Post-occupancy observations of open spaces in a slum-upgrading project in Baseco Compound, City of Manila
Research period: 2016 – 2018
Research site: Baseco, Compound, City of Manila
Author: Yun Hye HWANG and Yuanqiu FENG
Slum upgrading aims to provide improved social, economic and environmental conditions for slum dwellers, with a focus on shelter and basic infrastructure. There is usually little emphasis on the planning and design of the open spaces in these upgraded neighbourhoods. Few accounts document how open spaces in upgraded neighbourhoods change over the years, and post-occupancy evaluations of whether these open spaces meet community needs are scarce. To address this knowledge gap, the study revisited two areas in a slum-upgrading project in Baseco, a landfill on Manila Bay densely populated by the urban poor. We documented changes in open spaces over 12 years and observed they were often heavily modified, appropriated or otherwise altered from their original purposes due to a mismatch between designed facilities and resident preferences and/or needs. Disproportionate allocation of resources to new construction projects vs. maintenance of constructed projects and a lack of a community sense of ownership over open spaces accelerated their deterioration. We suggest that better neighbourhood outcomes can be achieved by: 1) better understanding community needs and livelihood patterns; 2) re-examining the appropriateness of design and planning standards for informal contexts; and 3) emphasizing resident participation and leadership from the start.
Key words: Slum upgrading, Manila informal settlements, Longitudinal studies, Landscape changes, Open spaces planning, Community-led management
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