MArch(Prof)

Towards Complex Urban Integration 

Project Location: Plastic View Informal Settlement, Pretoria 

Project Focus Area: Unit for Urban Citizenship 

Supervisor: Dr Carin Combrinck 

Project Intentions

Urbanisation is recognised as a natural by-product of economic development. However, the rate of urbanisation in many developing countries is not directly proportional to the growth of employment opportunities. This results in unemployment, leading to a term coined ‘over-urbanisation’. This global phenomenon has subsequently shifted the paradigm of urbanity. Informal settlements have developed in order to address the urgency of living, creating ingenious and instantaneous solutions to immediate and severe issues. These spaces of urban informality are continuously emerging throughout cities globally. However, they are often characterised by overcrowding, informal housing, insecure tenure and a lack of access to basic amenities.