environmental design criteria, will allow decision makers to choose physical improvements that will maintain their positive impacts as a community matures.“

Project Year:1989
Project Type:Environmental Climate Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin; François Vigier; Rafique H. Keshavjee; Orville Solon
Sponsors:World Bank; Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Categories:Climate Change and Resilience Building
  
ID:1989_07_001
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“Computerized Urban Management Methods: PROJECT, AFFORD and PALMS,” Early GIS Computer Software Documentation for Urban Management, 1987-1993

Abstract

Starting in 1987, team members at the Unit for Housing and Urbanization at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design developed a pilot suite of three computer software programs for urban management: PROJECT, AFFORD, and PALMS (Parcel-Based Land Management System). These programs were data simulation models designed to assist international public officials in assessing physical factors and financial resources for housing development and land planning.

Documents below include an AFFORD user manual, a PROJECT user manual and description, and a PALMS progress report, with maps and slides. Supporting documents include three student reports from the 1988 Design Studio, addressing the use of computerized systems: “Information Systems in the Developing World,” “Feasibility of Housing Surveys,” and “Long Term Human Activities and Ecosystem Responses.”



— 1989 — Mona Serageldin created “AFFORD,” a computer simulation model designed for public planning agencies, for making data assessments on physical standards and financing terms for the production and delivery of housing for limited income groups.

— 1987-1988 — François Vigier created “PROJECT,” a computer simulation model for programming and phasing large-scale public projects (housing developments, roadways or service corridors, regional rehabilitation). The model allowed the user to easily explore data interactions — among physical, economic and financial variables — to determine the feasibility of projects.

— 1991 — Jonathan Corson-Rikert created “PALMS” (Parcel-Based Land Management System) as a geographic information system database — and an applications library consisting of commonly encountered urban management decisions for planners.


More context on the Unit’s work with GIS can be found in: “Geographic Information Systems: The Spatial Dimension of Urban Information Management,” by François Vigier, Jonathan Corson-Rikert, and Joy Hecht, 1989 (Project ID: 1989_07_002). This essay reviewed the emerging field of GIS as of 1989 and the potential applications for urban planning.

Although not included below, Mona Serageldin and Sherif Lotfi also created a fourth program, “COMPUTE,” in 1993. This analytical model assessed the economic impact of urban land development projects in terms of four key indicators: employment generation, leverage ratio, NPV, and IRR, with a sensitivity analysis.

Project Year:1987-1993
Project Type:GIS Computer Software Program Documentation
Geographic Regions:Global / None Specified
Reports:
—
—
—
Student Reports:
Authors:François Vigier; Mona Serageldin; Peter Rowe; Daniel L. Schodek; Mara Graham; Joy Hecht; Michael W. Binford; Kristina Hill
Sponsors:Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture; Unit for Housing and Urbanization, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Categories:Education; Climate Change
  
ID:1988_12_001

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