[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.”

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

Gallery 3 – BAHRAIN: Manama and Muharraq, 1980s