Slum upgrading and placemaking: improving informal settlements and creating places

Abstract

Since the creation of UN-Habitat in 1978, development agendas have shown an increased global focus in cities and urban challenges. Fast-growing urbanization rates the world over, urban challenges, and in particular slums, critically hinder human progress. Despite the international recognition, conventional approaches to the slum question fail to accomplish solid results. Evidence has it that Latin America has become the world's signpost in integral, inclusive urban development. The few comprehensive, yet crucial, slum upgrading programs being implemented in the region attest to that. We see the potential in this region to lead to a better future for slum upgrading--ergo, for human development. For that purpose, we have selected ten representative Latin American slum upgrading programs to help us illustrate our proposed methodology for achieving more comprehensive and sustainable results in slum upgrading practices.