The night, off course, was one without much sleep, not too bad, it was just one night. The cold did not allow any periods of sleep lasting longer than about an hour. It’s presance was painfully emphasised by the lack of insulation of our hovel and the size of my blanket.
The morning –finally, the night ends- silence broken by footsteps of employees of the faculty, starteled by our presence. “I do hope you will clean this all up” - a lady of the direction. After explanation there is more interest and understanding for the project, but the response to our somewhat dirty looks is obvious, even after one night, even being a student to the university; it is clear we don’t fit in. The evening before even more; security wants to know under who’s authority we are opperating (spending the night on faculty terrain) and advising that when the police may come, we sould leave the property.
After a short breafast in the cafeteria, I go home to clean up, before going to work. When I arrive in my room I suddenly stop; looking around, seeing a wide variety of books, scetches, all kinds of markers, a television, decorations. All seems só insignificant; all I needed extra last night was maybe an extra blanket and an extra pair of socks, nothing else. Suddenly, finaly I had the strongest awareness of the gigantic gap existing between our filthy rich society and de absolute pooreness other societies are faced with. The unimaginable creativity existing to be able to stay alive in this conditions and moreover; the disgusting reluctance I and many people with me have on our richness, always wanting more, worrieing about “if we will ever become happy”, “will we find the love of our life”, “will we go out or pas the exam”.
Imagine the people in Dharavi; seeing a bunch of students wandering around in their living area, wrighting and drawing what they see; such unimportant ways of spending time! Can we call this reaction a superficial one? The denial of usefullness of planning. Do we actually know better?
A preparation on a Dharavi workshop.
zaterdag 16 februari 2008
vrijdag 15 februari 2008
donderdag 14 februari 2008
The slum - notes to a discussion
Originate
A slum is a place which forms a cheap way to dwell, mostly for the large stream of people going from rural areas to the large cities to find a job.
This migration movement is triggered by the evolvement of a global economic network which enhances the forming of large companies and corporations, which generate all kinds of activity around transportation nodes (places where man can easily travel to, preferably by use of different flows of transportation). This global network draws attention to cities, which are often well connected to such a network (airports, large train- and bus stations). This in a way explains both the explosive way cities are expanding and the enormous investments which are put onto urban areas, both by private and public investors. This process has been initiated by the development of economy, technology and accordingly, society.
It is roughly what can be described as the process man refers to as globalization.
This process creates the stream of people to cities, who are not able to afford regular dwelling, and therefore live in slums, where life is reasonably cheap. One should be aware of the fact the dwellers of the slum (in the case of the larger ones) are still of great political and economic importance. For example; there are NGOs which are located in areas marked as a slum.
Define
It is hard to give a clear definition of what a slum is. In first instance this might seem clear; features as poor housing, a certain level of informality and lack of a certain level of public facilities (police control, pavement, sewage and so forth) can pretty much characterize what one at first sight might describe as such. However so, the issue becomes more relevant where, due to urban rehabilitation processes and appropriation of ground areas defined as slum seem to thereby loose a right of existence. The ones resident to these areas are, as it were, deprived of the right to inhabit the house they have, as it has, for which ever reason been marked in which ever way less valuable than the urban parts surrounding it. Which ever features might define what a slum is and what is not, it may be clear that the demarcation of any urban area as such is to be seen as a recognition of this area as less, even unsatisfactory valuable and this demarcation therefor implicitly calls for a certain action. The recognition of slum-areas as such can, and often do serve, and have done so, as political instrument to initiate a certain action. Clearly, the given of action, provoked by this demarcation represents interests. Onward is it most likely to presume that these interests serve in first instance the one to define, rather than the defined.
A slum is a place which forms a cheap way to dwell, mostly for the large stream of people going from rural areas to the large cities to find a job.
This migration movement is triggered by the evolvement of a global economic network which enhances the forming of large companies and corporations, which generate all kinds of activity around transportation nodes (places where man can easily travel to, preferably by use of different flows of transportation). This global network draws attention to cities, which are often well connected to such a network (airports, large train- and bus stations). This in a way explains both the explosive way cities are expanding and the enormous investments which are put onto urban areas, both by private and public investors. This process has been initiated by the development of economy, technology and accordingly, society.
It is roughly what can be described as the process man refers to as globalization.
This process creates the stream of people to cities, who are not able to afford regular dwelling, and therefore live in slums, where life is reasonably cheap. One should be aware of the fact the dwellers of the slum (in the case of the larger ones) are still of great political and economic importance. For example; there are NGOs which are located in areas marked as a slum.
Define
It is hard to give a clear definition of what a slum is. In first instance this might seem clear; features as poor housing, a certain level of informality and lack of a certain level of public facilities (police control, pavement, sewage and so forth) can pretty much characterize what one at first sight might describe as such. However so, the issue becomes more relevant where, due to urban rehabilitation processes and appropriation of ground areas defined as slum seem to thereby loose a right of existence. The ones resident to these areas are, as it were, deprived of the right to inhabit the house they have, as it has, for which ever reason been marked in which ever way less valuable than the urban parts surrounding it. Which ever features might define what a slum is and what is not, it may be clear that the demarcation of any urban area as such is to be seen as a recognition of this area as less, even unsatisfactory valuable and this demarcation therefor implicitly calls for a certain action. The recognition of slum-areas as such can, and often do serve, and have done so, as political instrument to initiate a certain action. Clearly, the given of action, provoked by this demarcation represents interests. Onward is it most likely to presume that these interests serve in first instance the one to define, rather than the defined.
Is is therefore valuable to identify some elements which can form entities which are understood to be one.
One of the most striking features of slums is a certain degree of randomness in the way the building is structured, next to this; it is related to an urban area which, for whatever reason, can be marked as being no slum. Further, elements like a certain degree of poverty and diminished governmental formality (both in building decree and social control) seem to be returning issues when the definition slum is used.
This does not mean that there are no governmental rules present in these urban agglomerations, nor that these can not be planned, even though in many cases building is done by the dwellers of the neighbourhood.
In most slums there are strong social networks which are hard to penetrate, with in many case some kind of hierargic structure. These structures do not overlap entirely with the morphological existence of the slum. Again, one should have an open mind towards the notion slum, whereas it can be seen both as a place where crime flourishes, creativity finds it’s ultimate climate, a place which is a city (village) in itself, part of a city and a loose element of the city having some sort of symbiotic relation with it. This, although the borders of the slum are in no way clearly definable (spatially, politically, socially, economically, etc…).
One of the most striking features of slums is a certain degree of randomness in the way the building is structured, next to this; it is related to an urban area which, for whatever reason, can be marked as being no slum. Further, elements like a certain degree of poverty and diminished governmental formality (both in building decree and social control) seem to be returning issues when the definition slum is used.
This does not mean that there are no governmental rules present in these urban agglomerations, nor that these can not be planned, even though in many cases building is done by the dwellers of the neighbourhood.
In most slums there are strong social networks which are hard to penetrate, with in many case some kind of hierargic structure. These structures do not overlap entirely with the morphological existence of the slum. Again, one should have an open mind towards the notion slum, whereas it can be seen both as a place where crime flourishes, creativity finds it’s ultimate climate, a place which is a city (village) in itself, part of a city and a loose element of the city having some sort of symbiotic relation with it. This, although the borders of the slum are in no way clearly definable (spatially, politically, socially, economically, etc…).
My first slum (2) - a night without cops..and sleep
In advance, a few pictures, after this; the night, story. How did we (Geraldine, Jasper and Stephan) survive in the horror of the cold and dark slum night...
Is that youre leg...or mine?
Cosey fire
small but nice...
Is that youre leg...or mine?
maandag 11 februari 2008
My first slum - a photo report
Discussion, frustration
More discussion, even more frustration
Ultimate frustration (also still...discussion)
Finally! the plan!! Groups..1,2,3,4...?
Concept; No worrie, we got currie!
To work (what is that mouse doing there?)
Some hours, lots of sweat and an angry security guy later...
READY TO GET STARTED!
zondag 10 februari 2008
Lecture on Heidegger - Experimental Phenomena 01
The lecture concerning phenomenology, for me was in many parts hard to get. But it did start me thinking; how actually do we experience 
space? Is it by sound, smell, memory? shurely by vision, but how is it actually received? For instance; the actually being inside a space against experiencing a space through a window from another one (which, in some cases can disappear in our perception; the space where we are is not significant, our attention is drawn), or seeing an image or movie and in that way experience a space.
space? Is it by sound, smell, memory? shurely by vision, but how is it actually received? For instance; the actually being inside a space against experiencing a space through a window from another one (which, in some cases can disappear in our perception; the space where we are is not significant, our attention is drawn), or seeing an image or movie and in that way experience a space.
The sence seems to be quite time-related; spaces do seem smaller when on crosses it fast. Then, how do we relate to the urban space as we travel along with it? It is interesting to see how a space seem to decline. I did a small experiment walking and taking a pictures every 20 seconds, afterwarts I did the same on my way back, this time by bicycle (visible in the images) It was striking to see how much less significance the surroundings seem to have, loose from the place one should turn or obejcts you should go around.
(open the images in order to see the experiment)
--to be continued --
woensdag 6 februari 2008
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